Frankly every team looks watered down and the MIAC will continue to lose some prestige. Olaf and Macalester look the best. Expect the next freshmen class recruited to make a pretty immediate difference in how teams finish
Frankly every team looks watered down and the MIAC will continue to lose some prestige. Olaf and Macalester look the best. Expect the next freshmen class recruited to make a pretty immediate difference in how teams finish
Agreed. Was looking through the results and the returning class looks pretty rough. Not sure any team has a chance at nationals without some serious improvements and high performing freshmen.
Fun to see Olaf have a pretty good run and still not be able to get an individual conference winner. I know that bugged their coach in 2022/2023, but I think he resigned himself to shooting for seconds by 2024.
I'm curious to see Mo's approach at nationals. I wasn't at the meet, but I'm told he pretty much sat on the leaders for ~7k again and gapped Matthai by 6 second in the last k and Turlington by almost 20 seconds. Not sure how much he's leaving out there, but sounds like it wasn't a 2024 situation where Matthai/Schendler/Patzka pretty much let him have it. Matthai was maybe trying to stay with him and just couldn't? You never know what runners are actually feeling, but we will see in 6 days.
Congrats to Cole and Gabe and the Oles on qualifying. Last year, if you had told me Stencel would be an individual national qualifier I’d have thought you might be a year ahead of schedule. And that’s with a couple training partners injured most of the year. And if you told me the Oles would make Nationals without Iggy in their top 5 I would be skeptical. Every time the Oles season ends we hear they will suck next year. Maybe that happens or maybe we look at the fact that nobody thought Doran or Gael would be scorers on national qualifying teams when they were freshman or sophomores. Or Kevin Montresor and Julian Munoz. And supposedly Power was hyping his freshman class before the season. So maybe we trust the coach or his assistants or whoever you weirdos think coach the team will continue to be in the mix for a nationals bid. Or maybe he does get fired and the massive upgrade in coaching acumen that is bound to occur will figure out what to do with all that talent. I don’t know. All you incels need something to talk about between now and September.
Agreed. Was looking through the results and the returning class looks pretty rough. Not sure any team has a chance at nationals without some serious improvements and high performing freshmen.
Fun to see Olaf have a pretty good run and still not be able to get an individual conference winner. I know that bugged their coach in 2022/2023, but I think he resigned himself to shooting for seconds by 2024.
I'm curious to see Mo's approach at nationals. I wasn't at the meet, but I'm told he pretty much sat on the leaders for ~7k again and gapped Matthai by 6 second in the last k and Turlington by almost 20 seconds. Not sure how much he's leaving out there, but sounds like it wasn't a 2024 situation where Matthai/Schendler/Patzka pretty much let him have it. Matthai was maybe trying to stay with him and just couldn't? You never know what runners are actually feeling, but we will see in 6 days.
Agreed. Interesting to see Skemp go quiet after the soles barely squeaked into Nationals. Definitely the end of an era.
The Ole coach is such a baby. He was so jealous of Mo’s success and tried to diminish his success by complaining about racing styles, tactics, etc. The fact was that his athletes just aren’t at the same level. They were more seasoned runners and Mo had to learn college raving tactics. Then he greatly surpassed them. And that’s ok. Some of his guys have been pretty good runners. I think Turlington can be a top 15 guy. I hope Mo doesn’t sit back. The Cornell kid will likely take it hard and if he chills just a few steps behind he can drop any of the pretenders and claim his first championship.
Also, the Chunko detractors seemed to be getting to him. The man seemed to be on a PR campaign yesterday. I saw him to talk to athletes from several schools and some of the coaches. The interactions with Maxwell and the Johnnies was hilarious. They clearly don't like him and hate losing to him.
