Lukas Verzbicas! The college hunt is on!

Go to the University of Akron! We need a hero since Lebron is leaving!

I hate to say it, but I hope he goes to a great running program and not just a good one. Stanford, Oregon or Colorado would fit that and I'm sure all 3 provide excellent tri training grounds.[/quote]

What are you talking about??? Wisconsin has just as good of a program as Stanford. Though I don't know if Stinzi would accept his triathlon training...

DaveW wrote:

I truly hope that this young man is one of several who will represent USA distance running down the road.

Last I heard, he wasn't planning to compete for the US internationally, but his home country instead.

I recognize that that could have changed. For all I know, he might address the issue in the linked video, but I couldn't stand any more of the interviewer's insipid questions--quit watching, halfway through.

Stop talking about the triathlon. Most of you people who claim that he is the next great triathlete do not know what they are talking about. He is good AT RUNNING. Look at the results people. He will need to do some serious swimming and bike training to even make top ten at the olympic trials.

I wouldn't want a kid that can't hang on for 2 miles at my college.

rsb wrote:

The University of Victoria is usually ranked 1st/2nd or 3rd, in undergraduate education in Canada.

A good school, but nowhere near top three. Sell it for what it is.

Lebron sucks wrote:

Go to the University of Akron!

Zips suck. Got to the MAC thread, lol.

Yeah, going to college in Canada would really put him on the right track to being either a top pro triathlete or distance runner... not!

Can we please wrote:

Stop talking about the triathlon. Most of you people who claim that he is the next great triathlete do not know what they are talking about. He is good AT RUNNING. Look at the results people. He will need to do some serious swimming and bike training to even make top ten at the olympic trials.

We have looked at the results you f*** tard. He is a junior world champion and it's NOT in RUNNING.

I think Tri's are weak sauce but I can't blame a kid who has a terrific shot of not only going to the Olympics but standing on the podium while he's there.

That's partly due to the fact that the Ivy's don't pull in the same talent as Stanford or Oregon or the like. Sure they pull in a few Footlocker Top-10's but there are no Chris Derricks or Elliott Heaths or German Fernandez's coming through. It's also partly due to the fact most of the talent the Ivy League does manage to pull in prioritizes academics over athletics. Dartmouth was very understanding with Ben True and his running/skiing conflicts and while he didn't end up a "world-beater" he definitely had good progression while at Dartmouth.

Stinzi is the women's coach so I doubt he'd care.

What!!?!! Wisconsin has to be the absolute worst triathlon local there is!!

Are you kidding me?

Ice and snow do not help a biker/swimmer as much as they help a runner.

Go somewhere mildly warm with a real fall and spring.

Propoganda from Mick Byrne....

Madison, Wisconsin.... your triathlon destination...... har har har

What!!?!! Wisconsin has to be the absolute worst triathlon local there is!!

Are you kidding me?

Ice and snow do not help a biker/swimmer as much as they help a runner.

Go somewhere mildly warm with a real fall and spring.

Propoganda from Mick Byrne....

Madison, Wisconsin.... your triathlon destination...... har har har

Wisconsin and Minnesota have possibly the best triathlon communities and racing outside of bouler and san diego. WTF are ice and snow going to do to a swimmer?! and trainer rides over the winter are where real fitness gains can be made and quantified.

So you don't think that the program that produced OVER HALF of the last US World team in the distance track events is a great running program? Are you a troll or stupid?

Ok Mr hot shot. explain to me how you think he is going to keep up with the swimmers and bikers at the world class level. The Triathlon at the youth/junior level is weak. If there was a really good swimmer in that group that had mediocre bike and running skills he would prob be really good too. Have you seen elite triathlete results. If so tell me how you think this kid can beat Jarrod Shoemaker, Matt Reed, Hunter Kemper Chris Leito. The Junior World Championship is weak. period. And if you have seen the results F***tard you will see he is not the first one out of the water for the swimming...not even close. Not the first one off the bike. So wait, where does he make up all the ground...the run. I don't mean to put the kid down, but all this hype of what is he going to do, run or do triathlon and people saying he is the next Olympic gold medalist is kinda crazy.

In the 2009 dualthon Lukas was first on the run with a time of 14:41. Then on the Bike, he biked the 11th slowest time. 33:13. Then on the run, he made up alot of ground...again, running 6:28. So Please tell me how you think he is going to make podium in the olympics. If this kid was mediocre in running would he be just as good in the triathlon. Because you say that he is not a world champion in running. But to me is sure as hell seems like it.

Actually, Oklahoma State is officially an XC specific program with a few guys that participate in track and field. I'm sure Dave Smith would be happy to have him for just XC season with German.

double trouble wrote:

a good fit wrote:

I agree. University of Wisconsin and Madison would be a great fit. Big running and triathalon community and one of the best NCAA XC teams. Mick Byrne is also a flexible coach who would work around and be suppotive of Lukas's triathlon training and schedule.

I hate to say it, but I hope he goes to a great running program and not just a good one. Stanford, Oregon or Colorado would fit that and I'm sure all 3 provide excellent tri training grounds.

Wisconsin has about the best finish in XC over the last decade, despite the problems created by a sudden change in regimes. They have also won a track title. Wisconsin is in the Elite, not Good category. Also, last year's top woman distance graduates is now one of the top few emerging triathletes.

I apologize for calling you a f*** tard as you obviously do have a bit of knowledge.

To keep this as simple as possible I'm just going to put it like this.

Verzbicas will never run 12:40 or 26:20. Verzbicas will never be able to run 26:50 and then kick the last lap in 51-52. Verzbicas will never be able to run 13:00 and then kick in 51-52.

I have to say never but I feel pretty comfortable saying that.

He has a HELL of a lot better shot beating the guys you mentioned then the Bekele's of the future, and you're crazy if you don't think that.

By the time Verzbicas is at his peak only Shoemaker will be around competitively.

You have to compare Verzbicas against people at his own age. Of course the juniors is weaker, juniors for everything is weaker.

How do you Verzbicas is world class when he just got fifth at US HS nats? Kidding, he obviously was going for the record.

You want to know what junior 5k list looked like in 08?

12:54

13:08

13:18

13:24

13:25

13:28

13:41

13:44

13:47

Gotta judge them by their competition in the same age group.

Dual- #1 in the world

Tri- We don't know for sure do we? But he beat the junior champ during the Dual so probably safe to say top 5?

Track- Top in US...far down in the world.

With that said I hope the kids eventually runs full time. I just certainly won't blame him.

I'm thinking Stanford most likely - good place to train and obviously a good team and school. They seem to tolerate oddballs too.

Outside chance something like Dartmouth if he could get funded(no athletic scholarships there) - someplace out of the standard D1 pressure cooker where he could have first- class facilities but not be forced to double every meet since he would not technically be on an athletic scholarship.