Ranking WI collegiate distance programs

We were going to have to pay $12k. It was a strange process all around with them. They upped his academic financial package twice while we were deliberating. Originally it was around $20k, then $16k. We were hoping for notre dame but he wasn’t accepted. He ended up at about 90% covered at our state school with only a small stipend from the athletic side so we pay about $2500 per year. With a 4.0, 35 ACT, national merit, and his track times, we expected that everyone would be interested. Wisconsin didn’t respond nor did a few other top programs. Most of the ivies were interested but we would have had to pay $60k per year.

Coach is gung ho early in recruiting process then disappears. Many good kids end up walking away and going to a Wiac school not knowing if they would have received a scholarship.

WIAC Distance Events Points (800, 1500, 5000, 10000, 3000m Steeple)

La Crosse 61

Platteville 39

Whitewater 34

Stout 28

Oshkosh 21

Stevens Point 12

Eau Claire 5

River Falls 0

Scholarship Schools

1. Wisconsin (Big Ten) Following Weekend

2. Milwaukee (Horizon) 53

3. Parkside (GLVC) 17

4. Marquette (Big East) Following Weekend

I'll wait until Wisconsin and Marquette have their conference meets before putting out rankings.

Discuss.

Is Wisco avoiding the big outdoor meets?

As they have done with Mick the past 10 years, the top (and healthy guys) will race enough to get their marks. Anyone who isn't fit or healthy will usually just train and run the twilight meet or maybe 1 other small meet. It is a "1 shoe fits all" training program so plenty of guys who aren't ready for the 80-100 mile weeks will take time to get their training load up to that point. then they race if they survive.

Is McDonald competing? If so, the badgers will absolutely dominate with Hardy and Hoare.

Mick is terrified that the team won't qualify for XC Nats on their home course.

After Conference Weekend wrote:

WIAC Distance Events Points (800, 1500, 5000, 10000, 3000m Steeple)

La Crosse 61

Platteville 39

Whitewater 34

Stout 28

Oshkosh 21

Stevens Point 12

Eau Claire 5

River Falls 0

Scholarship Schools

1. Wisconsin (Big Ten) Following Weekend

2. Milwaukee (Horizon) 53

3. Parkside (GLVC) 17

4. Marquette (Big East) Following Weekend

I'll wait until Wisconsin and Marquette have their conference meets before putting out rankings.

Discuss.

I wil also wait to rank all teams until after this weekend. I do want to point out some observations about two teams that had great weekends though.

UW-La Crosse

UWL is utterly dominating in the WIAC. They matched there point total from last year and all but skipped the 10k this time around. They have always been good, but that was a total facial. The best part is that they only lose one guy to graduation. They return 53 points, next year will be extremely scary. I expect several of their athletes will run NCAA qualifying marks, could possibly field an athlete in every distance event at Nats.

UW-Milwaukee

It is hard to deny the consistent growth at Milwaukee. 53 points from this past weekend blows up last year (35 points), which many people have referred to as a huge breakout season for the Panthers. The crazy part about their point scoring is that they only had 2 points for the 5k-10k. They don't graduate any of their scorers, and their League competition graduates quite a few big players. Add this next class of panthers and you could see a team that could be the new second best program in the state.

According to Mick's presser yesterday he alluded to Morgan gearing up for Big Tens and NCAAs. A big roll of the dice as last year he sought an NCAA regional qualifying mark at conference, but the weather was awful and he missed out on the NCAAs. He's not listed on the TFRRS performance list so I assume his marks in Australia can't be used? Either way we should see an honest pace with him, Hardy, Snider, etc. in the 5K.

Once again the team will lean heavily on them and the multis crew. Very few points appear to be coming from the remaining events aside from the vault and maybe some throws.

Also, no Eric Brown this spring?

The last time Milwaukee had someone under 14:40 in the 5K was Marcus Paulson in 2015. That year they scored 28 distance points and he scored 18 of them. This year, Milwaukee has a low 14:30 freshman who doesn’t even score in his main event and picks up just 3 of 53 total points. Don’t be surprised if Panthers score 75+ distance points next year at outdoor. Returning all 53 points in a conference that will be wide open in 5k/10k next year is scary.

