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2002 Men's NCAA XC
Preview
by John Molvar
Teams
Colorado is the defending champion and they expected to have their top
4
back, all who have significantly improved in the last year. In addition
they have some outstanding freshmen coming in. Does this make them a lock
to repeat this year? Not by a long shot. They only won by 1 point last
year and their chief rivals have their entire teams back, are much
improved and they will add some more outstanding runners to their teams.
This all makes for one of the most highly anticipated NCAA team battles
in
years.
Colorado is led by front runners Jorge Torres (2nd last year) and Dathan
Ritzenhein (4) . However, they were dealt a devastating blow when Ritz
was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his leg and will be lost for the
season. Twin Ed Torres (15) and Steve Slattery (28) battled injuries all
last fall and can be expected to finish higher this year. Colorado lost
their fifth man, but returns Jarred Scott. They also have a prize recruit
in Brett Schoolmester who ran 8:52 for 2 miles. They also have
walk-on
true freshman Casey Burchill who was running well within the top 5 of
the
team in early workouts. If he continues like that he may immediately step
into the all important 5th man position. They also recruited Payton
Batliner and Billy Nelson. Without Ritz and without a proven
5th man, it
is unlikely that they can repeat as champions.
Stanford's team of all sophomores lost by only 1 point last year. The
team is led by Louis Luchini (12), Don Sage (7) and Grant Robison (21),
Ian Dobson (20) and Seth Hjeny (43). This year, these juniors, many of
whom that have improved significantly, will be complimented by several
other top runners who were either injured or red shirted last year
including Adam Tenforde who has run under 29 minutes in the 10,000 and
Jessie Thomas who steepled 8:35 Outdoors. Behind them they have at least
5 more returning upper classmen who could step up this year to the top
7.
They also had a phenomenal recruiting year with a full team of 9 prize
recruits. They bring in 6 who ran between 8:55 and 9:05 in the 2 mile
in
high school, plus another that ran 9:10 and another who ran 4:13 for the
mile and another that was a state XC champion. This gives the Cardinal
awesome depth that can't be matched by any other squad. Last year's team
was also the deepest with the highest placing fifth man (43). Even with
several injuries, they still could possibly win. With Colorado losing
Ritz, Stanford is now the favorite.
Arkansas returns at least their top 7 from last year and has several
others ready to make a run at the top 7. The team is a mixture of
Americans and an eclectic mix of foreigners from many different countries.
They are led by American Danny Lincoln (19), Allistar Cragg (3),Jason
Sandfort (32) and Silverus Kimeli (13). With the depth and talent and
tradition of big meet performances, many experts may consider them the
favorites to win this year. They will need a strong 5th man to emerge
from the likes of Wes Alkin, Chris Mulvaney, Fernando Cabada or Said Ahmed
to take the title.
Wisconsin hopes to have all their top runners running in the championship
race this year. Coach Jerry Schumacher has been very successful since
he
took over as coach a few years ago. Two years ago he recruited 3 sub 9
minute 2 milers in the same year. This year, for the first time all
three, Matt Tegankamp (8), Josh Spiker (9) and Tim Keller
(82 in '00) will
be running together. They also return Isaiah Festa (98)
who is capable of
finishing much higher and sub 14 minute 5000 man Adam Wallace (30 in
'00)and Nick Winkel a 29 flat 10000 man whom return from a redshirt
season. They also bring in another sub 9 minute high school 2 miler,
Bobby Lockhart, who was second in last year's footlocker meet. So good
is
the talent that if they all improve and all come up big at the same time
on race day, they could pull a major upset. Already that looks
doubtful
though with Spiker battling injury and Keller not near top form.
The best of the rest appears to be Northern Arizona. Coach Ron Mann
has
steadily built up one of the best programs in the country and he is doing
it with mostly Americans from the Southwest. This year he scored a
recruiting coup by bringing in 3 Footlocker Finalists. While they can't
contend for the title, they are definitely a top 5 threat.
