MIAC CC 2007

Team Predictions:

1. Carleton

2. St. Johns

3. Hamline

4. St. Thomas

5. Bethel

6. Gustavus

7. Macalester

8. Augsburg

9. St. Olaf

10. St. Marys

11. Concordia

I think MAC has the tools to have a great season, and it seems that they usually do, but I think consistency is a huge cause for concern. Braam was either a 15:40 or 16:15 guy depending on the day, while Mudry was non-existent in cross/indoor, then ripped off a string of good races, only to run a 15:4x at conference. Keep in mind too, that they lose Keith and Augustson, two of their most consistent top 5.

They did peak a week or two too early last time. But the MAC team is more experienced than ever, packed with seasoned seniors lead by the consistent and strong co-captain Matt Wegman, who does peak at the right time. I believe they will get at least 3rd.

That's why I like cross country -- it's more about the team than individuals.

I'd hardly call Erichson's 2nd place at Nationals a failure. He ran a PR of 9:01.12, the second best time in the nation all season. Then he ran a 14:31 5000, just three seconds off his PR for fourth, merely six seconds behind Will Leer, who made it to the finals of the U.S. Championships 1500 this summer. Even if he doesn't improve to Leer's level, he'll most likely win the majority of his races this fall.

I'm excited about MIAC '07, even more so than the World Championships, heh.

Fastnbulbous wrote:

I'm excited about MIAC '07, even more so than the World Championships, heh.

Wow, that is lame. Mac needs to have a strong and consistent front runner if they want to place better then fourth.

How do you presume to know that Mac won't have a top ten runner come October?

Anyway, fourth place will take about 100 points, and there are a whole lot of ways to score 100 points without having a "strong and consistent" front runner.

18+19+20+21+22

15+19+20+22+24

Now why don't you see if you can do one?

Read, think, understand, then respond. He wasn't arguing they couldn't finish fourth, just that they couldn't finish better than fourth. You actually helped prove his point.

That said, I think they can finish third on a good day, but without a "front end" it's tough to grab one of those top two spots.

Yes, it's true, the conference will be as strong as ever this year, with St. John's, Hamline and Carleton as favorites, and Bethel, St. Thomas, St. Olaf no slouches. I can't see anyone getting top three without at least three runners in the top 15. I think Mac has those three with that capability. Equally important is to have the fifth guy within the top 25. They were close, in 2003 with fifth guy in 28th, 100 point total. This is their year.

Perhaps I'm more excited about World Championships, but it'll be here and gone before CC season starts. I prefer following Div III over I because it's not as boring and predictable. These are athletes who have lives outside of sports and weren't bred from the cradle to go to big schools on scholarship.

Dear fastnbulbous -

Can you stop referring to Mac as 'they' and begin referring to them as 'we'. Thanks

sincerely,

The readers of this thread

'Fraid I can't, I graduated 16 years ago. But since you represent everyone on the thread, don't let me stop you from referring to yourself as royal "we." Knock yourself out.

I agree with keep up, to an extent.

having a frontrunner is important, but not as important in miac as it will be in regionals or nats. a strong pack finish, even without a frontrunner, could win, or certainly nail down a top-three finish, at miac.

i definitely agree that it's hard for a squad to go top two without a guy in the top 5, but hey, who knows?

this goes for any team. teams flying under the radar right now might gel and peak in october with a strong core of guys, and grab a top 3-4 spot out of nowhere.

that's why i agree with fastnbulbous on his preference for DIII athletics. less coverage, less celebrity. just results and rumors.

Who will be in the top ten?

Fermoyle

Erichsen

Greeno

Gladitsch

Van Bruggen

Steinbrecher

Stevens

Nowinski

Martinez

Sepe

Gamble?

Murphy?

Foley?

Bauer?

Larsen?

Kennedy?

Trigs?

Haglund?

Mudry?

Swanson?

St. Johns looks formidable, but man Carleton looks better and better the more I look at them too.

St. Johns

*Fermoyle

*Erichsen

*Van Bruggen

*Larsen

*Stevens

*Triggs

Carleton

*Sepe

*Kennedy

*Nowinski

*Gamble

*Martinez

chunk wrote:

St. Johns

*Fermoyle

*Erichsen

*Van Bruggen

*Larsen

*Stevens

*Triggs

Triggs graduated, but Hunter is returning.

Any results or news?

The St Olaf Invite on September 15 looks like it will be a huge meet if St Johns, Carleton, etc. all run their full squads.

SJU won't be there...at all.

it will take a monster effort to beat st johns this year, but wild bill left the knights set up...

Inside scoop is that Martinez is out for the season with a hip ailment. Word.

Can we get confirmation on this please?

I heard fermoyle didnt run a step this summer.