Way Too Early Predictions for the 2022 NCAA D1 XC Championships

NAU

Stanford

Oklahoma State

Wisconsin

Texas

What makes you think Wisconsin will be up there?

They finished 11th last year.

will Olin Hacker still be eligible?

Who do you have for the men’s and women’s individual title? With that extra Covid year some of the big guns will probably stick around for another season.

On the mens side:

If Mantz still races, I have him winning.

Kiptoo will win if Mantz is not running this year.

On the womens side:

Whittni Orton will win. If she’s not running, Mercy Chelangat will win.

They all completed school and went pro.

except Chelangat

Hot take here, Nico Young and Katelyn Tuohy will both win the individual titles.

Kiptoo and Mantz both went pro

Somebody please for the love of god beat NAU this year, they have made this sport so boring.

Are you talking overall team predictions? It's looking like UGA, Florida, Texas and LSU for the top 4. NC A&T and Tennessee in the mix as well. Don't see NAU cracking the top 10, with just some points in the 1500, 5k and 10k.

No one completely dominating like LSU did in their historic win last year with 84 points.

This is XC 2022 team predictions actually

on the ladies side at this point it looks like NM and NC St well ahead of the rest. BYU looks set up for a down year.

Mantz

Sounds about right. Looks to be a battle between NC State and NM

This is not happening

Ok State - Stanford - NC State - BYU

Roe- McCabe - Cook - Chmiel - Tuohy

For the men I think Princeton might make a run at the top 5 next year. They did it at Indoors and they were 7th this month outdoors. Their stud high jumper Guttormsen, is class of 2023 and should be pretty much a lock to win that event next year. Ed Trippas who finished 5th in the Steeplechase will be graduating but their freshman class was solid this year and they have a few stud recruits so I think a top 10 finish again, maybe even 5th or 6th is doable.

and Chelangat? I think she has another year of eligibility. I ssume you are talking about W teams. I don't know that OSU has the depth that NM and NC St would seem to have. And Stanford? Arkansas might find a squad if Gregory comes back (has one more year I think), plus Van Camp, Thorvaldson...but I'm not sure who else maybe Ewert makes it back.

I think Stanford mens have a decent shot at taking down NAU next year. Hicks, Sprout, and Robinson have all run 27:4x and have been top 15 at previous XC championships. They should all be top 10. Boyden had some injury issues but has run 28:mid and 13:3x. He could finish in the top 20. All they need is one of there other 13:xx guys to be All-American, and they could take down NAU. This is especially true If Nur goes pro.