No surprise here. You’d think they’d go after a top-tier coach, but instead they handed the job to an assistant. Sure, loyalty is nice, but let’s be real, NAU doesn’t seem to care if their cross country program stays elite.
It has less to do with the coach. The men were starting to move backward last year. Smith saw the writing on the wall. They are still good but not dominant like several years ago.
One more thing - there was zero indication that smith was an elite coach when he got to nau. He spent a few years at Georgetown and had never coached college men. He inherited an ncaa championship team in his job at Georgetown and he did at nau.
It has less to do with the coach. The men were starting to move backward last year. Smith saw the writing on the wall. They are still good but not dominant like several years ago.
You can say whatever you want, but let’s be honest, he’s got talent, and so far it’s been wasted. Some people are built to lead, and this guy just isn’t one of them. NAU really missed the mark putting him in charge. The big time underperformed today. Let’s see what they do by November
I don’t know Coach Cornfield personally, but the dude he’s been an assistant forever at NAU. That doesn’t scream loyalty, it raises questions. If he was really head coach material, why didn’t anyone else offer him a program before now? Sometimes being the safe choice just means NAU doesn’t care. A mid major not caring about cross country is not a big surprise.
Let’s be clear. This was Mike Smith’s program up until about six weeks ago.
The demise of the team this year is 100% on Smith.
Brilliant move on his part to bail on the NAU team now. We would have actually been able to see if he can coach his way out of it. Instead, now he gets this new Nike gig and starts his career over (again) on 3rd base, with no outs and the top of the line up at bat.
Wasn’t it only a couple years ago that NAU had a rough few races before nationals, then won? It was the first year in a while they weren’t ranked first. Maybe the year they tied?
You could tell last year they weren’t going to be a contender this year, just based on who was still gonna be there. And it’s not like they weren’t contending for the win last year either. Honestly Sahlman making the jump he did made them better than most expected I think. Plus we’re starting to see the compounding effect of a few years of foreign NIL recruits, which I don’t think NAU has leveraged as successfully (maybe at all) as some other schools. They aren’t done being a top program, it’ll just take a few years to rebuild. The altitude alone gives them a huge advantage. Give them 1-2 of the top US recruits + 1-2 good foreign athletes in the next couple years and they’ll be back in contention.
Yeah they don’t have the recruits/ talent to be up top this year but still had a nice showing. They beat several teams ranked ahead of them.
Still ahead of BYU, Wisconsin, Notre Dame.
Top runner is a 1500m guy, other guys on the team are very solid but you need a few top 20 national guys to get a trophy. Maybe they can Jer developing and get there.
its also crazy they had their level of consistency for so long
Wasn’t it only a couple years ago that NAU had a rough few races before nationals, then won? It was the first year in a while they weren’t ranked first. Maybe the year they tied?
You could tell last year they weren’t going to be a contender this year, just based on who was still gonna be there. And it’s not like they weren’t contending for the win last year either. Honestly Sahlman making the jump he did made them better than most expected I think. Plus we’re starting to see the compounding effect of a few years of foreign NIL recruits, which I don’t think NAU has leveraged as successfully (maybe at all) as some other schools. They aren’t done being a top program, it’ll just take a few years to rebuild. The altitude alone gives them a huge advantage. Give them 1-2 of the top US recruits + 1-2 good foreign athletes in the next couple years and they’ll be back in contention.
This.
All about recruiting and how they go about it. Obviously, they have the Sahlmans now, and Addie Ritzenhein coming in.
Can they get more like this in US? Will they go International? Any money put into program?
We will see.
Note Colorado now in resurgence after new coach chose to gut program and take all the pain in one year.
All about recruiting and how they go about it. Obviously, they have the Sahlmans now, and Addie Ritzenhein coming in.
Can they get more like this in US? Will they go International? Any money put into program?
We will see.
Note Colorado now in resurgence after new coach chose to gut program and take all the pain in one year.
Yeah, top recruit Aaron Sahlman hasn’t panned out yet, but he’s racing for the first time in years, and he’s crazy talented. If he stays healthy, all American definitely isn’t out of the question next year. No clue if he’ll take a 5th year.
