D3 Outdoor track, time to get big

Buffalo State had Willie Hordge post "Arkansas ban" and he never got any better there. In fact, he got much worse. Wonder if these kids will dwindle as well?

Of course, finding new ones is never hard when you have the academic rigor of a low level community college.

Incredibly arrogant and cocky group of athletes they have in that school...

Joe Mama wrote:

I just figured I put together the official D3 outdoor track thread.

who will win the following:

400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, steeple, and PV

400: Fortugno from La Verne. JR returns after an All-American SO season, running the 200 for the first time this season. Currently has provisional marks in the 200 and 400, 4x100 and 4x400. He is the best RUNNER hands down in D-3, and possibly the NCAA. Identify one or more runners who can post division leading times in their main event, run on a 4x100, as well as be on their school's top 7 in Cross Country. Fortugno is a beast and will destroy the field.

800 + 1500: Too early to tell. People are just rounding into shape and hardly anyone has provisional marks, let alone auto's. Question better answered in 2 weeks.

5k: My money would be on Mike Heyman. He has one of the top 3k times (to my knowledge, correct me if i'm wrong), a competitive 1500 time, and is close to going under 30' for 10k. His weakness will come with his kick--he has virtually none. With only 4 provisional qualifiers right now, if it came down to him and Kris Brown (from CMS) with 400 to go, i think Brown may take it (pretty sure Brown has run sub 2 800, yet Heyman struggles around the 2:07 range.)

10k: Mike Spain. Game over.

Steeple: The top 4 qualifiers are pretty close in their respective PR's. Have not seen enough of them race, but Pecora's 1:56 800 is tough to beat. He could probably crush the rest of the field in the final kilometer.

Fortugno is looking great, certainly, though I definitely don't think we can go ahead and say that he's the best runner hands down. He still hasn't runner faster than Scheetz did indoors (both ran 47.47), and he is much more focused on the 400 than Scheetz is, in my opinion.

And in the 5k, first off, Heymann can certainly run faster than 2:07--he ran a 4:18 mile--though I agree, he doesn't quite have the top end speed. But I don't know why you think Kris Brown will be the one to take it. He might be second on the performance lists right now, but to my knowledge he hasn't ever run faster than 14:40, and that time won't even make nationals, let alone be competitive for the win. It's a good time for this early, certainly, and hopefully he improves on it, but until then, I would hold off on putting his name in consideration for the win.

I agree whole heartedly with the 10k, though (and I even think Spain will be the one to beat in the 5k, assuming he doubles).

And I'll throw in my two cents for the 800 and 1500-

If Scheetz gives himself a break and doesn't double, he'll win the 8 easy, otherwise it'll be close, like indoor.

And Guarino, assuming he's content to single again, will crush the 1500, as usual.

100 - Healthy Eric Woodruff dominates, but he must remain healthy.

200 - See above. Justin Allen for runner up in a hotly contested final.

400 - Justin Allen all day. I can't stand how arrogant he is, but he is the most naturally gifted of most anyone in the country.

800 - Scheetz if he doesn't try to double. If they are smart they will run him 800 and 4x4. DON'T GET GREEDY OR HE IS SCREWED. The country is too good to try and hog all the glory this year.

1500 - Don't forget about the Rube from Haverford, IVO! Also, Schoch from Haverford hit the auto for 1500m in his first attempt. Schoch won the Princeton meet! He beat some damn good people there. Just some food for thought...

Steeple - HOLY PECORA! If he has a finish like BIG NICK KARWOSKI did last year this one is in the books!

5k - Heyman ran really well early in the indoor season. Can he hang on to run fast at the end of outdoors? You tell me... but I like Spain anyway. Also, I'm taking Joe Carpenter as a sleeper pick. He ran 14:31 last year.

10k - Everyone rode Spain during XC season, but can he outlast Hulleberg of Haverford? Anders didn't push the envelope indoors by racing too much. Watch for him to make a big push this year.

4x4 - NCC has to be a favorite, but do not overlook Cortland State. Good set of guys they have to choose from.

4x1 - Buffalo State! After the clinic they put on in the sprints indoors, and the ECAC meet record in the 4x200, I don't think anyone in the country can come close. My only question here is "Can they dip under 40.5?" I am going to say yes!

I had the fortunte opportunity to meet Willie when I was there to visit my son after he was injured in football in camp. He seemed humbled and totally the opposite of cocky and he did make it to nationals. Willie has the outdoor record of 20.92 so I cannot understand how you claim he got worse. He did this amidst dealing with family problems of which he had to go back to Texas for while I was there. Where is Justin transferring to?

You guys just don't get it, the answer is simple, it is one word: RUN!

Thats it, you just need to run, more and more and more. Your body will STOP YOU before you do to much. Read it, know it, get familiar with it. I'd say anything under those 100mpws we are talkin about on here, is just not going to cut it. 100mpw is a staple, and S-T-A-R-T-I-N-G POINT! dont be dump and run double that, but seriously get up near it and test it and take part in it.

