NAU-4th and all returning next year!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to throw out that they redshirted their number 3 runner from last year's nationals team. I think next years cross meet will be a really good battle across the boards with colorado, osu, and who knows.

I think it is more of an issue of recruiting. He qualified a girl to nationals that was probably a walk on. They have had girls teams make it to nationals, and are always competitive at conference (but obviously not as good as the men). When the women's side is competitive is when they can supplement the U.S. recruits with Europeans.

Would be sweet to see some new blood at the top, especially a small school from a non BCS conference. In the past 30 years, only 7 schools have won on the men's side and all HUGE programs, Colorado, Arkansas, Stanford, etc.

They need some help though. You can't count on all five of those guys to be at the same level next year. One of them could be hurt or not developing at the same rate as this year. It only takes 5 to score but it helps to have some backup. If they continue to develop past 5 or get a solid recruit like Cheserek or keep Montoya in state they have a good chance. Until that happens I'd put OSU or CU down as the more likely winner.

Cheserek and Futsum are good friends. That might be the biggest recruiting tool out there.

It seems like NAU has a lot of recruiting ammo on it's side right now. The upset 4th place podium finish has to help, along with being able to point at the huge improvements made by Shrader and McElroy in Flagstaff's rarefied air after their struggles in Eugene and OSU. The team seems really tight, with a lot of chemistry, which would seem appealing to potential recruits. The team is young, so they should be tough for a while. With Tim Freriks coming back from a redshirt, it's only going to get better. Adding some key recruits, like Yuma's Bernie Montoya, would just solidify NAU's chances in the team title discussions.

So...anyone with inside information on who NAU is going after? I know Montoya is probably out of the running. He named his final choices as Oregon, Colorado, Arizona State, Stanford, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Anybody in Flagstaff close to the team who might be hearing rummors of who might join the Jacks next year?

Would love to see a big time recruit join the Lumberjacks and put them over the top to challenge for a National Title, if not next year, the year after that.

I'm becoming a fan of NAU. I find them somewhat of the underdog and would love to see a small school like NAU win the national title. Tired of watching the big schools win year after year.

Heins sucks at coaching women. He connects well with the men, but has no personal skills when it comes to coaching women. As a female athlete seeking guidance in their coach it's like talking to a wall with Heins.

Any inside information on who NAU got? Any new blood? With only 2 months to go for Cross the team has to be set.

Did they get some help to put them over the top and challenge for a title? Would love to see a foreigner come in and give them a push. Someone like Jordan Chipangama or David McNeil did.

I hear they recruited well on the women's side.

Didn't they get a pretty good miler? Local kid, blond, ran something like a 4:06 or 4:07 this year. Don't remember his name, and too lazy to look him up. That should help some.

Andy Trouard 4:08, 8:51