Which teams were snubbed from an at-large this year?

The committee has always had a strong California bias. This is not the first year they have undeservedly received two at-large bids. Besides the obvious Rocky Mountain snub, I actually really think McCallie deserved a bid. WakeMed is a pretty consistent course, and their times were legit, they would've auto-qualified the vast majority of years. The top 3 teams were also virtually identical (105, 111, and 115 points) and McCallie beat Farragut in the merge at TN states (and looked very good doing it, both their speed ratings and times were impressive).

In 2018, CA had 4 boys teams at NXN and they all finished in the top 11.

Wonder how Jesuit CA would have done there in 2019. They had Strangio with a guaranteed low score. Behind him, there was lots of depth on the team.

McCallie TN is young and deep and should be able to autoqualify next year. I’m not sure how strong SE is. They also didn’t beat any autoqualifiers head to head.

Historical success of a region is really not a good criteria. In 2014, NY had 3 boys teams in the top 8. In 2015, they were tied with SE for the worst region, and within 5 years people were calling for them to merge with the Northeast. And considering the CA state meet is a merge that is actually used as a regional, it would be pretty unfair if McCallie beating Farragut at TN states doesn't count as a win.

Hilliard Davidson girls from Midwest region.

Nike needs to be transparent as the NXN meet is an incredible opportunity and all of these teams worked extensively hard.

Rocky is the first Bob Firman champ to be snubbed by NXN and they beat Great Oak at Bob Firman on a real xc course. EVERY OTHER BOB FIRMAN CHAMP HAS GONE TO NXN. That said Great Oak fully deserved their bid. Even if you go with California politics - to explain Granada and San Clemente - I am really struggling to see how Downers Grove North or Mountain View gets the nod over Rocky. Rocky met the same criteria as these teams by beating an auto qualifier. Downers is not even a state gold or silver medalist.

Nike needs to be transparent as some really elite runners are missing out on huge recruiting showcase.

Do Idaho teams now need to go to California or Oregon every year?? Is that the message??

every ranking, every statistical analysis had Rocky as an at large lock.

In 2019 too?

With all due respect this is just not an accurate comment. I give you the benefit of the doubt but come on … there are many many non California teams that would easily qualify for California state meet. This is just an unfair comment.

So you just acknowledged 'California politics' but still choose to question Mtn View and Downers North instead? I am 100% in agreement that Rocky Mountain got snubbed, but you are sitting there questioning teams that aren't the ones to be questioned. You question Downers as not being a 'state gold or silver medalist', but, you don't acknowledge that Granada wasn't even a bronze medalist, but a DISTANT 4th...? And, if all teams met the same criteria by beating an auto qualifer, then doesn't it become pretty subjective? And what's worth more? Downers being the most recent team to beat an actual NXR champion (2 weeks before the Regional meet) or another team beating a 2nd place auto-qualifier (or even champion) but way back in September?

True, it depends on which section they have to qualify from. But I stick to my guns if they had to qualify out of the Southern Section. First you have to qualify out of your league meet (some SoCal leagues are stacked) and then it's prelims and finals on the Mt. SAC course. That's three weeks of consecutive hard effort just to get to state.

Compare that to some states where the season is over in October and you get a month to prepare for your NXN regional meet like it's a friggin Bowl Game.

Tbh I’m actually glad that 2 ca teams were selected on both sides in the at-large
Merged results are bogus. What if the results would have been different if the top teams actually faced each other?

Here's a reply from Rich Gonzalez that our XC Coach received. This leaves me even more confused as to why Rocky Mountain is not at NXN.

"First look" in analysis goes to any third-place team that beat a regional champion anywhere from the last weekend in September to the end of the season up to regionals. Those teams are not automatically selected, but we review their body of work thoroughly first since they beat a regional. If a team is of very high quality but from a loaded region, this gives them first dibs at a thorough review.

Another key thing we look after the above item is how well the team ran at their Nike Cross Regional championship. We want the teams that are running hottest at the end of the year, most especially those that had a VERY strong showing at their regional championship"

Rocky Mountain got a new scoring transfer. The committee probably would rather select a team without one. But if they autoqualified the committee would have had nothing against them

Some people might have thought that McCallie should have been selected. They got a new scoring transfer who was ineligible for varsity but eligible for NXR. So they were not selected either. But next year looks good for them and should be able to autoqualify

Woah leave Mountain View out of this. They beat NXR champ American Fork by TWENTY SIX POINTS at the state meet merge. AF also beat Skyridge and Farmington by 82 and 86 points respectively at the 6A meet, teams Rocky Mountain could only beat by 17 and 18 points at Bob Firman. Mountain View has also beaten Herriman, the 2nd Southwest qualifier.

I’m honestly not a fan of merges. That said, Mountain View’s 1-3 did really well at NXR but their 4/5 (which are pretty much key) underperformed in that meet. Hopefully all of their 5 do well at NXN

it’s also worth noting that the Southwest region is always so strong and deep that it’s almost a crime to not send an at-large team from that region

especially after seeing that half of the top 15 teams at Running lane were from the Southwest

We can say the same about California. The 5th best team there would destroy the best NY team

It’s also worth noting that Mountain View beat American Fork at the Timpanogos invite, where all of the Utah teams are present

Lol there are no “snubs” for NXN. Any team upset they didn’t get an at-large bid should’ve run better at their regional. Everyone knows how the qualifying works. Run well and don’t leave it up to chance.

We see this post year after year, but year after year the same quality programs continue to qualify. Spoiler alert: a team that doesn’t auto qualify for NXN has no chance of making noise at the big dance.