2021 Ivy League XC predictions...?

They could actually be a really good team. Maybe toop 10 this year. I guess most distance runners are smart kids and smart kids want to go to Harvard. Just looking at the last couple of recruiting classes and wondering how they are not on the national radar. I think getting Graham Blanks was a massive get for the program and will continue to pay dividends. Kids want to be a part of this. Interesting times in Cambridge

This is definitely Cornell's year. I hear they've got like 6 guys in sub 13:45 5k shape.

All that for Harvard to get bent over by community college-tier Iona at the Northeast regional this year now that it's at a real XC course and not some short course road 10k.

HepsXC is at Princeton this year, in case if that matters for anyone.

Weekend results:

Harvard men edged out Princeton by 1 at HYP on Saturday. Yale junior Robert Miranda won the 8k race by about 4 seconds over Harvard's Acer Iverson, Graham Blanks, and Matthew Pereira. Blanks apparently led for the majority of the race but was misdirected on the course, costing him the lead, but held on for third place once he was back on the right course. Harvard went 2-3-4-8-19, Princeton was 5-6-7-9-10, while Yale was 1-12-14-15-16 in scoring spreads.

Princeton women held off Harvard by 1 for the HYP title. Defending HepsXC champion Kayley Delay (Yale) won the 4.8k race by about 8 seconds over Harvard's Isabell Sagar and Princeton's Fiona Max. Princeton went 3-4-6-11-12, Harvard was 2-5-8-9-13, while Yale was 1-7-10-15-16 in scoring spreads.

Dartmouth won their own invite, featuring SUNY Geneseo, Towson (W only) and Maine. Men ran 8k while women did 6k. Rookies Will Daley and Ellie Tymorek won their respective races for Dartmouth.

Brown won both team titles at the Nassaney Invite on Saturday, over the likes of Northeastern, URI, Wagner, Bryant, Merrimack, Hartford, Holy Cross, Assumption, and RIC. Evan Sherman won the men's race, while Emily Kompelien was runner-up in the women's race. Both races were 5ks.

Columbia, Cornell, and Penn had the weekend off.

You mean the older foreign guys that Iona gets because they can't develop American kids. If you can't coach, go foreign.

I heard Vig and another Princeton coach pointed Graham the wrong way intentionally

southernnevadacoach wrote:

They could actually be a really good team. Maybe toop 10 this year. I guess most distance runners are smart kids and smart kids want to go to Harvard. Just looking at the last couple of recruiting classes and wondering how they are not on the national radar. I think getting Graham Blanks was a massive get for the program and will continue to pay dividends. Kids want to be a part of this. Interesting times in Cambridge

Good recruiting by Harvard by also incredibly lucky. Blanks had PR's of 4:17 and 9:13 when he committed to Harvard. Nothing that would indicate the times he's running now.

True but he did win nxn southeast and great American. He was a huge recruit.

southernnevadacoach wrote:

True but he did win nxn southeast and great American. He was a huge recruit.

He took a gap year last year (I'm guessing due to no Ivy athletic competition being allowed from COVID), which is where he ran the 13:28 track 5k time this past spring. So that training helped.

Same age as Nico Young, he has run 13:28 to Young's 13:24 USA U20 record. He was nowhere near Young's times in high school. As I said, good recruiting but also insanely lucky for Harvard that this kid was a late bloomer.

Anyone know what happened to Tim Springfield?

https://brownbears.com/news/2021/8/18/mens-cross-country-coaching-change-announced-within-track-field-and-cross-country-programs.aspx

Did Princeton run everyone at HYP? Is Trippas going to race this fall?

BigBear345 wrote:

Anyone know what happened to Tim Springfield?

https://brownbears.com/news/2021/8/18/mens-cross-country-coaching-change-announced-within-track-field-and-cross-country-programs.aspx

No idea, but they rarely ever sniff top 4 at Heps so maybe that’s it?

Jersey Shore's Finest wrote:

Did Princeton run everyone at HYP? Is Trippas going to race this fall?

Trippas is included on the 2021 XC roster and he's one of the XC captains. I'm guessing he's taking a break right now as he competed in the Olympics. I think we will see him for HepsXC. He was quoted in a Daily Princetonian article that he's looking forward to XC this fall.

“I am already excited to race the steeplechase again for Princeton and try win [sic] an NCAA title,” Trippas wrote. “But first is Cross Country season which I am looking forward to because of how unique it is being able to race with your teammates. I would like to contribute to the team doing well at NCAA championship and hopefully doing better than any other Princeton team has before.”

Geaux Tigahs wrote:

All that for Harvard to get bent over by community college-tier Iona at the Northeast regional this year now that it's at a real XC course and not some short course road 10k.

NE regionals are at Franklin Park, Harvard's home course. Has to give them an advantage even though Iona's home course is even tougher (van cortlandt)

southernnevadacoach wrote:

They could actually be a really good team. Maybe toop 10 this year. I guess most distance runners are smart kids and smart kids want to go to Harvard. Just looking at the last couple of recruiting classes and wondering how they are not on the national radar. I think getting Graham Blanks was a massive get for the program and will continue to pay dividends. Kids want to be a part of this. Interesting times in Cambridge

cuz they're soft af, track times don't translate to cross success

Weekend (9/24 - 9/26) meet schedule:

Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, & Yale at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown Invite (Boston, Mass) - Friday, 3pm

Cornell - off until 10/1

Penn - off until 10/1

Princeton - off until 10/1

According to the meet website, the Arkansas men are traveling up for the meet, but it will mainly be a Northeast affair. Women will race a 5k while the men have an 8k.

https://bceagles.com/sports/2018/1/25/coast-to-coast-battle-in-beantown.aspx

I'll keep an eye out for a race coverage website, but I think the results will be through Millennium Running (based on previous years' result links)

Aha! Found the live results page thru Millennium Running.

http://www.millenniumrunning.com/results-coast-coast-battle-beantown-xc-2021-2-2-2/39568

The Battle In Beantown is looking to be a pretty competitive meet. Specifically the open 5k race which will be run after the men’s 8k. According to one of sources in Scotland, Joe ewing of Harvard will be running the open 5k. Keep in mind he owns a 800m PR of 1:48 and a 1500m PR of 3:45 as a Freshman. I would not want to be anywhere close to him with 200m to go.