Big observation from WIAC was the poor showing by Eau Claire. 5 points? really? Where is Lau and the Lueck’s?

It looks the magic may have finally run out for them. Great run while it lasted.

[quote]Buckingham wrote:

According to Mick's presser yesterday he alluded to Morgan gearing up for Big Tens and NCAAs. A big roll of the dice as last year he sought an NCAA regional qualifying mark at conference, but the weather was awful and he missed out on the NCAAs. He's not listed on the TFRRS performance list so I assume his marks in Australia can't be used? Either way we should see an honest pace with him, Hardy, Snider, etc. in the 5K.

I was wondering about Morgan being qualified or not. Where are the other top recruits?

Before everyone loses their minds over Milwaukee, here is a comparison of seasons bests between Milwaukee and Marquette.

Eagan, Brad Marquette 1:52.23

Miller, Alec Marquette 1:52.25

Miller, Aric Marquette 1:52.55

Dueck, Drew Milwaukee 1:53.22

Cotter, Alex Milwaukee 1:53.24

Sippy, Michael Milwaukee 1:53.84

Gross, Derek Marquette 1:54.15

Miller, Aric Marquette 3:52.07

Cotter, Alex Milwaukee 3:52.81

Miller, Alec Marquette 3:52.93

Eagan, Brad Marquette 3:53.23

McMillan, Terry Milwaukee 3:55.25

Gross, Derek Marquette 3:56.55

Tagliapietra, Noah Milwaukee 3:58.80

Thornton, Corey Milwaukee 4:02.93

Klaiber, Jon Marquette 14:51.56

Tagliapietra, Noah Milwaukee 14:52.03

Burd, Ryan Marquette 15:04.98

Ryan, Kevin Marquette 15:06.88

Klaiber, Jon Marquette 15:07.80

Barbour, Max Marquette 15:14.66

Miller, Aric Marquette 15:15.11

Miller, Alec Marquette 15:15.31

Michalowski, Nick Milwaukee 15:20.70

Brooks, Matt Milwaukee 15:48.35

Klaiber, Jon Marquette 31:01.43

Burd, Ryan Marquette 31:23.10

Barbour, Max Marquette 31:28.80

Pederson, Daniel Marquette 31:46.31

Michalowski, Nick Milwaukee 32:06.00

McMillan, Terry Milwaukee 9:13.82

Ryan, Kevin Marquette 9:17.02

This should clear up any misconceptions that Milwaukee is better than my Boys. Remember the pecking order DI wannabes. Go down to the WIAC with the other hobby joggers.

We are Marquette.

You are aware that the distance squads of both marquette and milwaukee are extremely embarrasing for division 1 schools. Honestly, to say that either team is anything more than terrible is ridiculous.

You haven't listed 1 good time on your list of guys who are mostly D1 wannabes themselves. The WIAC list is more impressive and they are just hobby joggers!

Nonetheless, Milwaukee is up and coming, they have been awful in the past. This looks like one of Marquette's worst years in a while. The pendulum has swung in the MKE.

Looks like McDonald is only in the 5k so it will not be tactical. However, it will be 90 degrees which will make qualifying pretty diffficult.

Marquette wins the Big East by 50 points. Scored significant points in the 10k, 800, and steeple, and the 4x8 finished 3rd. No, they most certainly are not the most talented distance squad, but they showed up when it mattered, and that 's all what matters most. Congratulations, Golden Eagles.

The Starved Elephant wrote:

Marquette wins the Big East by 50 points. Scored significant points in the 10k, 800, and steeple, and the 4x8 finished 3rd. No, they most certainly are not the most talented distance squad, but they showed up when it mattered, and that 's all what matters most. Congratulations, Golden Eagles.

Well said.

Former wisco wrote:

Looks like McDonald is only in the 5k so it will not be tactical. However, it will be 90 degrees which will make qualifying pretty diffficult.

Morgan finished in 10th place in the 5k. What happened?

Ben Eidenschink is doing amazing.