Where is Justin transferring to?

Like i said, who else can improve upon Fortugno's talent? Name one other person who is on competitive 4x100, all-american in their main sprint event, and is top 7 on their school's XC team. like i said, he's the best runner. he may not be the best 400m runner, but he's the best RUNNER (as in, one who can run competitively over a variety of distances well).

I picked Brown as a "for instance." he's 2nd on the list, and is a strong competitor. If Heymann does doubling, someone like Brown who may run 1 event could threaten Heymann's chance for a title.

it's always funny though, how the people east of the mississipi think that D-3 stops at the river. D3 goes on for a few more hundred miles. There's other schools outside of wisconsin, illinois, ohio and massachusetts.

Krunner wrote: Willie has the outdoor record of 20.92 so I cannot understand how you claim he got worse.

What outdoor record are you speaking of?

I shouldn't say he got "worse." Any D3 kid running under 21 is solid and doesn't deserve to be in the same sentence as "worse." But he never lived up to the potential he had out of high school. He should have crushed D3, and D1, by the time he was out of college. Here is his wikipedia page:

"Willie Hordge (born February 9, 1984) is an American sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres.

At the 2001 World Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, Hordge won a silver medal in 100 metres, finishing behind only Darrel Brown (10.31 to 10.41). In his senior season at Forest Brook High School in Houston, Texas, Hordge missed the Texas 4A 100-meter title to Brendan Christian 10.15 to 10.16 in a wind-assisted race (+2.5 m/s). He then won the 100 meters over Kelly Willie and Jonathan Wade in the Great Southwest Classic in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a personal best 10.21 clocking (+2.0 m/s wind).

Hordge participated in the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, and finished with a bronze medal in 100 meters, placing third behind Darrel Brown and Marc Burns. Also a part of the United States 4×100 relay squad, Hordge won a gold medal, as he and teammates Ashton Collins, Wes Felix, and Ivory Williams set a new world junior record of 38.92."

I think it is fair to say he SHOULD have been better than a 20.92 runner. He was an amazing athlete coming out of high school.

Fair points--I am definitely not debating his talent, my only point is that he is not "hands down" the most talented. I would agree his 100 to 400 range is impressive, and being top 7 in cross obviously shows good range--but that is also highly dependent on where he goes to school. If, for example, he went to CMS, he would have been their 13th man (though being 13th man on a nationals squad is still quite impressive for a 400 guy).

And I certainly don't think that D3 stops at the river. I just don't think Brown is a title contender just yet. If you're looking for a west coaster to threaten in a distance race, I would put Anders Crabo (steepler from Pomona-Pitzer) at the top of that list, though he doesn't seem all that fit quite yet as compared to last year, when he was an AA and ran 9:05.

Justin Allen is transferring to Baylor University. Yes, I know, it may seem improbable, but check his facebook, he's bragging about it all over the place.

Genny-seo wrote:

Justin Allen is transferring to Baylor University. Yes, I know, it may seem improbable, but check his facebook, he's bragging about it all over the place.

Holy crap, you're right! Just creeped him on FB and his network is set to Baylor U and says he is formerly of Buffalo State. Now my question to everyone here is... Does he run outdoors this season to save eligibility for when he goes to Baylor?

Liz Lawton done.

Also lesser known people Letsrun doesn't care about but will affect conference/national scoring.

how do you know lawton is done? all good runners have off days..the girl made a great comeback last year!

I understand what you are saying and agree. He should have become a lot better. He had amazing times earlier on. Again I think his lag was due to family problems. I was told he came to Buffalo because he has family there. I was truly shocked when I found out he was at Buffalo State. I saw him on the football field and he looked like lightning in practice. He was definitely D1 material. I was able to shake his hand a take a pic.

Wow I hope its not true

Forgot to mention he has the Buffalo State outdoor record

I can call Eugene Lewis the Buffalo State coach to confirm. Can't really blame him for not passing up the D1 opportunity

Despite blowing wind and rain last weekend Augustana's Meet of Champions provided another great 10k. The weather was so bad it the race got moved from Friday night to Saturday early morning.

1 Witkowski, Terry Uw-Stevens P 30:43.36 10

2 Towle, Corey Unattached 30:46.64

3 Petesch, Nate Uw-Plattevil 30:48.15 8

4 Garvens, Jason Uw-Plattevil 30:51.29 7

5 Heroux, Joel Uw-Stevens P 30:58.16 6

6 Pollastrini, Brian Augustana Co 31:00.04 5

7 Steele, Shane Luther 31:22.93 4

8 Swimm, Anthony Uw-Plattevil 31:27.15 3

9 Finnel, Brian Uw-Stevens P 31:33.56 2

10 McDermott, Dan Loras Colleg 31:40.10 1

11 Tisza, Mike Augustana Co 31:40.89

12 Johnson, Erik Luther 31:41.84