1 Stanford 61
2 Arkansas 113
3 Wisconsin 121
4 Colorado 148
5 Northern Arizona 220
6 Villanova 248
7 Georgetown 297
8 NC State
9 Butler
10 Providence
11 Oregon
12 BYU
13 Michigan State
14 Portland
15 William & Mary
16 Colorado State
17 Eastern Michigan
18 Texas
19 Indiana
20 Dartmouth
21 Arizona State
22 SMU
Individuals
Defending Champion Boaz Chemboywo returns for Eastern Michigan. The
Kenyan senior won big last year and confirmed his dominance with an easy
win in the Outdoor 10000. Despite this he will face a serious challenge
from at least 5 runners including 3 Americans. Alabama's David Kimani
is
a fellow Kenyan senior who won the 2000 race and was the Outdoor 5000
champion. He has been erratic including a DNF in last year's race.
Jorge Torres was second last year but has improved dramatically since
then. In March he placed 11th in the World XC Championship Short race.
Outdoors he improved to 13:26 in the 5000 and showed newfound speed by
running a 1:50 800. Another contender for the individual title was to
be
his teammate sophomore Dathan Ritzenhein. He was finished one second out
of 3rd last year and like Torres, he has improved dramatically since then.
He was 22nd in the World XC Championship long race and was the 2nd best
non-African. He also ran 13:27 for 5000. Perhaps ominous for his
competition, Coach Mark Wetmore deliberately undertrained Ritz last year.
In interviews the coach stated that his biggest fear with Dathan would
be
undertrained for his first NCAA XC race. Whereas most runners in heavy
midseason training experience the "Valley of Fatigue", coach
Wetmore said
Ritz so full of energy he "was bouncing off the walls" prior
to each
workout. However Ritz suffered a stress fracture in August and will miss
the entire season.
Senior Danny Lincoln of Arkansas had a bad race in the championship
last
year but outdoors ran an early season 13:36 5000 then dominated the
steeple all season long. At the SEC meet he was a triple winner in the
steeple, 5000 and 10000. Teammate Alistar Cragg (formerly from South
Africa and now representing Ireland) is also a contender for the
individual title. He was 3rd last year and improved to 13:22 in the 5000
outdoors.
Tom McArdle of Dartmouth was 16th last year but stunned the collegiate
ranks with his 28:18 10000 Outdoors. He has never stopped improving and
if he improves some more he could become the NCAA XC Champion.
Although they don't have anyone that can win the individual title,
Stanford could have 3 in the top 20 with Luchini improving to a 13:34
5000
and Sage running 28:40 for 10000 and winning the NCAA 1500 title and
Robison running a 3:58 leg at Penn.
Frank Sanchez (5th in '00) of Georgetown was hoping to be a contender
for
the individual title but has been fighting injuries for over a year.
1 JORGE TORRES COLORADO
2 TOM MCARDLE DARTMOUTH
3 BOAZ CHBOIYWO EAST. MICHIGAN
4 DANIEL LINCOLN ARKANSAS
5 ALISTAIR CRAGG ARKANSAS
6 DAVID KIMANI ALABAMA
7 LOUIS LUCHINI STANFORD
8 DONALD SAGE STANFORD
