Inspired by another post on what it takes to make an Olympic team. Here is the breakdown in talent for the 2016 team. Basically, you need to be a state champ and multiple time All-American, if not an NCAA Champion; but we already knew that...
Men's - 2016
800m
Clayton Murphy - state record holder in OH DIII (4:11.72); 2 x NCAA Champion; 4 x All-American
Boris Berian - 2 x CO state champion (46.9, 1:52); 2 x NCAA Champion
Charles Jock - CA state champion (1:51.64); NCAA Champion & World Championship Team Member (800m)
1500m
Matthew Centrowitz - MD state record (4:04.09), Penn Relays record (4:08.38), Pan Am Jr Gold Medal; 8:41.55 2M nation-leading time (2007); NCAA record holder (4 x Mile), NCAA Champion, Professional Contract
Robby Andrews - US high school indoor record holder (1:49.21, 2:22.28), Bronze medal 2010 World Junior 800m; 2 x NCAA Champion
Ben Blankenship - 2 x MN State Champion (1600m); 1st sub-4 for UMN (3:57.83i)
5000m
Paul Chelimo - 3 x NAIA Champion, 2 x NCAA Runner-Up (5000m)
Bernard Lagat - 3 x NCAA Champion
Hassan Mead - 4th Foot Locker XC, 2nd State 3200m (9:03); 8 x NCAA All-American
10,000m
Shadrack Kipchirchir - 6 x NCAA All-American
Galen Rupp - 3 x US high school record holder, High School Athlete of the Year (2004); 2 x US Junior record holder, 5 x NCAA Champion, 14 x All-American
Leonard Korir - 2 x NCAA Champion, 8 x NCAA All-American
3000m SC
Evan Jager - 4 x IL State Champion; NCAA All-American; Professional Contract
Donn Cabral - 3 x CT State Champion, CT state record holder (2M, 5000m); 8 x NCAA All-American; NCAA Champion and 2 x Runner-Up
Hilary Bor - 4 x NCAA All-American
Marathon
Meb Keflezighi - 2 x CA state champion; 4 x NCAA Champion; 12 x NCAA All-American
Galen Rupp - see 10,000m
Jared Ward - 3 x UT state champion; 4 x NCAA All-American