Saw this yesterday. Power seems to talk to top runners from every school except the Johnnies. Maybe he’s trying to be more like Ricks? I had to laugh because most guys rolled their eyes after because it was clear he was just congratulating them because he was in the public eye. He’s kind of funny to watch during and after the race. I watched him try to run and he could barely make it Uk a hill. And he seemed so pissed to be fourth. I’m surprised he didn’t know they would qualify at that place.
Agreed. Was looking through the results and the returning class looks pretty rough. Not sure any team has a chance at nationals without some serious improvements and high performing freshmen.
Fun to see Olaf have a pretty good run and still not be able to get an individual conference winner. I know that bugged their coach in 2022/2023, but I think he resigned himself to shooting for seconds by 2024.
I'm curious to see Mo's approach at nationals. I wasn't at the meet, but I'm told he pretty much sat on the leaders for ~7k again and gapped Matthai by 6 second in the last k and Turlington by almost 20 seconds. Not sure how much he's leaving out there, but sounds like it wasn't a 2024 situation where Matthai/Schendler/Patzka pretty much let him have it. Matthai was maybe trying to stay with him and just couldn't? You never know what runners are actually feeling, but we will see in 6 days.
Agreed. Interesting to see Skemp go quiet after the soles barely squeaked into Nationals. Definitely the end of an era.
The Ole coach is such a baby. He was so jealous of Mo’s success and tried to diminish his success by complaining about racing styles, tactics, etc. The fact was that his athletes just aren’t at the same level. They were more seasoned runners and Mo had to learn college raving tactics. Then he greatly surpassed them. And that’s ok. Some of his guys have been pretty good runners. I think Turlington can be a top 15 guy. I hope Mo doesn’t sit back. The Cornell kid will likely take it hard and if he chills just a few steps behind he can drop any of the pretenders and claim his first championship.
Fear not kiddo, I just do actually do other stuff than just run and pay attention to D3 running results. I wouldn't say it was necesarily a squeak either, considering there were 2 other teams in the region to make it after them lol. Wrong again but thats not surprising as most of this conference cannot comprehend what needs to be done to make it to the National meet. I also wouldn't say jealous is the correct word, but it can be annoying trying to run fast when no one is willing to share the work with the Oles. The amount of times MFs like yours truly is quite impressive I'd say. That is one thing I love about the LAX guys and the WIAC as a whole - they aren't afraid to run fast. And I don't know I would call a guy like me a more seasoned runner than Mo, considering he is like 3 years older than me lol. I agree on Van Wes taking it out hard, he's pretty damn fit and I still think that the race is definitely open. I would like to see Mo win, but the top 5 guys of Grant, Mo, Tassey, Leblonde, and Van Wes is a group where I could see any of them win it on the day.
Also, the Chunko detractors seemed to be getting to him. The man seemed to be on a PR campaign yesterday. I saw him to talk to athletes from several schools and some of the coaches. The interactions with Maxwell and the Johnnies was hilarious. They clearly don't like him and hate losing to him.
Saw this yesterday. Power seems to talk to top runners from every school except the Johnnies. Maybe he’s trying to be more like Ricks? I had to laugh because most guys rolled their eyes after because it was clear he was just congratulating them because he was in the public eye. He’s kind of funny to watch during and after the race. I watched him try to run and he could barely make it Uk a hill. And he seemed so pissed to be fourth. I’m surprised he didn’t know they would qualify at that place.
LOL believe it or not Power actually has some very nice things to say about the other MIAC schools in private. He gives y'all a lot of credit actually - much more than I ever did. Y'all would have thought I was disrespectful if y'all knew how much I did not think about the rest of the MIAC besides Mo and my teammates.
Someone will go to the front early on and make it honest but I would bet it'll be Isaiah Hammerand or someone from LAX, not IVW. Since his free fall after 1k at terre haute last year he's seemed content to let others do the work. Mo could probably run away from the gun if he decides to but that has never been his gameplan yet so I doubt that changes. In the absence of any true kickers this year (Chasen hunt, Quinn White, patzka, etc) Isaac and Mo seem to be the best so far. Leblond hasn't needed to pass anyone late and also rested at regionals. Should be an exciting last stretch similar to last year!
