Ok, got it wrote:
I also think that they found a new spokesperson for the team too.
Probably Ryan Craven- Volunteer Coach.
Ok, got it wrote:
I also think that they found a new spokesperson for the team too.
Probably Ryan Craven- Volunteer Coach.
Darling not running had to have been literally a last minute decision. He was in the tent getting ready prior to the race, dressed, etc., and I'm almost certain I saw him carrying a bib. When I didn't see him the first time the field passed by I assumed I missed him and I looked for him the next time by and after not seeing him figured he must have gotten tripped or something.
If Darling is really ready, that is, he was able to race the Invite, then he should be in somewhat good shape, not just getting back. More importantly, by the Big Ten/Regionals/NCAAs he should be in full form, and since he ran 13:49.9 at 5000, he clearly is of the class to be in the top five, so Reed Connor becomes fifth and Shields 6/7 guy rather than being relied on for 5th. Also, Brice was first in the Badger Classic and if his injury is not too bad he, Thomas and Brill add to the depth that it is nice to have in the Big Ten/Regionals double prior to NCAAs.
If Indiana was at full strength at the Invite, Wisconsin should be at least on par. I am of the opinion that Indiana has learned from last year. Still, it will be interesting to see if they allow themselves to coast through Regionals (relying on points, which made the addidas Invite a good strategy for them as they will have picked up a ton of points. Will they aim for Big Tens or for NCAAs - my guess is that they would like to win Big Tens but that their primary focus is NCAAs. Good performances at both will help their recruiting.
From Dillinger today. Darling finishes first for Wisconsin and 4 seconds off of first. I still think Ahmed is the best runner on the team and, if so, a first place by him here would have resulted in 1/5/6/7/8 27 to 31 for Oregon. Slotting Darling in with the top three from last meet would have put Wisconsin ahead of Indiana. Reed Connor also had a stronger race today, ahead of Oregon's 4/5/6 (AJ Acosta). Also, Brill and Shields had respectable races and I think that Brice might be better than either of them right now (although he has some kind of injury).
However, it is hard to read this completely. Also, While Indiana did not run as well today at Chile Pepper, their number one runner was the guy who was back around 20th for 5th on the team [and thus he was not running well last race but is fine now] and his improvement implies that they will be tougher as well. It probably is possible for Indiana and Wisconsin to take the top 10 places
1 #58 Matthew Centrowitz Oregon 4:45.3 23:38.11 1
2 #66 Luke Puskedra Oregon 4:45.3 23:38.13 2
3 #64 Danny Mercado Oregon 4:46.1 23:42.15 3
4 #140 Maverick Darling Wisconsin 4:46.3 23:42.82 4
5 #142 Landon Peacock Wisconsin 4:46.6 23:44.73 5
6 #141 Elliot Krause Wisconsin 4:46.8 23:45.63 6
7 #139 Reed Connor Wisconsin 4:47.8 23:50.66 7
8 #17 Alex Genest Guelph 4:48.1 23:52.06 8
9 #63 Chris Kwiatkowski Oregon 4:49.5 23:58.75 9
10 #13 Kyle Boorsma Guelph 4:50.0 24:01.53 10
11 #70 Parker Stinson Oregon 4:51.4 24:08.15 11
12 #56 A.J. Acosta Oregon 4:52.4 24:13.39 12
13 #60 Ben Dejarnette Oregon 4:52.6 24:14.49 13
14 #23 Ross Proudfoot Guelph 4:52.8 24:15.47 14
15 #40 Markus Geiger Idaho 4:53.1 24:16.80 15
16 #138 Alex Brill Wisconsin 4:53.6 24:19.33 16
17 #104 Jared Bassett Portland 4:53.9 24:20.54 17
18 #15 Allan Brett Guelph 4:54.0 24:21.20 18
19 #153 Chase Caulkins Unattached 4:54.2 24:22.42
20 #37 Barry Britt Idaho 4:54.5 24:23.67 19
21 #143 Andrew Shields Wisconsin 4:54.8 24:25.12 20
Badgers trounced by Ducks!
This couldn't have gone much better for the Badgers:
Darling healthy and fit: check
Peacock and Krause with strong runs again: check
Connor running better and hanging with the top three: check
Brill and Shields with much better than days: check
Badgers will need to shore up that gap between 4 and 5 (30 seconds here) if they want to be a true national threat. And by national threat I mean a top-5 team, since no matter what Wisco couldn't beat Stanford until some of the Cardinal switched sides for the race.
