UNCG will take first if they can produce a solid 4-7, if not i believe its up for grabs.their top three should be set in stone, the kenyans are very talented runners.
App st after having a good track season and with having their redshirts back and runnng this xc season the championship should be exciting
Davidson/Furman: Both have young talented runners who will contend and both could walk away with a championship if they pack up
Davidson will win for sure if they can find a way to have the conf. meet held the 2nd week of September. Otherwise UNCG wins, App gets 2nd.
1. UNC-Greensboro. Three top returners could go 1-2-3. Need to find 4 and 5, but should be able to do that. Could there be new Kenyans? Chelimo no-brainer to repeat as individual champ.
2. Furman. Looks like they return a lot of talent (10 runners according to one of their press releases) and with a new coaching staff from the BIG 10 (and lots of money now) they should be much better than last year's 3rd placers.
3. App State. The Mountaineers always have some talent and will rebound from last year. Which Soderman will show up?
4. Davidson. Losing Hopkins will be too much to overcome for Wildcats, although they should run well early season as always. Pagonis could surprise if he continues the improvement he demonstrated in track.
5. Western Carolina. The return of redshirt senior Josey Weaver gives them an All-Socon guy and their young runners look to improve.
6. Chattanooga. Not the Mocs of old, but Cotter should be a top 5 placer.
7. Elon. Seem to always have a couple of good freshmen. Add them to Vargais and they will be respectable.
8. College of Charleston. Good young group last year should be better with another year of experience.
9. The Citadel. Couple of good guys, but not enough to score well.
10. Samford. Can Dorsett get some help? No pole vault in XC.
11. Wofford. Just not distance oriented.
1. uncg wins handily if they get 2 sub 25:30 guys to come in and step up and kemboi gets back into his form from last cross season. if not then they still place top 3 but lack of depth hurts them. Q: 3-5?
otherwise i'd say it pretty much falls in line with last year.
2. Davidson - loss of hopkins hurts but pagonis will more than make up for it this year - they were pretty much identical in track. they only lose one from top five, and are senior laden team. Q: fifth guy?
3. App - they don't really intimidate anymore, but could definitely finish higher. no real studs, but raby and taylor are almost a lock for top 10, cox is solid too but not sure who else worth writing about they have (soderman coming back?). Q: 4th and 5th runners?
4. Furman - lack a stud runner, but like davidson only lose one from top 5 last year (gilmer) and are a young squad but definitely talented. Q: will they develop a stud/low stick?
5. Chatt - looks like they snagged some decent recruits but not going to help them, will remain the first team on the outside looking in. Cotter is a definite runner-up candidate though. Q's: who else besides cotter? can cole build on track season?
6. Elon - vargas?
7. Western Carolina - all josey, too bad because he's actually legit
not worth writing about the others...
Pre-Season Favorites: (w/o freshman or newcomers)
1. Chelimo (uncg)
2. Katam (uncg)
3. Pagonis (davidson)
4. Cotter (chatt)
5. Taylor (app)
6. Raby (app)
7. Lantz (davidson)
8. Vargas (elon)
9. Reynolds (davidson)
10. Weir (davidson)
11. Cox (app)
12. Kemboi (uncg)
13. Hurt (furman)
14. Given (furman)
15. Cole (chatt)
UNC wins very easily. 1-2-4 and their 4th and 5th inside the top 12.
App State returns to 2nd (also easily) with even an avergae showing.
Davidson has Pagonis for low stick and many Seniors!
Furman loses their top 2 with Gilmer and Caldwell and didn't recruit anyobody last year as they waited on new staff. They won't be top 3. I believe they will be very good in a couple years though.
