Abbey D'Agostino, Lucy Van Dalen, Sheila Reid, 15:23

Oh, and one more thing... wrote:

Doesn't hurt to have Coogan as a coach, I suspect. It will be interesting to see how their DMR does at Penn. Abbey seems to think they'll bag a wheel.

It is worth remembering that the other (Coogan) parent had NO competitive running in high school (soccer, etc) and then took multiple DIII 3000 titles from her very first years. Maybe it also helps to have a very smart person to train.

"Her success the last couple of years speaks volumes for focused training and mileage and is an inspiration for those whose high school careers have been less than notable.”

I asked Mark about the progress of his kids and their XC season last fall (I saw it as slightly disappointing) and he said the women probably run better on the track due to the LACK of mileage they had behind them. Abbey did not have a strong XC season her freshman year.

And for anyone who might read this the wrong way, I am very impressed with Mark and the improvement of his runners. He doesn’t appear to be hurrying anyone just to get team points.

Abbey was really good as a sophmore in high school but her junior and senior years were riddled with injuries and mono. As far as Abbey not having a strong XC season her freshman year, well she redshirted. She was coming back from all of her misfortunes. She's healthy and injury free now and running great.

She and the other women are (generally) running quite well. I know she ran the Dartmouth XC Invite as a freshman. Check the Lancertiming website results of 2010.

As for “redshirting” i don’t believe this is a common Ivy League policy. In the big picture, I am glad to see Mark doing well at Dartmouth and the kids running well.

Why didn't Simpson run?

Oh, and one more thing... wrote:

Doesn't hurt to have Coogan as a coach, I suspect. It will be interesting to see how their DMR does at Penn. Abbey seems to think they'll bag a wheel.

They're running the 4x1500 relay instead of the DMR. I don't know if they will be as strong of a group in this race compared to their competition.

She did run a couple events but she was redshirted. Now she can't use that redshirt year at Dartmouth because, like you said, it's an Ivy League policy. But she definitely has another cross country year available if she wants to use it (elsewhere). Speaking of Mark Coogan, his daughter Katrina is running really well as a freshman at Georgetown. She had no cross country experience until this season and ended up being the #5 scorer on the national champs. She also just ran a 4:20 1500 at Mt Sac. Really good considering her lack of experience. Bright future for her.

Hasay will beat those times at Stanford this weekend book it. I think i read somewhere she is going for 1510 for the 5K This weekend with all the pros in the 5 K even if she takes 4th or 5th in the 5 K she still might hit 1510 and the A Olympic Standard time. Go Hasay. I really think Oregon will sweep the 100,200,800,1,500 and 5 K at the NCAA's not to forgot about the sure 10 points from B-Thiesen in the Heptathlon. Oregon has a great shot at the 4 by 400 too if Purvis can just get healthy intime for the Pac 12's Go Ducks

I'm a big Hasay fan and I do hope she pops a big one, but she unless she does run 15:23 or better, she's just a ways behind D'Agostino, Reid, and Van Dalen. Abbey looks like a pro, runs like a pro, has good speed, and a very good improvement curve...right now it looks like she might have the brighter future, but time will tell.

I'm also impressed with how Coogan has done at Dartmouth. Pappas was one of the slowest on the team as a freshman but has consistently progressed and is now a 9:58 steepler (with a fall over the last hurdle). The whole distance group is improving and Dartmouth is slowly becoming nationally prominent. They also have a very good recruiting class for next year.

When you look at Abbey, she LOOKS like a Flanagan or Barringer-Simpson. She is toned, lean, has great form. Definitely a bright spot for future American distance running. With her current trajectory she has a chance to run close to 15:10 this summer and compete for an Olympic spot, and she still has TWO more years. She could get the NCAA record in the 5k if she stays healthy and motivated. Well done to those up in New Hampshire and keep up the hard, smart training!