D3 Southeast region xc predictions?

Bridgewater has to be the favorite heading into the season, though W&L will be a close second.

Bridgewater loses Luke Sohl and Keith Thomas, but would win without these two based on last years results. Aaron Hill and Trey Gibson were just in their first season last year and will probably compete for top 10 spots this year. Matt Denlinger is a senior and should round out a solid top three. Then they have plenty of depth to fill in the other spots and it makes up for any potential injuries.

W&L has the best top 3 in the region with Levi Warring, Ian McDonald, and Mac Strehler. McDonald was second at indoors in the mile and Warring took 7th at regions last year, while Strehler finished 14th and all region for the second year in a row. Really all three of these guys will be competing for the top 5 spots. The team really hasn't shown much depth though and has done way worse than their ranking the last couple years.

Emory lost a few of their starts and shouldn't be much of a factor. Rhodes returned everyone and brings back Alex Noel who could be a favorite to win it. They could compete for the 2nd or third spot. CNU will probably be top 5 but they bring in a large recruiting class and burn out every year. They get over raced and not a lot of their freshmen come back for a sophomore year.

Individual predictions-

1. Harrison Toney, Roanoke (last year's runner up)

2. Alex Noel, Rhodes,

3. Ian McDonald, W&L

Team standings would be Bridgewater, W&L, and Rhodes, with BW and W&L being close.

Ben Sorenson from UMW should be near the front.

1 - Emory

2 - Bridgewater

3 - Rhodes

4 - CNU

5 - W and L

#1 Emory...Top 5 returners all have 5K PR's under 15:29 and two guys with sub 15 min PR's. No one else in the Region is even in the ballpark with those kind of front runners.

#2 Bridgewater...Gibson, Hill, Denlinger, Maguder, and Campbell all having PR's Sub 15:30, but they don't have the front presence like Emory. They will have a strong pack and depth.

#3 Rhodes...Noel leading the team up front. Track times don't show it, but he is a tough runner. Top 4 have 5K PR's under 15:33. Need a 5.

After that, CNU, W&L, Trinity, Mary Wash, Berry, Centre, UT Tyler will be 4th - 10th.

Centre takes the biggest hit from last years top 10. Pataky will be one of the best individuals in the Region though.

Mary Wash will have a strong front runner that could help a higher team finish than previous years.

Roanoke, Sewanee, Birmingham Southern, Virginia Wesleyan could be other teams in the hunt for top 10 in the Region.

Bridgewater has recruited some strong freshman talent in Hiegel and Wilt (9:36,& 9:38 3200m prs for the freshman) they will compliment an already strong top 3 in Hill, Gibson and Delinger. A very dangerous top 5!..CNU has several strong runners with JJ Lapointe leading the way and rumor has it one of the Lomong brothers will be attending CNU in the fall..With that being said I still think Bridgewaters top talent could see all top 5 ( if the freshman talent produce to their potential) place in the top 20 at the SE Regionals..Emory has very strong talent and could still pose a threat..WL has a strong top 3 and if they have some talent coming in the fall could be a threat for the number 1. spot...but my prediction places Bridgewater taking the number 1. spot ..I just dont see a stronger top 5 at this time..but alot can change as the season gets closer..W&L is very close but I think Bridgewaters depth wins out..Rhodes and Emory will battle for third..The dark horse is CNU they have had a terrific year recruiting and if the rumor is true and Peter Lomong

is going to CNU ...then CNU could really upset the apple cart..

1. Bridgewater

2. W&L

3. Rhodes

4. Emory

5. CNU

Alex Noel is gonna take the rest of the south east, bend it over, and gently whisper sweet nothings in their ears with his Memphis/KY charm. Then he and his mullet will run a 27 min 8k at natties.

There still won't be a ranked team from this region

You may be correct for this year..but in the next few years . I wouldnt be surprised to see several strong young teams that could develop into a statement..CNU has recruited several top notch freshman..Peyton Artz,a top notch Richmond Va runner out of Freeman HS and Josh Speer a top notch Distance runner from the VISAA / Bishop O'Connell ..plus others..Bridgewater has a talented young team who had several top notch freshman last year and they also recruited well..I could see either of these teams develop into a top notch Div 3 teams over the next several years...

The S/SE will have a tough time competing as a team on a national level. Individuals will and have had success nationally, but unlike other regions, there is not national level competition at every meet for S/SE Region teams. The reason why the NE, Midwest, and Central Region are so good, is because they compete against good teams every weekend.

BC and Emory going to Oshkosh is great for the Region, but until they go to a meet like that and beat ranked teams, the S/SE still only gets the two auto teams out and finish 25th-32nd at NCAA's.

So who are the top 5 individuals in the region? Going off last years results you would have to put Toney from Roanoke, Noel from Rhodes, and Pataky from Centre as three guys who could win individually. Emory's top 2 could compete up front as well.

31st and 32nd at Nationals.

1) Toney, RC

2) Noel, Rhodes

3) Sullivan, Emory

4) Pataky, Centre

5) Murphy, Emory

1) Sullivan, Emory

2) Toney, Roanoke

3) Murphy, Emory

4) Noel, Rhodes

5) Pataky, Centre

6) Gibson, Bridgewater

7) Sorenson, Mary Washington

8) Warring, Washington and Lee

9) Pinske, Trinity

10) Strehler, Washington and Lee

11) Roberts, Birmingham Southern

12) Fagan, Rhodes

13) Rabil, CNU

14) Hill, Bridgewater

15) Mees, Emory

16) McDonald, Washington and Lee

17) Denlinger, Bridgewater

18) Thibodeaux, Mennonite

19) Reid, CNU

20) Benson, UT Tyler

1) Emory

2) Bridgewater

3) Washington and Lee

4) Christopher Newport

5) Rhodes

RunTheFall wrote:

The S/SE will have a tough time competing as a team on a national level. Individuals will and have had success nationally, but unlike other regions, there is not national level competition at every meet for S/SE Region teams. The reason why the NE, Midwest, and Central Region are so good, is because they compete against good teams every weekend.

That, plus better athletes and better coaching.

And the schools in the Midwest tend to be larger than a lot of the SE schools. The Wisconsin schools are pretty big compared to many of the liberal arts schools in the South

A lot of great coaches in the S/SE Region

Anyone know whats going on with Lyncburg? they hired sprecher as the director of XC/Track but he's not a distance guy. any word on who he might be hiring as a assistant so hopefully the can bring that program back to making nationals.

Lynchburg has been a mess ever since Cody Staunton decided not to return for a senior year after being All American as a junior. They have Drew Smith who is all right, potentially all region, but not a whole lot going on there. The ODAC will be between Bridgewater and W&L with Roanoke in third.

Rhodes men will be contenders. Noel leading the way up front. Will have a shot to win the region individually. 2 seniors right behind him. Spencer Fields coming in, might be the best recruit in the region. Not to mention the depth they already had. They should win the SAA no problem. Emory will win the region, but Rhodes could be the #2 team.