Most teams have posted updated rosters with freshman...here's a list of all the freshman from the top schools (uncg, app, davidson, chatt) [don't think furman is bringing anybody in this year] and then other guys who could have an impact this season. Samford seems to have the best haul of the group (with weishaar, hazouri, crain, and a 4:15 miler in Jones) , so should be interesting to see what they can do with a team consisting of dorsett and some solid freshman. no more kenyans for uncg, although they did bring in a european (andrew coulter). they may be lacking a 4th and 5th man. should make for an interesting season. all in all, an impressive class of freshman entering the socon this year
UNCG
1. Josh Crawford -- 9:31 (3200), 15:46 (5000)
2. Andrew Coulter -- 1:58 (800), 4:08 (1500)
3. John Elwood -- 1:58 (800)
4. Myles White -- 50.4 (400), 2:00 (800)
5. Christopher Murphy -- 2:01 (800)
App State
1. Mitch McLeod -- 4:21 (1600), 9:17 (3200), 15:33 (5000)
2. Michael Ellis -- 9:31 (3200)
3. Josh Ellis -- 4:20 (1600), 9:32 (3200)
4. Jonathan Bivens -- 9:36 (3200), 15:38 (5000)
5. Kyle McFoy (RS) -- 9:36 (3200), 15:55 (5000)
6. Robert Kovach -- 4:27 (1600), 9:49 (3200)
Davidson
1. Ryan Phillips -- 4:22 (1600), 9:25 (3200), 15:54 (5000)
2. Will McDuffie -- 1:57 (800), 4:19 (1600), 9:47 (3200), 15:49 (5000)
3. Daniel Samet -- 4:21 (1600), 9:38 (3200)
4. Patrick Rollo -- 4:25 (1600), 9:50 (3200)
5. Aaron Forburger -- 4:29 (1600), 9:47 (3200)
Chatt
1. Paul Stuart -- 4:19 (1600), 9:20 (3200), 15:34 (5000)
2. Marquis Carter -- 1:52 (800)
3. Trevor Janssen -- 3:59 (1500)
4. Josh Martin -- 1:55 (800)
Western Carolina
1. Perry Cabean -- 4:24 (1600), 9:32 (3200)
2. Clay Howorth -- 4:25 (1600), 9:39 (3200)
3. Jamie Bigby -- 1:57 (800)
4. Kaleel Barton -- 1:59 (800)
Samford
1. Luke Weishaar -- 4:17 (1600), 9:25 (3200), 15:09 (5000)
2. Brandon Hazouri -- 51.6 (400), 1:54 (800), 4:18 (1600), 9:25 (3200), 15:45 (5000)
3. Steven Crain -- 4:22 (1600), 9:28 (3200)
4. Adam Jones -- 1:54 (800), 4:15 (1600), 9:42 (3200)
5. Lucas Sieb -- 9:43 (3200), 15:39 (5000)
Freshman Rank (based on 3200 time):
1. Mitch McLeod (App) -- 9:17
2. Paul Stuart (Chatt) -- 9:20
3. Luke Weishaar (Samford) -- 9:25
4. Brandon Hazouri (Samford) -- 9:25
5. Ryan Phillips (Davidson) -- 9:25
6. Steven Crain (Samford) -- 9:28
7. Josh Crawford (UNCG) -- 9:31
8. Michael Ellis (App) -- 9:31
9. Josh Ellis (App) -- 9:32
10. Perry Cabean (WCU) -- 9:32
11. Jonathan Bivens (App) -- 9:36
12. Kyle McFoy (App ) -- 9:36
13. Daniel Samet (Davidson) -- 9:38
14. Clay Howorth (WCU) -- 9:39
15. Adam Jones (Samford) - 9:42
false wrote:
that my friend is FALSE
Where is he going then? Anyone else confirm this?
On the men's side, App State will have their 5 guys in between Greensboro's #2 and #3 to win. And then some sanity will be restored in the SOCON.
Unless Curcio does leave for 1 of the 10 jobs he is rumored to be interviewing for?