9 MATT TEGENKAMP WISCONSIN
10 ED TORRES COLORADO
11 GRANT ROBISON STANFORD
12 TRAVIS LAIRD N. ARIZONA - San Marcos HS (SD
Section)
13 STEVE SLATTERY COLORADO
14 ADAM SUTTON PROVIDENCE
15 DALIBOR BALGAC SOUTHERN METHODIST
16 IAN DOBSON STANFORD
17 FASIL BIZUNEH ARIZONA
18 JASON SANDFORT ARKANSAS
19 ADAM TENFORDE STANFORD
20 SILVERUS KIMELI ARKANSAS
21 ADRIAN BLINCOE VILLANOVA
22 JASON HARTMANN OREGON
23 RYAN HAYDEN VILLANOVA
24 ADAM WALLACE WISCONSIN
25 HENRIK AHNSTROM N. ARIZONA
26 MARTIN ALLEGYER SOUTHERN METHODIST
27 FRANK SANCHEZ GEORGETOWN
28 JOSH SPIKER WISCONSIN -
Ventura HS
29 TIM KELLER WISCONSIN
30 MATT GONZALES NEW MEXICO
31 ISAIAH FESTA WISCONSIN - Morro Bay HS
32 CHAD PEARSON N.C. STATE
33 WILL MCCOMB MINNESOTA
34 CHRIS LUKEZIC GEORGETOWN
35 JESSIE THOMAS STANFORD
36 NICK WENKEL WISCOSIN
37 SHADRACK KIMELI KANSAS STATE
38 ANDY SMITH N.C. STATE
39 SETH WATKINS N. ARIZONA
40 PETER KIPRONO ALABAMA
41 JOEP TIGCHELAAR FLORIDA STATE
42 TODD MOBLEY NOTRE DAME
43 RANDY ARIAS SW TEXAS STATE
44 SETH HEJNY STANFORD
45 TIM MOORE NOTRE DAME
46 LIKHAYA DAYILE LOU. STATE
47 JON FASULO VILLANOVA
48 RYAN DEMERS TENNESSEE
49 SEAN GRAHAM WILLIAM & MARY
50 JUSTIN YOUNG BUTLER
51 JARED SCOTT COLORADO
52 WILL MCCOMB MINNESOTA
53 LEWIS JONES BRIGHAM YOUNG
54 JORDAN DESILETS EASTERN MICHIGAN
55 TOM PARLAPIANO VILLANOVA
56 JUAN DE BASTOS TEXAS A&M
57 BOBBY LOCKHART WISCONSIN
58 CHRIS ESTWANIK WAKE FOREST
59 BEN DAWSON TEXAS
60 MARTY FEDMOWSKI BUTLER
61 CHRIS TOLOFF MICHIGAN STATE
62 ED MORAN WILLIAM & MARY
63 RYAN CRAIG PORTLAND
64 NURANI SHEIKH NORTHERN ARIZONA
65 W. KINGSBERY VIRGINIA
66 FERNANDO CABADA ARKANSAS - at Fresno State now
as transfer
67 JOE ECKERLEY WISCONSIN
68 JOHN JEFFERSON INDIANA
69 ROD KOBORSI GEORGETOWN
70 BILL MICHEL COLORADO STATE
71 WES AKIN ARKANSAS
72 MARK TUCKER BUTLER
73 CASEY BURCHILL COLORADO - Buchanan HS, Clovis
(frosh)
74 WILLIAM KEMEY BELMONT
75 CHRIS MULVANEY ARKANSAS
76 KEVIN BARRA TEXAS
77 RON BUCHANAN ARIZONA STATE
- Righetti HS, Santa Maria
78 JAMES BOWLER NEBRASKA
79 JESSIE FAYANT WASHINGTON
80 BEN JENKINS WILLIAM & MARY
81 ROB BREIT ILLINOIS STATE
82 BEN DAWSON TEXAS
83 JOCHEN DIEDKFOSS BOSTON UNIVERSITY
84 TRISTAN COLANGELO PRINCETON
85 MATT KEALLY WILLIAM & MARY
86 KEVIN DOYLE ST. FRANCIS
87 SCOTT MCGOWEN MONTANA
88 ENDA JOHNSON BROWN
89 CHRIS ESSELBORN GEORGETOWN
90 OLIVER BORDER NORTHERN IOWA
91 SEAN O'BRIEN AMERICAN
92 ALLEN BADER NORTH CAROLINA STATE
93 TODD WITZLEBEN LA SALLE
94 CHRIS WILLIAMS DUKE
95 CHAD ANDREWS INDIANA
96 MATT HARRIMAN PORTLAND
97 ANDY CARMAN BRIGHAM YOUNG
98 JERIMIE SLICK BUFFALO
99 JASON MUELLER MICHIGAN STATE
100 MINT HENK NORTHERN ARIZONA
101 BRET SCHOOLMEESTER COLORADO
102 PEYTON BALINER COLRADO
103 MARC PELERIN VILLANOVA
104 DEVIN SWANN NC STATE
Link to first NCAA
Division I Men's Rankings
Link to First NCAA Division I Women's
Rankings
Mike Scott's discussion Women's
NCAA Division I Rankings
THE ANSWER IS SIX
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