NAU women have no excuse - they should win it all at 2024 NCAA XC

Looking forward to someone starting the "Has Smith failed the women's team?" thread in a couple of months.

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The NAU women did not have one women qualify for NCAA’s last spring. They only had two distance guys , Nico Young and Colin Sahlman.

Food for thought

They had some bad timing with key players getting injured.

you can doubt whatever you would like... but physiologically it is a huge advantage...

maybe do some more research into the subject... do you think people go train up at altitude just for fun?

You completely ignored my example of Blanks vs Young. Obviously, it doesn’t make a “huge” difference. Does Ingebrigtsen train at altitude?

Do you have an estimate of the huge improvement? How fast would Blanks have run had he been at NAU?

Actually, it would be kind of fun to train up in the mountains.

If you want to call it that

OR

Actually they were pretty healthy. They had five run indoor 5000s between 15:34 and 15:38 plus a 6th at 15:43. That is a very solid XC team but only the 15:34.04 got to run at indoor champs.

They also have four more not included above who have run sub 16 outdoors this season including two freshmen.

I would think Karrie Baloga would be the more impactful new blood. Didn't race XC, ran PRs of 4:36 and 9:09 indoors and opened her outdoor season with a 15:56. Obviously a big-time talent, probably the best female recruit they've ever had. Given Mike Smith's track record with star men's recruits, I would be a bit surprised if we don't see her factoring into the NCAA scene pretty quickly. Could be like Sahlman where she only really gets going in track her sophomore year, but she could definitely make an impact this fall too a la Young.

Agree with your point but Baloga did run XC. She was 82nd at nationals for Colorado.

They will have the same excuses they had last year, and that every favorite has. Health, and performing well on race day.

They actually never made any excuses, but they (and BYU) just ran awful to even let nc st into the race at all.

With now Baloga, Stutzman and returning runners, they will be favorite again. Just get to start line healthy and run a decent race.

I was referring to Outdoor track 2023- actually know ppl on the team and there were injuries that interrupted training.

This indoor season as well - but they still had a good group knocking on the door of the qualifying list. The plan had been to go for faster times at conference to move up the list but couldn't due to several athletes battling injuries.

What does that even mean??

your expectations for this program are a bit out of touch. this is pretty much all they ever bring to indoor/outdoor nationals. a few distance guys and every so often a distance girl.

Smith built the womens program from scratch and they just podiumed at XC nationals.

Scratch my ass. 5 of the top 7 were transfers.

You mean got NM and other transfers and choked at NCAAs. They lost it and no excuses

he didn’t qualify a single women last spring. Thats his development. Not saying he’s a bad coach. I’m just stating the truth

I am curious if NAU's coaching staff remains intact after the completion of Outdoor T&F season

Assistant Coach Becca Pflugrad's husband was not retained by the new NAU football coach and has recently transitioned into a non-coaching role on the football staff at Michigan State

Doubtful that much would change within the program so long as Smith is running the show but something to keep an eye on at least

Doesn’t matter. That’s still building it from scratch. Smith can’t help it that Churchill got a massive PR, Baloga setting 4 PRs, Smee improving so fast she could be a lowstick. If Alex Carlson - current PR of 15:53 - does 15:33 next outdoor, Smith gets credit for that.

Becca already told the team she was leaving. The women’s team especially really valued her and she will be missed. Pretty sure they have already announced some promotions from within. Aldo Marquez was an athlete then grad assistant and now officially on the coaching staff. Per instagram and Jared Cornfield was promoted to assistant head coach.
Coaching team is set and strong.