My boys in Boone will pull it off this year. Soderman's got cross country and will be a top 8 contender along with Raby and Taylor (who already did that last year). Josh Cox is tough as nails and will surprise a lot of people. Can't forget Loko Lilley, Brian Graves and Chris Garrett who will fill out the top 7. As always, they'll be deeper than anyone else. Their success will be predicated upon where UNCG's #3 man comes in. Gotta put 2 in front of Gilbert "Che-boy" Kemboi to have a shot.
I know all the hype on here is always about the men (apparently the girls aren't LetsRun junkies), so this may not be a topic of hot conversation. However I'll bring it up anyway...Appalachian State's Women will win SoCon this year in Cross Country. The ladies have come a long way and performed admirably at both indoor and outdoor SoCon. Amanda Hamilton and Sarah Williamson will be in the top 5, and they've got some great young talent (returners and incoming folks) who will certainly contribute positively.
I'll be the first to say it. "Gonna be happy, with a double title for Appy!"
The real question of the year is; will chelimo win the national title? He's easily one of the favorites.
with soddy, app's the team to beat. not sure he's a lock for the top 8, but should be mixing it up. they've got the potential to put 4 in the top 15, which uncg won't do. given that uncg didn't get any stud transfers/freshman and won't field a halfway decent 4 and 5, i think it comes down to a two team race between app and davidson. at this point in time, i think you'd have to give app's 4some of taylor, raby, soddy, and cox a pretty wide lead over pagonis, reynolds, weir, and lantz. just sayin.
So I don't get this. Why is Curcio always trying to leave Appy? Boone is a great place to train and he's had a ton of success there. Seems like a dream job, yet every other week it seems he's rumored to be going somewhere else (that being said, he's still in Boone as far as I know). Why leave a great place?
Explain This wrote:
So I don't get this. Why is Curcio always trying to leave Appy? Boone is a great place to train and he's had a ton of success there. Seems like a dream job, yet every other week it seems he's rumored to be going somewhere else (that being said, he's still in Boone as far as I know). Why leave a great place?
That's what im saying, where would he be going? I've always been a App fan, so I would like him to stay although I know Curico has been in Boone a long time, why leave now?
This is why Danny will never leave Western and why they'll always be the class of the SOCON!
Here is the SOCON Scored taking out all Seniors from last year:
Davidson 68
App 77
UNCG 86
Furman 118
Western 128
Elon 143
Chat had 74 with 4 runners scoring.
1. UNCG
2. UNCG
3. Chat
4. UNCG
5. App
6. App
7. Elon
8. Furman
9. Chat
10. Davidson
11. Davidson
12. Furman
13. Davidson
14. Furman
15. Davidson
16. Citadel
17. App
18. Elon
19. Davidson
20. Chat
21. Western
22. Western
23. App
24. Western
25. Samford
26. App
27. CoC
28. Davidson
29. Western
30. Davidson
31. Wofford
32. Western
33. Elon
34. CoC
35. App
36. Citadel
37. CoC
38. UNCG
39. Elon
40. Furman
41. UNCG
...
44. Furman
...
46. Elon
Based on this info, I would say it is anyone's to win. I think that UNCG will need to develop the 4th and 5th man to win, just as App and Davidson will need to keep the spread close and hope UNCG does not.
I think Chat will surprise and may compete for the win as well with 3 that can compete with anyone's 3 except for UNCG and a very strong recruiting class.
Should be a much closer race than last year than last year, where UNCG basically destroyed the field.
UTC will dominate, trust me.
who is chatt's third guy? i know they have cotter and cole, but i can't think of another decent guy on their team and they had a decent recruiting class but nowhere near as strong as app or samford. i think they're out of the top 5 this year, just don't see them coming up the guys
I heard Linn Nguyen is leaving Greensboro. Trying to piggy back on his recent successes and strike while the iron's hot. Hopefully the AD's know he can't coach a lick and just recruits high level Kenyans...
Word is that Curcio is interviewing for newly vacated UGA job.
No he is not! I am tired of people spreading rumors about Coach Curcio. He is still our coach and told us he's not going anywhere.