TK1451 wrote:
Badgers will need to shore up that gap between 4 and 5 (30 seconds here) if they want to be a true national threat. And by national threat I mean a top-5 team, since no matter what Wisco couldn't beat Stanford until some of the Cardinal switched sides for the race.
No Ahmed, so gap between 4/5 is only 5 sec. and Wisco can easily beat Stanford if the Cards race like they did last year. but hopefully they dont so Ok state or oregon doesnt get another one
The Wisconsin guys were certainly not flat out in this race (and neither were some of the Oregon guys).
and thus the beauty of cross country - trying to predict off of results with a million astericks (injuries, DNR's, tempoing/not going 100%, tactics)
Women at Pre-Nats.
@26mi235
What is the talk regarding Stinzi in Madison. I know some have called for his firing on the message boards. They certainly seem to be consistently underperforming or injured. Wit his recent record, I was surprised Emily Sisson chose Wisconsin. I know her father was teamates with Stinzi in the late 70's.
Highlights from the men's race at Dillenger
http://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&event_id=18&video_id=32877&folder_id=-2
Women's race at Prenats on Flotrack.
yeah I'm shocked Sisson picked Wisconsin, too. Stinzi has done NOTHING with the women's program at Wisconsin. There have been so many solid girls coming out of high school that just fade in to oblivion when they get to WI. So many rumors of eating disorder problems that have plagued that program for years - ever since Stinzi has been there. He's got to go - with him they will always be mediocre -- underperforming & injured. It's sad how good the men are and, especially this year, how dismal the women are (with the exception of Sisson & Comfort, who if were smart would transfer away!)
Who would be some good candidates to replace him in Madison? There are some good coaches in that region that might make a great replacement.
Funny how I posed this question to another poster Saturday, and a anti Stinzi thread pops up on Tuesday. For the record, I wasn't trying to be malicious. I was posing an honest question to someone who lives in Madison. Gotta love LRC.
Anyone know what happened to Grinaker this season?
I have heard no talk of him being fired, coach changes etc. I made a comment based on the general observation of results, some of which has been due to being unlucky. However, we claim luck as our good fortune and cannot eschew it completely on the other side.Grinakar has been noted as having injury problems since the very beginning of the season. She does not have an eating disorder (she looks physically strong) but might have other issues that a coach is not always able to resolve, but I am guessing here also. Stinzi has had success with some girls with potential but were not stars before. He got a lot from Rundhog (spelling? who did not chose Wisconsin initially because the prior coach was seen as a middle-distance coach in orientation), and from Jorgensen (a swimmer that switched to track and then XC in her junior year), who needed coaching to reach her innate talent (ran 15:50s, doubled 3k/5k at Big Ten indoor over Bizzarri and the girl from Penn State and others. If Grinakar runs well, and the girl from Chicago gets through the longer college courses (she has faded very badly the last bit, I think), and one of the other girls comes good, they could finish a lot higher than last in the Big Ten. It will be interesting to see if Molly Seidel, who runs for a very small Wisconsin hs (K-12 students of a few hundred total), will bring her 13:44 talent to Wisconsin. Apparently she has hit this level off of 30+ mpw plus other training.
Wisco Fan wrote:
@26mi235
What is the talk regarding Stinzi in Madison. I know some have called for his firing on the message boards. They certainly seem to be consistently underperforming or injured. Wit his recent record, I was surprised Emily Sisson chose Wisconsin. I know her father was teamates with Stinzi in the late 70's.
Other tidbits. The course is now drier and faster than last time I ran on it. This seemed to make the last 2km and especially the last km faster than I have seen it. Normally the grass is good but a bit thick and hence a little slower. However, I hit my fastest split on the last km on my second 8 km loop, whereas in the past I was a bit fatigued and was slower there. This might be why the men killed that last 2 km at the addidas meet and why, if it does not rain before Big Tens the course, especially the last kilo, will be quick. However, it is supposed to rain a little this weekend and on into Wednesday. Not a lot of rain, but some chance every day, so it will probably green up a bit.
The track team got 3rd last year and as a local I know the administration loves Stintzi. Not sure what his contract situation is there but they have a good women's staff. Sorry to the Stintzi haters out there but he's safe.