A grown man at 24 year old is a favorite to win the NCAA XC. Does that bother anyone?

Doesn't bother me at all college sports are for MEN.

Go to your cities newspaper and look at the High School sports section then look at the College results.

HS results will says BOYS results and College will say MEN. Colleges have no age maximums so I don't know why this bothers anyone ever. If you have eligibility and can get into a college or university you have every right to compete.

Look at what JR Smith is doing in collegiate golf. Good for him.

Thoughts?

Flagpole wrote:

CU Buff wrote:

The good ol' BYU team.

No. Why should it? He's eligible under the NCAA rules. Don't be a bigot.

I'm more looking at all of the 6th year seniors who are still there competing, and even 7th year seniors.

For example Iowa State's 2nd runner who finished 21st at NCAAs Thomas Pollard is also 24 turning 25 this year, he graduated high school way back in the spring of 2015. This is his 7th fall season on the Iowa State cross country team. That is insane he's still competing in NCAA races. It sucks to be a Freshman/Sophomore right now in the NCAA who isn't just competing against the people a couple years ahead of them in their cycle of college but also people a couple more years older than that.

RuningManJumpSuit wrote:

Doesn't bother me at all college sports are for MEN.

Go to your cities newspaper and look at the High School sports section then look at the College results.

HS results will says BOYS results and College will say MEN. Colleges have no age maximums so I don't know why this bothers anyone ever. If you have eligibility and can get into a college or university you have every right to compete.

Look at what JR Smith is doing in collegiate golf. Good for him.

Thoughts?

No, college sports are for people who just finished high school and are now entering the next few years of their life getting an education and want to continue competing. Once you are beyond that and you want to compete you should turn to PROFESSIONAL running. On a side note, I don't know why these people are still hanging around paying for college (taking on more loans) just to run in some NCAA races. If you like running, run in some of the big road races across the country with the professional runners, you can run unattached in big track races and qualify for the US championships. Leave the NCAA to the people who are that age. The US NCAA championships is basically like the European U23 championships. The purpose of it is for that next tier of athletes who are still developing. Once your older than 23 it's time to either move on from the sport or compete with the big boy professional runners, not beating the crap out of an 18 year old who just graduated high school 6 months ago.

So if a HS graduate doesn't go to college and learns a trade like plumbing, works his butt and wants to start his own business. He takes a break at 30 to go back to college and decides he wants to run XC you're saying he shouldn't be allowed? College sports are for adults in college regardless of age. I think some people forget that once you're over 18 you're an adult and college students are adults. May not seem like it but it's black and white.

College sports are for anyone that complies with the established rules. That is pretty clear. They aren't limited to who your biased opinion thinks should be excluded. Mantz qualifies. Pollard qualifies. 28 year old Africans qualify. Everyone in the race on Saturday is who college athletics are for because they meet the qualifications. This is getting really old to hear so many biased people commenting. Just enjoy the sport. Lobby to change the rules if you don't like them. But stop watching the sport until the rules fit your agenda because you are trying to ruin it for the current athletes and fans.

Not a Mormon bigot wrote:

Flagpole wrote:

No. Why should it? He's eligible under the NCAA rules. Don't be a bigot.

I'm more looking at all of the 6th year seniors who are still there competing, and even 7th year seniors.

For example Iowa State's 2nd runner who finished 21st at NCAAs Thomas Pollard is also 24 turning 25 this year, he graduated high school way back in the spring of 2015. This is his 7th fall season on the Iowa State cross country team. That is insane he's still competing in NCAA races. It sucks to be a Freshman/Sophomore right now in the NCAA who isn't just competing against the people a couple years ahead of them in their cycle of college but also people a couple more years older than that.

So what? Those are the rules, and it's not insane. MOST good college runners redshirt at least one year. Add in an injury year and then COVID and you have what we have. So, those 6th and 7th year seniors are getting graduate degrees. Good for them. At ANY time (pre-COVID), freshmen usually have to wait a year or two before they are competitive. Same is true in high school. Are you saying all freshmen in college are afraid of competition? Do you think they want watered-down competition? Most of them will stop being competitive athletes when college is over. Nice for them to be able to run against the best possible.

This is such a nothing concern.

Many who stay on longer than 4 years are getting graduate degrees (some 5th year seniors are not). Many of them also have very good scholarships and are not racking up big college bills. It's a great way to pay for graduate school for many of them. Who made you the arbiter of what age you should be done with college running? Some high school kids don't graduate until they are 19. So, just 4 years for them with no redshirt possibilities? Your opinion is whack.

it doesnt bother me.the njcaa often has much older athletes and sports people competing.