Just looking for a little motivation. Can someone name some NCAA champs (or close to it) who had less than impressive HS careers. Particularly looking for 800 and up runners.
Just looking for a little motivation. Can someone name some NCAA champs (or close to it) who had less than impressive HS careers. Particularly looking for 800 and up runners.
Abbey D'Agostino
Galen Rupp
German Fernandez
Robbie Andrews
Jordan Hasay
Ritz
Dorian Ulrey.
4:09 isn't bad by any means, but not indicative of a future national champion.
Didn't Andy Bayer have to walk onto Indiana?
And I believe Daniel Lincoln walked on at Arkansas.
There are none recently that were not "good".
Every single one was a high school state champion or had run times that ranked among the top 25 in that nation.
Anyone would be crazy to call that level of running "not that good."
Going back in the past some runners who were NCAA Champions that were not spectacular high school runners were Frank Shorter (9:30), Henry Marsh (4:19), Terry Brahm (4:14). Aaron Ramirez won NCAA cross in 1986 and I don't think he was faster than 9:15 in high school but I'm not sure.
John Scherer won three NCAA titles in the 1980's and wasn't faster than 9:10 for 3200.
What were Ryan Shay's times in high school on the track? He was an NCAA champion and I don't think he was super fastr in high school and is a more recent name.
george oscar bluth wrote:
Dorian Ulrey.
4:09 isn't bad by any means, but not indicative of a future national champion.
WTF?
What? There are dozens of 4:09 guys every year, and hardly any of them become DI NCAA champions.
Andy Bayer ran a 4:12 1600m, and 9:02 3200m in high school. Still very good high school marks, but a lot of 4:05/8:50 guys don't get close to being an NCAA champion.
Amanda eccleston from Michigan
Cam Levins anyone? 1:59/4:18/9:25 in high school is nothing special at all and he's faster than all the jokers you've named...
8:08.82 is better than any time Levins has run, and Dan had more NCAA titles.
Daniel Lincoln is the best recent example of the last 15 years I think.
(god, I think his last title was 10 years ago now in Sac a the great meet in 2003..2 Minnesota farmboys under 45 in the 400m, Lauren Fleshman at 5K-winning her final outdoor title in style by destroying Flanagan over the last 500m), John Mac's last outdoor title for the Hogs...
BTW, there are not DOZENS of 4:09 guys coming out of HS, even in the improved HS depth in the event.
How about Miles Batty of BYU and second fastest indoor mile in NCAA history... His 4:24 mile time is high school has got to be close to the worst of any Collegiate record breaker.
doodles wrote:
Cam Levins anyone? 1:59/4:18/9:25 in high school is nothing special at all and he's faster than all the jokers you've named...
Canadians have an extra year of high school, so it isn't really fair to compare Cam's high school numbers to the stats of Americans.
Meh, maybe not. Based on a quick search:
Bernie Montoya
Ben Saarel
Sean McGorty
Henry Wynne
Edward Cheserek
Benjamin Malone
Andres Arroyo
Brock Baker
Jacob Thomson
Jake Leingang
Patrick Joseph
Cameron Villarreal
Jacob Burcham
Robert Domanic
Vince Ciattei
Zach Brehm
James Randon
Jacob Dumford
Henry Dwyer
Keith Williams
Jack Keelan
Blake Haney
Troy Reeder
Andy Trouard
Miguel Vazquez
Matt Dorsey
Trevor Gilley
Austin Tamagno
Juan Gonzalez
Jacob Poyner
That's 30 guys this year, or 2.5 dozens. These aren't all seniors, but I only said that each year there are dozens of 4:09 1600m guys.
In other words, Ulrey was a national class high school athlete. I think the OP is looking more for the 425/930 type runner, which is often still good enough to win/compete for a state title in a small state.
The "record", until recently, for most in a year was 27 in 1976 followed by 26 in 1977 and 25 in 1978 & 1975.
It bottomed out with just 3 in 1993.
Starting in 2007:
34 = 2007 (took down 1976)
12 = 2008
29 = 2009
37 = 2010
33 = 2011
45 = 2012
Abbey D'Agostino and Sheila Reid. They were okay in HS and both blossomed into collegiate studs. Sheila was better than the D'ag in HS but nothing special and Abbey was always hurt.