Are you overlooking the fact that one of NC State’s key scorers is a foreigner?
When people focus on african athletes they really are telling on themselves. The issue in the NCAA isn't africans, it's people that aren't age appropriate for college. Gapes is a foreigner but she is a 21 year old in her 4th year at NC State. The issue is 18-22 year old americans having to compete with 28 year olds. You should have no issue with age appropriate african athletes unless your issue is specific to only "certain" foreigners.
I partially disagree, since doping is so rife and overlooked in Kenya, a country that has taken on ‘running’ as one of their prime industries.
I am still hopeful BYU and NC St can go 1-2 in some order and Diljeet and Henes can smile at Shalane, Palmer, etc. Half of AA's may be from Africa with none on those 2 teams.
Are you overlooking the fact that one of NC State’s key scorers is a foreigner?
I guess I perceive a difference in the recruiting process.
This is good analysis but what else does MBD and Aramini have to do to prove they are legitimate competitors with all but JH and Lemingole? Chisolm used to be the star and now is the #3, but is very capable of being AA. Novak, Farley, Olson and Huyler bring consistency. This is a much more consistent team that years prior. Other than JH and Engelhardt who has been a better true freshman than Huyler? Olson is hugely improved. Stegall has stepped up for Florida but ND are deeper. Stanford may be back in the mix but MBD and Aramini are a match for Bunnage and Kennedy at the moment and the rest of the squad is better.
Dalton at her best, such as at ACC, for sure.....but yesterday seemed well off that running about 20 seconds slower than at ACC while teammates ran the same time, or in the case of Aramini much faster. Chisolm seems to be gaining consistency, but not top 20 or 30 consistency. Other than at ACC, Aramini seems to be at roughly the level of Michalak, who seems projected to be 20-30th, not top 10. Olsen and Huyler appear to be well back of Engelhardt and Rauber. ND is a good squad and could get 4th but I don't see them competing with the top 3 unless some things go very wrong for those teams.
Just my opinions, but also what laactic seems to be saying as well.
In her post-race interview, Dalton (last name is just Dalton, first name is Mary Bonner and she goes by "MB") said a couple of times that she ran regionals like it was just “another workout” so she could be ready for next week.
Notre Dame has been consistently solid in the gap from its fourth through seventh runners. Coach Sparks said in his interview that a couple of them are going to need to "make some big jumps" on Saturday. He also said that Amaya Aramini was a walk-on when she arrived to ND last year. Her development has been really impressive.
Fourth may be ND's ceiling unless the wheels fall off one of the top 5 for NC State, BYU, or Oregon. Those three teams have been less consistent and are more susceptible in the gap between their fifth and sixth runners at nationals, where multiple runners are crossing the finish line every second and points increase quickly.
Dalton at her best, such as at ACC, for sure.....but yesterday seemed well off that running about 20 seconds slower than at ACC while teammates ran the same time, or in the case of Aramini much faster. Chisolm seems to be gaining consistency, but not top 20 or 30 consistency. Other than at ACC, Aramini seems to be at roughly the level of Michalak, who seems projected to be 20-30th, not top 10. Olsen and Huyler appear to be well back of Engelhardt and Rauber. ND is a good squad and could get 4th but I don't see them competing with the top 3 unless some things go very wrong for those teams.
Just my opinions, but also what laactic seems to be saying as well.
Those three teams have been less consistent and are more susceptible in the gap between their fifth and sixth runners at nationals, where multiple runners are crossing the finish line every second and points increase quickly.
what does this part even mean? Notre Dame is more consistent and less susceptible according to what? I mean NC State's 6th was ahead of ND's 2nd at ACC's. If that isn't ND being inconsistent and susceptible to bad days i dont know what is. NC State's 7th has been ahead of ND's 6th both times they've raced this year.
Dalton at her best, such as at ACC, for sure.....but yesterday seemed well off that running about 20 seconds slower than at ACC while teammates ran the same time, or in the case of Aramini much faster. Chisolm seems to be gaining consistency, but not top 20 or 30 consistency. Other than at ACC, Aramini seems to be at roughly the level of Michalak, who seems projected to be 20-30th, not top 10. Olsen and Huyler appear to be well back of Engelhardt and Rauber. ND is a good squad and could get 4th but I don't see them competing with the top 3 unless some things go very wrong for those teams.
Just my opinions, but also what laactic seems to be saying as well.
In her post-race interview, Dalton (last name is just Dalton, first name is Mary Bonner and she goes by "MB") said a couple of times that she ran regionals like it was just “another workout” so she could be ready for next week.
Notre Dame has been consistently solid in the gap from its fourth through seventh runners. Coach Sparks said in his interview that a couple of them are going to need to "make some big jumps" on Saturday. He also said that Amaya Aramini was a walk-on when she arrived to ND last year. Her development has been really impressive.
Fourth may be ND's ceiling unless the wheels fall off one of the top 5 for NC State, BYU, or Oregon. Those three teams have been less consistent and are more susceptible in the gap between their fifth and sixth runners at nationals, where multiple runners are crossing the finish line every second and points increase quickly.
How far back do you reckon that squad of 2022 would finish today?
Cool to see the NC State TICs from 2022, but NC State last won the Championship in 2023. Do you have those numbers as well?
Thanks for the correction; I’ll blame it on LACCTiC, because when you click on the “2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships - Women 6k Run” in LACCTiC, it puts NAU at the top of the list.
Here are the Ratings* for NC State’s top five athletes at Natty’s from 2022, 2023, and 2025:
It is an interesting progression, with a huge jump occurring this year.
(*Note, in making a judgement call on the importance of particular performances, I may have made in some cases, what amounted to very slight modifications to the Season Ratings published by LACCTiC.)
As before, using the Natty’s 2024 race as a lookup table to ascertain race placements for TiC values, we compare the NC State 2023 team versus the 2025 team, and get:
As before, using the Natty’s 2024 race as a lookup table to ascertain race placements for TiC values, we compare the NC State 2023 team versus the 2025 team, and get:
‘NC State 2025’ under ‘NC State 2023’ by 86pnts! 👀👀
Interesting!
BYU 2024 vs. BYU 2025 (+/- Hutchins) might be of some general interest too, although I’m not sure how useful any performance data having to do with Hutchins would be at this point.
BYU 2024 vs. BYU 2025 (+/- Hutchins) might be of some general interest too, although I’m not sure how useful any performance data having to do with Hutchins would be at this point.