But besides that, NAU has always had top international guys. Famously 2x world champ Geordie Beamish went to NAU. I think it’s a matter of when, not if, they get a couple top recruits.
I don’t know Coach Cornfield personally, but the dude he’s been an assistant forever at NAU. That doesn’t scream loyalty, it raises questions. If he was really head coach material, why didn’t anyone else offer him a program before now? Sometimes being the safe choice just means NAU doesn’t care. A mid major not caring about cross country is not a big surprise.
He did have an offer somewhere a few years back but decided to stay because he’d take over the program. If you were actually a fan you’d know this.
Also NAU isn’t recruiting Kenyans like all of these other coaches.
NAU’s PR’s on the track now are more impressive than they were back in 2018/2019. The NCAA is just super competitive at the world class now.
Ya’ll here are actually stupid. If you win NCAA’s in the 10k now, you have to be a 26:50 guy as opposed to a 27:40 guy during Conner Mantz’s years.
"When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful. A miracle. Oh, it was beautiful, magical. And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily. Oh, joyfully, oh, playfully watching me. But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, oh, responsible, practical. And then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable. Oh, clinical, oh, intellectual, cynical. There are times when all the world's asleep. The questions run too deep for such a simple man. Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned? I know it sounds absurd, please tell me who I am. I said, watch what you say, they'll be calling you a radical, a liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal. Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable, respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable. Oh, take, take, take it, yeah."
All about recruiting and how they go about it. Obviously, they have the Sahlmans now, and Addie Ritzenhein coming in.
Can they get more like this in US? Will they go International? Any money put into program?
We will see.
Note Colorado now in resurgence after new coach chose to gut program and take all the pain in one year.
Yeah, top recruit Aaron Sahlman hasn’t panned out yet, but he’s racing for the first time in years, and he’s crazy talented. If he stays healthy, all American definitely isn’t out of the question next year. No clue if he’ll take a 5th year.
But besides that, NAU has always had top international guys. Famously 2x world champ Geordie Beamish went to NAU. I think it’s a matter of when, not if, they get a couple top recruits.
Over the last three years (one title year) the international guys they’ve had have been top grad transfers, Kusche, Las Heras, Mullarkey. That was missing this year. They got Harrison but he’s not really a cross guy.
They also had one of the best young American distance runners of all time for four years, and now don’t. Colin was a prized recruit but definitely didn’t end up being Nico Young.
These two things make a huge difference. Imagine they had Rocky Hansen and Said Mechaal on this team. Maybe not quite contending with New Mexico and Iowa State, but surely no cries of their demise
One last thing NAU had at least in the second half of the dynasty was incredibly clutch performances. I mean Santiago Prosser has a faster XC 10k than track 10k. He never qualified for NCAAs in track but he was a 3 time all-american in cross and top 25 twice. It’s like everyone on their roster brought their best at NCAAs every single year. That’s obviously the goal for everyone but easier said than done
What recruiting draw does NAU have without Mike Smith? Sure, there’s altitude, but it’s not in a “hot” location (people would love to go to college in a truly vibrant area). Also doesn’t have an alluring academic environment
Let’s be clear. This was Mike Smith’s program up until about six weeks ago.
The demise of the team this year is 100% on Smith.
Brilliant move on his part to bail on the NAU team now. We would have actually been able to see if he can coach his way out of it. Instead, now he gets this new Nike gig and starts his career over (again) on 3rd base, with no outs and the top of the line up at bat.
Let’s be clear. This was Mike Smith’s program up until about six weeks ago.
The demise of the team this year is 100% on Smith.
Brilliant move on his part to bail on the NAU team now. We would have actually been able to see if he can coach his way out of it. Instead, now he gets this new Nike gig and starts his career over (again) on 3rd base, with no outs and the top of the line up at bat.
are u like mentally ill or something
Mike Smith knew he was leaving all year and that Cornfield was set to take over. They even made him associate head coach a year ago, so none of this is a surprise. Sorry for the honest truth, but Cornfield’s not it, he’s a dud. There’s no way he’s a top coach for NAU. But that’s the thing, this just proves again that NAU doesn’t really care. Don’t bother bringing in a solid coach. At the end of the day Cornfield will have his shot to prove his worth. So far it’s rocky, but let’s give it until NCAA’s and this spring