if you're already a top hs-athlete (Nico Young-like) considering an altitude college makes sense, but if you are not one of the best in the nation you should consider develop first at low altitude and than make the transition to altitude in your final years or after college. (although I don't all the transfers that are happening in the NCAA right now).
Looking forward to SEC Conference championship for W this year where there will probably be 75% Kenyans in the top 15 or so runners. I can think of 2 non Kenyans from AR and maybe FL amidst the 4 Kenyans from AL, 3 from FL, 2 from LSU and more from OK and TN and MO and AUB and AR and SC.....But sadly, the XC teams are not doing anything different from the football and basketball teams by just going out and paying for top talent.
Well Saturday I watch R. Blade FSU freshman(top ten all time US high school 5k runner) get left in the dust by two unknown African runners from LSU...and I find myself losing interest in the whole NCAA cross country sport.
She also almost lost to an American in the NAIA who never broke 17 in high school. Try again later.
You mean the American who finished 7th at Footlocker, right behind Ruth White and ahead of Zariel Macchia, Sophia Rodriguez, Ellie Shea, Addison Dorenkamp, and a bunch of others, and then won NAIA titles in XC, indoor 5000, and outdoor 5000 as a freshman?
For those high schoolers looking at college, let's make a list of coaches that seem dedicated to developing young American athletes:
1. The Garys - Furman. I know there are some controversial takes on Rita, but I feel like they have done a good job developing talent, especially on the men's side.
2. John Hayes - Wake Forest. Almost all American kids on the roster. Good development.
3. Chris Siemers - Colorado School of Mines. Takes pretty mid-level kids and makes them competitive, especially impressive considering they are all engineering majors.
Name some others.
Curious how you left out Ed Eyestone. He hasn't had a single foreign athlete for at least 20 years.
Surprised Chris Miltenberg hasn't been mentioned. Currently only has a single girl from Sweden as his one foreigner at UNC. Honestly can't recall any standout foreigners during his time at Stanford or currently UNC, but plenty of home-grown talent he has developed into premier runners.
Fisher was from Canada.
He was born in Calgary and grew up in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He is a US citizen.
Henes destroys runners long term. How many of her runners made the world team? How many ever? And she has many foreigners on the team as well. She isn't in the conversation with coaches such as Taylor.
Name a foreigner who contributed to NC State's 2/1/1/1 consecutive finishes? You dismiss Henes because now an occasional (non Kenyan mind you) foreigner want to go to NC State? Hartman had the #32 3200 m time in the US her senior year of hs. 3 years later she is 5 time AA - #5 in XC, #6 Indoor 5,000, #5 Indoor 3,000, #2 Outdoor 10,000, and #5 Outdoor 5,000.
For those high schoolers looking at college, let's make a list of coaches that seem dedicated to developing young American athletes:
1. The Garys - Furman. I know there are some controversial takes on Rita, but I feel like they have done a good job developing talent, especially on the men's side.
2. John Hayes - Wake Forest. Almost all American kids on the roster. Good development.
3. Chris Siemers - Colorado School of Mines. Takes pretty mid-level kids and makes them competitive, especially impressive considering they are all engineering majors.
Name some others.
Curious how you left out Ed Eyestone. He hasn't had a single foreign athlete for at least 20 years.
Don’t forget Rita Gary also isn’t a fan of the old Mormons running fast. That post screams Furman
He's gotten some heat in the past for some poor coaching decisions but he's a very good coach in my opinion. Currently has a guy on the team that I raced in HS, ran a 10:24 3200m. Now he's a 13:57/7:57/4:06 guy. Many such cases at Lee.
George Watts of ETSU
Watts led Tennessee to several national titles back in the day, and when he gets his hands on talented runners that can and do put in the work, they flourish. One of the most underrated coaches in the nation, but most kids don't give it a chance because its an underfunded program in Johnson City.
Chris Layne of Milligan
Another coach with his fair share of controversy but the results don't lie. Milligan is like Second Chance U for 4:30 high school milers out of Tennessee.
Anyway I think my East Tennesse bias is showing now. A lot of national heavy hitters have been mentioned already. Hayes for sure. Agree that Furman underperforms relative to their resources but they're committed to being all-American and development-first and I think that should be applauded.
Some programs I have less insight to but seem to develop well relative to their recruiting base: Charlotte, Montreat, Kennesaw State. I'd be very interested to see how Lenoir Rhyne does with Braman at the helm after a couple years. Same with Curcio at Sewanee who seems to making some progress already.
For those high schoolers looking at college, let's make a list of coaches that seem dedicated to developing young American athletes:
1. The Garys - Furman. I know there are some controversial takes on Rita, but I feel like they have done a good job developing talent, especially on the men's side.
2. John Hayes - Wake Forest. Almost all American kids on the roster. Good development.
3. Chris Siemers - Colorado School of Mines. Takes pretty mid-level kids and makes them competitive, especially impressive considering they are all engineering majors.
Name some others.
Curious how you left out Ed Eyestone. He hasn't had a single foreign athlete for at least 20 years.
Has he had a single American runner that isn’t Mormon.
This is super boring, same discussion has been going on for YEARS!
I ran NCAAs in 2012, 1 guy (Girma M) in the top ten went to a US high school.
It will keep happening, internationals will continue to run well. More and more will come because the NCAA is a great deal. Free: training, school, medical, food, gear, travel to meets!!!, housing, stipend.
Thats more than most pro groups.
Also usually if a team is All American, they have an advantage recruiting that way. Name brand, good academic, niche fit (Mormon church members pay almost nothing to go to BYU).
If half these schools could add a 13:05 Kenyan they would say YES
He's gotten some heat in the past for some poor coaching decisions but he's a very good coach in my opinion. Currently has a guy on the team that I raced in HS, ran a 10:24 3200m. Now he's a 13:57/7:57/4:06 guy. Many such cases at Lee.
George Watts of ETSU
Watts led Tennessee to several national titles back in the day, and when he gets his hands on talented runners that can and do put in the work, they flourish. One of the most underrated coaches in the nation, but most kids don't give it a chance because its an underfunded program in Johnson City.
Chris Layne of Milligan
Another coach with his fair share of controversy but the results don't lie. Milligan is like Second Chance U for 4:30 high school milers out of Tennessee.
Anyway I think my East Tennesse bias is showing now. A lot of national heavy hitters have been mentioned already. Hayes for sure. Agree that Furman underperforms relative to their resources but they're committed to being all-American and development-first and I think that should be applauded.
Some programs I have less insight to but seem to develop well relative to their recruiting base: Charlotte, Montreat, Kennesaw State. I'd be very interested to see how Lenoir Rhyne does with Braman at the helm after a couple years. Same with Curcio at Sewanee who seems to making some progress already.
Caleb Morgan definitely belongs near the top of this list. Stellar reputation and pleasant guy who takes 4:25 types and has them running near 4:00.
Chris Layne seems to get a lot of decent local talent and his development is hit and miss.. some vanish, some improve. Personality is polarizing..
Ok, since many of you think that recruiting foreigners means you can't coach, I think it's time we take this logic to its logical extreme.Who is the #1 team in NCAA that we can all get behind? We don't want to be supporting a...
Ryan Ford made the NCAA 5K a few years ago. Ryan Watts is now a 28:20 and 13:3x athlete. Devan Kipyego is a 3:54 milers. Darius Kipyego multi time scorer at the NCAA meet. Jason Gomez scored at the NCAA meet. Cebastian Gentil NCAA qualifier. Thomas Pollard was 21st at NCAA cross country. Do I need to keep going?