Amherst will be good but you mention Tomas as a "former all american" and abrahms as "???." Well abrahms was an all american last year, closer to the present than the amherst guy. Krah is also a factor looking at previous performances if you factor in a 30:50 for a 10k.
What ever happened to bates
Morrissey from Amherst quit track at the end of the outdoor season...so who even knows if he will be running XC in the fall. He also didn't run indoors this year because he didn't feel train at all over winter break and he didn't have much of an XC season last year either. THe kid was really good in '05, but let's see if he's even on the team this year and beyond that if he cares enough anymore to be good.
Don't expect abrahms to be running fast. The kid has a ton of talent, but last I heard he still wasn't doing ANY training as of MAY due to his achilles.
Krah ran 30:50 outdoor '06 but could barely manage that pace for 5k this season. Don't expect too much out of him unless he can get his shit together.
Those 2 dinged up, plus lonsdale out (whatever his deal is), combined with the loss of Mckenna doesn't lead me to believe they'll place anywhere near where people are expecting them to be.
The last two posters make some good points, bowdoin is banged up, but I still see them making a solid run this year. Perhaps getting a start later in their training will help them, that way they will not peek for open new englands like in the past. I had heard the rumors the Morrisey really wasnt feeling it anymore, and more or less stopped training, and quit the track team, but i dont know if he has decided not to run XC. If he is in decent form (not '05) form but not '06 form, somewhere in the middle, they should have a solid 1-2, and they had success on the track this spring, and have one solid recruit coming in that can help, they should improve definatly upon their finish last year at NE's which I really do not think was representative of their running throughout the season. They were probably anywhere from the 4-7 best team in the region on any given day, and that might be about the same this year, but more toward the 4 end.
Either way I would expect about 7 teams from NE to be ranked in the top 35 poll at the same time come mid season, (yes this is on the Men's side). The men might not have as many national top 10 or 5 teams as the women, but I do think that they will have a similar amount of poll teams. When the preseason national poll comes out, I would expect Williams, Bowdoin, Trinity, Brandeis, Amherst and maybe one other Tufts or Keene to be in that top 35. That is in no particular order, and I am not saying that is what it should be by any means, I am simply saying looking at rankings from last year etc. that is who is likely to be on there from the get go.
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are we really going to ignore jen adams posting about herself?
ha, somehow I doubt that was her.
Predictions:
1) Williams - as said before, they just have too many guys. For most teams you have to figure a few guys will go down but for them it just doesn't matter. Their only problem is picking the right 7 guys.
2) Amherst - as also stated before, lots of talent and potential as displayed by their times on the track, I think this fall will be when they're finally able to put it together and make NCAAs. They don't have nearly the same margin of error as WIlliams though, they need everybody healthy. I hope Morrissey comes back as he is a talented guy.
3/4) Keene/Brandeis/MIT - I just don't think the other NESCAC squads are going to have the depth or quality up front to beat all of these teams, so I think two of these three squads will have a good enough day to crack the top 5.
5) Bowdoin - they have the ability to win this meet but I just don't think everybody will show up on that day healthy and ready to roll, they may not have enough depth.
6) Trinity - they will be in third place but will be knocked down by Matt Anderson DNF'ing in the last 100 when he sees Amherst's 5th guy coming up from behind.
7) Tufts - they always put a competitive team on the line and will be hungry but there's just too much talent this year for them to crack the top 5.
who does keene have that is going to make them good besides kelleher
My predictions:
1. Williams
2. Bowdoin
3. Middlebury
4. Tufts
5. Trinity
6. Keene State
7. Brandeis
8. Conn College
Wesleyan and Amherst will duke it out for last.
Williams is Williams, they're returning a good group.
Bowdoin is young and strong.
Middlebury has made great strides in recent years. I've heard a lot about this kid Dan Kaufman, a junior, I think. He's been putting in great training and should look to compete with Butcher for the top spot.
No real opinions on the other ones, Amherst will blow though.
Don't forget about bates. they could be last.
Middlebury? I don't think so, perhaps top 10, but not top 5
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biggest surprise individuals
my guess is Peter Najem....4 15 mile out of no where and i think he will be able to step it up during cross althogh he is more of a middle distance kid
any others...?
What is the purpose of one of these threads if all any1 does is talk about their own team. For example "I heard some junior has been putting in some good training" Clearly on his team, how else would anyone know that...
Lets not forget he also ran a 4.08 1500 in late april, that being said Keene state will have a good team again, and will challenge for top 5
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