Discus
Discus
I feel like North Central 2018 could have been close. But then again I think their top guy won in 24:30? That would have been mid-back pack at ncaa D1 natties so maybe not. Interesting question either way. Maybe someone will have a better answer.
Cortland women in the early 90s would have been the best chance.
Men are not close.
The early 90s North Central men's team would have been interesting.
They went 1-2-5-6-18 at D3 nats, and their top runner (Dan Mayer) lapped the second place finisher at D3 nats in the 10,000m at the 4 mile mark while he was on the way to a 28:50 or so solo effort (I know this because I was the second place guy that got lapped at that point despite going through the 5000m in 15:06).
That team had 5 guys who could run between 13:50 and 14:40. Put them in the right D1 region in the early 90s, and I imagine that they could have qualified.
No
Somewhere in the long history of North Central's XC team I would think that they would have had a team that would have contended for a spot. I'm not sure that they would have but they would not have gone down without a fight.
From an individual standpoint, Many guys that have run D3 would have qualified. Ian LaMere of UWisc-Platteville would have contended well. I am not saying that he would have won but he would have beaten a lot of guys. I believe that he is still running professionally.
Allegheny Community College is a two year school. In the '70s they had some fantastic teams that could match up with any D1 team in the country. I'd have to dig around for specifics but I believe they eventually dropped cross country because they could not get anyone to schedule them because no school wanted a loss to a junior college on their record, this being a time when your season was nearly all dual and tri meets. But as they were not in D3 the post is kind of irrelevant yet it seems worth mentioning.
No. discussion over.
Yes. North Central would consistently make it. They are much better than the worst teams at NCAAs.
No D3 would or has been good enough to ever place in the top though. I do think there has been a few guys that have been D3 that would be top 15- Johnny Crain and Lee Berube at the top of their game to a name a few.
Well, there's the obvious answer that there is a reason for 3 divisions to begin with. Track and field is a little different but CC people tend to look at the overall picture about their academic and athletic experience they want to have.
How nany people went D1 but could have challenged individually or combined program effort with others to win a title or started a dynasty in D3? Oh, maybe NC did that?
As far as the comment on community college contenders... I watched Blinn CC make top track programs and Santa Monica TC look bad so thats not even a comparison to put an international farm program up against any divions in TF or CC.
Danny Henderson for d3 Wheaton College placed 10th at the div. 1 Nationals 2 days after winning the d3 race in 1978. As a teammate, the rest of us were no where as close. I do like the Ian LaMere guy. I have one leg that twists out like both of his. Didn’t remember that he was d3.
RichardRider wrote:
As far as the comment on community college contenders... I watched Blinn CC make top track programs and Santa Monica TC look bad so thats not even a comparison to put an international farm program up against any divions in TF or CC.
Yep. There have been legendary juco teams over the years. Glendale and and Grossmont have had XC teams that would've podiumed at D1 nats.
Haverford in late 80’s early 90’s
Illionice wrote:
Yes. North Central would consistently make it. They are much better than the worst teams at NCAAs.
I ran for NCC years ago and I strongly disagree, there might be a rare year they could have made it out of the weakest region, but they never would make it out of the Great Lakes. My teammates often thought they were better or as good as some of the middle range D1 schools that qualified for the D1 national meet, but they were wrong.
RichardRider wrote:
Well, there's the obvious answer that there is a reason for 3 divisions to begin with. Track and field is a little different but CC people tend to look at the overall picture about their academic and athletic experience they want to have.
How nany people went D1 but could have challenged individually or combined program effort with others to win a title or started a dynasty in D3? Oh, maybe NC did that?
As far as the comment on community college contenders... I watched Blinn CC make top track programs and Santa Monica TC look bad so thats not even a comparison to put an international farm program up against any divions in TF or CC.
The reason there are 3 NCAA divisions has very little to do with XC or track other than it counts toward the number of sports the school competes in and that determines if a school is eligible to be I, II, or III. Main difference with III is no athletic scholarships.
Alan
Yep. But when it comes to a kid deciding what kind of experience they are going to get in running and academics, whats obvious to them is that their desire to compete collides with reality. Scholarships or not, whethet the school has water polo or fencing or not. Most of the time, Id bet a kid goes where they can have a chance to not be cut from the roster and get the career training they need within their budget.
nonmainliner wrote:
Haverford in late 80’s early 90’s
HAHAHAHAHA!
Not even close.
A Haverford grad from the '80s
Off the Grid wrote:
nonmainliner wrote:
Haverford in late 80’s early 90’s
HAHAHAHAHA!
Not even close.
A Haverford grad from the '80s
Not as a team. But Seamus McElligott won D3 and placed pretty high in the D1 race two days later.