Lack of toughness? You're joking right? The program runs off the kid's toughness. They don't have a choice to not be tough. Running the kind of mileage they do at that height, and running through each Gunnison winter instills toughness in them. Obviously it's a weaker year but thinking they are not going to crack the top 5 is crazy.
How are the women not going to qualify. Once again I will agree that it is a down year but Western has four pretty tough runners and a decent 5th when comparing 5th person around the nation. They might not be top 5 but they are sure as heck going to qualify.
It's going to be tough for the men to beat Adams, Abilene or Harding if those teams run well but I just don't see Chico or anyone else beating them.