If we freeze everyone at the end of their NCAA career and ignore anything after (which you are seemingly implying with your answer of gregory), then Chris Derrick has a pretty good case for it. Something like 15 all American performances and multiple marks near the top of respective NCAA all time lists at the time he ran them, but could never get over that hump.
Obviously didn't have the pro career he wanted or many expected, but few were more consistent at the NCAA level.
Another vouching for Chris Derrick.
Collegiate bests of 3:41 1500, 3:59 mile, 7:46 3k, 13:19 5k, 27:31 10k. Of course, more impressive coming well before the super shoe era. 3k/5k/10k were among the fastest ever times among collegians.
NCAA XC History
2008 - 7th
2009 - 3rd
2010 - 5th
2011 - 2nd
NCAA Indoor Track History
2009 - 4th in 5k, 5th in 3k
2010 - did not compete
2011 - 8th in 5k
2012 - 2nd in 5k, 2nd in 3k
NCAA Outdoor Track History
2009 - 3rd in 5k
2010 - 4th in 5k
2011 - 4th in 10k, 4th in 5k
2012 - 3rd in 10k
14 All-American awards out of 14 tries. Only one season where he didn’t qualify. 8th was the worst he ever placed in an NCAA race. Had to deal with the likes of Galen Rupp and Sam Chelanga early in his career and then Lawi Lalang and Cam Levins late in his career. He’s got everything but the titles: lots of All-Americans, consistency, and fast times.
So odd with the recent shoe times being run hard to be impressed by 3:59 mile.... wouldn’t even qualify to compete in ncaa meet with that time today
Collegiate bests of 3:41 1500, 3:59 mile, 7:46 3k, 13:19 5k, 27:31 10k. Of course, more impressive coming well before the super shoe era. 3k/5k/10k were among the fastest ever times among collegians.
NCAA XC History
2008 - 7th
2009 - 3rd
2010 - 5th
2011 - 2nd
NCAA Indoor Track History
2009 - 4th in 5k, 5th in 3k
2010 - did not compete
2011 - 8th in 5k
2012 - 2nd in 5k, 2nd in 3k
NCAA Outdoor Track History
2009 - 3rd in 5k
2010 - 4th in 5k
2011 - 4th in 10k, 4th in 5k
2012 - 3rd in 10k
14 All-American awards out of 14 tries. Only one season where he didn’t qualify. 8th was the worst he ever placed in an NCAA race. Had to deal with the likes of Galen Rupp and Sam Chelanga early in his career and then Lawi Lalang and Cam Levins late in his career. He’s got everything but the titles: lots of All-Americans, consistency, and fast times.
Hard to argue with this. Agreed Derrick is the answer.
This one is the closest he got. If he had held Lalang off with 300 to go I think he would have taken it.
What a stacked race - Lalang, Derrick, Cam Levins, Chelimo, Ryan Hill, Lenny Korir, among others.
It's funny how many good runners you mentioned and didn't even get to Diego Estrada lol. Didnt he run a 61 half right out of NAU? Point is, this era was solid.
Derrick was also going bald by his junior year, so in fairness we do have to question true age/birth certificate validity.
Collegiate bests of 3:41 1500, 3:59 mile, 7:46 3k, 13:19 5k, 27:31 10k. Of course, more impressive coming well before the super shoe era. 3k/5k/10k were among the fastest ever times among collegians.
NCAA XC History
2008 - 7th
2009 - 3rd
2010 - 5th
2011 - 2nd
NCAA Indoor Track History
2009 - 4th in 5k, 5th in 3k
2010 - did not compete
2011 - 8th in 5k
2012 - 2nd in 5k, 2nd in 3k
NCAA Outdoor Track History
2009 - 3rd in 5k
2010 - 4th in 5k
2011 - 4th in 10k, 4th in 5k
2012 - 3rd in 10k
14 All-American awards out of 14 tries. Only one season where he didn’t qualify. 8th was the worst he ever placed in an NCAA race. Had to deal with the likes of Galen Rupp and Sam Chelanga early in his career and then Lawi Lalang and Cam Levins late in his career. He’s got everything but the titles: lots of All-Americans, consistency, and fast times.
So odd with the recent shoe times being run hard to be impressed by 3:59 mile.... wouldn’t even qualify to compete in ncaa meet with that time today
If you think shoes are the reason behind so many guys running sub 4...your a moran.
The title asked for the best, not the fastest. Only on LetsRun is Joe Klecker considered better than Lasse Viren.
Did Viren really go to college in America? I didn't know that! I just read that he ran XC at BYU. Did he run track? I have his biography, so I guess I need to actually read it!
Collegiate bests of 3:41 1500, 3:59 mile, 7:46 3k, 13:19 5k, 27:31 10k. Of course, more impressive coming well before the super shoe era. 3k/5k/10k were among the fastest ever times among collegians.
NCAA XC History
2008 - 7th
2009 - 3rd
2010 - 5th
2011 - 2nd
NCAA Indoor Track History
2009 - 4th in 5k, 5th in 3k
2010 - did not compete
2011 - 8th in 5k
2012 - 2nd in 5k, 2nd in 3k
NCAA Outdoor Track History
2009 - 3rd in 5k
2010 - 4th in 5k
2011 - 4th in 10k, 4th in 5k
2012 - 3rd in 10k
14 All-American awards out of 14 tries. Only one season where he didn’t qualify. 8th was the worst he ever placed in an NCAA race. Had to deal with the likes of Galen Rupp and Sam Chelanga early in his career and then Lawi Lalang and Cam Levins late in his career. He’s got everything but the titles: lots of All-Americans, consistency, and fast times.
So odd with the recent shoe times being run hard to be impressed by 3:59 mile.... wouldn’t even qualify to compete in ncaa meet with that time today
Everyone knows the mile time isn’t amazing by today’s standards but I threw it in there while I was listing his other PRs. As I noted, his 3k/5k/10k times were all among the best ever in college at the time. If anything, it makes it a little more impressive that he can run that well at those distances with limited speed.
What a stacked race - Lalang, Derrick, Cam Levins, Chelimo, Ryan Hill, Lenny Korir, among others.
It's funny how many good runners you mentioned and didn't even get to Diego Estrada lol. Didnt he run a 61 half right out of NAU? Point is, this era was solid.
Derrick was also going bald by his junior year, so in fairness we do have to question true age/birth certificate validity.
I know you are being sarcastic, but derrick didnt actually turn 18 until october of his freshman year of college, so he was very young for his grade.
The title asked for the best, not the fastest. Only on LetsRun is Joe Klecker considered better than Lasse Viren.
Did Viren really go to college in America? I didn't know that! I just read that he ran XC at BYU. Did he run track? I have his biography, so I guess I need to actually read it!
Pekka Vasala, 1972 Olympic 1500 Champion , also attended BYU in 1969. I ran an XC meet that he competed in that fall. I don't believe Viren ever raced for the Cougars. My understanding is one thing he didn't like was the amount of running on pavement they did. The 2 of them may have only stayed in Provo for only 1 semester.