And if you told me the Oles would make Nationals without Iggy in their top 5 I would be skeptical.
I'd say the same thing for an injured Parker Max who was their 6th at MIAC's ast year and All Conference. He typically ran in their top six last year, so a natural progression assumes he'd be a scorer this year. A bummer to see him hurt, but so the crumbles cookie.
I know we only talk about people from St. Olaf on here but let's really give it up for Cole Stencel. A REAL runner. Actually from Minnesota. Even from a small class A school. A real man who puts the hard hat on and gets his hands dirty. I'm sick of these East coast daddy's money kids coming into the Miac. This is what greatness really is.
I know we only talk about people from St. Olaf on here but let's really give it up for Cole Stencel. A REAL runner. Actually from Minnesota. Even from a small class A school. A real man who puts the hard hat on and gets his hands dirty. I'm sick of these East coast daddy's money kids coming into the Miac. This is what greatness really is.
And Kevin Turlington as well!! Good old MN boy ALSO from a small class A school!!
I know we only talk about people from St. Olaf on here but let's really give it up for Cole Stencel. A REAL runner. Actually from Minnesota. Even from a small class A school. A real man who puts the hard hat on and gets his hands dirty. I'm sick of these East coast daddy's money kids coming into the Miac. This is what greatness really is.
And Kevin Turlington as well!! Good old MN boy ALSO from a small class A school!!
Private school kid. And arguably the 10th best runner to come from there. Real Johnnies know that.
The GOAT of St. John's went to Lourdes. A good Catholic boy.
I’m definitely starting a second no Olaf coach talk Miac thread next year. I’m expecting it to be closer with Olaf closer to the 50s at conf meet. They still look like the heavy favorite but eventually the dominance will fade.
Macalester’s new coach is making top 5 an expectation and some year they’ll pop.
New St. John’s coach seems to getting his feat set.
Andrew Rock seems to have hit his stride with Track so I’m assuming since taking over as director for XC as well, he’ll continue to add some blowfish around hootie
Schofer is doing great things at Macalester. One day they'll start to challenge Olaf. And on the track don't be surprised if the women finish top 3 this year. Mac just doesn't have the depth in anything. In all three seasons, they have very little room for error.
If the Johnnies are healthy, I'm not sure anyone can touch them. We keep forgetting we didn't see the Kaluza or Malecha at full force. If St. Peter also get healthy and makes that jump they'll move back to the upper echelon. I'm sure Stencel the scion of blue collar pride would like some company at Nationals at the bastion of liberal politics that is Carleton.
What will be most interesting to see is whether Ihrke can take that next jump and we can see more consistency from the freshmen. Dan can really recruit and really develop talent, so it seems a sure thing that they move ahead of the Oles soon. Does Tyler Edwards have another year?
The Gusties also showed the changes they made in training/philosophy were very impactful this year. The seniors ran big summer miles and that really worked for them. Brendo is one of the most dedicated recruiters in the MIAC, so he'll need to do that again to make up for graduate losses. Some of those guys were lowly ranked coming in, so it's amazing to see them competing for all-conference spots.
And that team I may be most interested in watching next year is Carleton. Dave has proven he can bring in freshmen as good as any school in the country. If he has an Indy, Gabe, Roy type class with the current group of talented freshmen, he may be reclaiming his MIAC title ownership. He seems really excited about coaching and his teams, but they barely raced this year, so that raises questions.
As has been said before, the Oles seem to have enough talent to hang on in the conversation. We know Phil's athletes have graduated, but the tradition he established makes it so easy to trick recruits into coming to campus. He won't have the Parker Max recruiting videos anymore either. I'm not sure that Power really enjoys coaching and I bet he hates getting trashed on these boards, so it wouldn't surprise me if he leaves Olaf to see insurance or be a floor manager at Post Cereals.