Atantic Region XC - D3

well I guess that's what the next 364 days are for

Which Atlantic Region cross teams will have the best recuiting classes in 2007?

Prediction:

1. Cortland

2. NYU

3. Geneseo

4. TCNJ

5. RIT

6. Fredonia

7. Rochester

8. St. Law

9. Brockport

10. Plattsburgh

Cortland (nothing has changed since Jack left), NYU, Geneseo and TCNJ always bring in solid recuits.

sure alots changed since Jack left, the team is now a lot better. Cortlands women were good under Jack, but the men werent all that the last 8-10 years.

Sure Cortland's team is better due to some great recruiting. It is a well known fact Jack Daniels did not recruit men, until he recruited Shamus and that class of fine athletes. Without that class Cortland wouldn't be much more than RIT or Rochester this year. Cortland's women had 10 girls under 10 min in a 3k one year. Think about it, Geneseo doesn't have one now. That is the most impressive coaching feat in division 3 history I think, quite possibly why Jack was named NCAA coach of the century. He should not be compared to any SUNYAC Coach unless Moran stays around for 20 more years and keeps this up with the men.

What is going to be interesting is how well Cortland stays at the top, especially in track with Wilbourn now gone. I heard Moran is now the Head Track and Field Coach as well, and Steve Patrick is the sprints/hurdles/jumps guy. That does not look like a bright future for that area since Mr. Patrick has a personality as abrassive as sand paper. I've heard a bunch of their top athletes are looking to transfer out. This should also spread Moran's recruiting out.

Now by no means am I saying they are going to get worse, because when you have the best athletic department and a top rated phys. ed./ ex. phys major, any good athlete interested in working in athletics in NYS is going to go there.

What you really need to look at is if it is a smart choice as an athlete to go there? How many of Cortland's guys got faster as the season went on (There ebst gap time and team race was on september 29th)? The same goes for Geneseo? It looks to me like a strong survive method of coaching, not to great of a philosophy for division 3 where for the most part you are trying to develop undertrained high school talent.

The only other thing that Cortland and Geneseo have going for them is what other SUNY school is even close academically and athletically? Not Brockport or Plattsburgh, and all the other schools are even further off base.

So with that said here are my predictions for best Men's recruiting year:

TCNJ (who wouldn't go there after the peak they had)

Cortland

Geneseo

NYU

Rochester

RPI

Plattsburgh

Brockport

SLU

Rochester

By the way I've heard Plattsburgh has gotten two division 1 transfers in the low 25's already and has 4 or 5 16 min guys committed? This true? Its hard to believe, that is why I have ranked them so low. As well I have heard Brockport has an amazing year going as well. Could we see a major influx of talent in the men's sunyac thanks to the Cortland Geneseo dual meet (embarrassing every other school) at the championships this year?

Cortland will continue to do well under coach Moran, he is very personable and easy to talk to, which helps when recruiting. If he can keep Steve Patrick away from the recruits he might actually get some guys to come up to Cortland. Steve Patrick needs to be told to go elsewhere. He is a very intelligent person but intelligence doesn't make for a great coach always (Jack was both intelligent as well as very personable). Steve will turn young recruits off with his arrogance and his sandpaper personality. Someone at Cortland should see this before it happens and do something about it (If only this was an episode of That's So Raven and we could see into the future). I hope that Moran is able to deal with S. Patrick and not allow him to run people off. The team is awesome now and it would be a shame to see the decline of such a great team due to a coach's personality.

As for Jack not recruiting, if you knew the history of how he was treated at Cortland by some of the old, as well as new administration (Sitterly) you would know that there were times when there was no motivation to recruit due to the lack of communication that was occurring centered arround his position at the college. Can you believe one of the most influential exercise physiologists in the world was kept from teaching ex. phys. by those that felt threatened by him? Amazing how many people missed out on his ability to make the world of ex. phys. come alive so that others wouldn't feel inadequate.

Happily, Jack has moved on to another great chapter in his life. For those of us that were lucky enough to run for him at Cortland, THank you, and we all hope that Moran continues to make us proud to be alumni of the cross country/ track and field program. Keep up the great work.

Jack recruited men. 10 women under 10 for the 3k in one year never happened.

10 women under 10 for the 3k did happen, I witnessed it and he told me himself.

What year would that be? Name the runners. Never more than four in any year.

Well then maybe it was 10 girls on one team who have run under 10 for the 3k, maybe it was not all in one year. But I know for a fact he had 10, maybe even 11 on one team. Even when you say 4 in one year. That is more impressive than any of the SUNY schools right now, more impressive than any school in the nation, d3, right now.

11 under 10 for 1990 - 2000. Not one team but certainly impressive. Julie Donnelly(sp) 10 flat in 1995.

Cortland is going to be nasty next year if they keep improving. NYU won't be too far behind either. If I had to take a shot at the biggest improvement from last year to this year will probably be SLU. They have a very strong freshman class this year, and with Donohoe leading the way I can see them being contenders next year. Geneseo and TCNJ will be strong as usual, but I think I'm going to give the nod to Cortland for next year. They're young and they're ambitious, I can only see them getting better.

SUNYAC outlook for 2007-

1.Cortland- Return everyone but Cloke and with the recruiting classes they have been bringing in lately Im sure they will add some more outstanding runners that ran very well at the state meet in Warwick.

2.Geneseo- This team just peaked too early this year. Everyone knows they obviously have the talent and depth to be right up there with Cortland. Perhaps the two tank jobs this year will have Coach Woods switch up his summer training methods? Lose McGrath and Tillapaugh but there are a ton of strong runners in the freshmen and sophomore classes for the Blue Knights that didnt even get to participate in the big meets due to the team's depth. They will be fine like always.

It's now pretty much a crapshoot as middle of the pack contenders all lost a ton of firepower. It's going to come down to who's team can bring in the best recruits because Brockport, Plattsburgh, Oswego, Oneonta, and Fredonia are all basically in the same boat.

Brockport- Loses Kolb, Keating, and Rapleyea from a team that already was lacking depth. What happened to Bryan Kent? Beringer and Cartwright will need help.

Plattsburgh- Loses their 1 point from every meet in Deshane and their #2 punch in Asher. It's going to be up to the Cards junior class to lead what will be an extremely young Cards team next year. Cloke, Ver, and Burdick are gonna have to pick it up.

Oswego- Loses #1 Batista, Wood, and Fellows. Return their 3-6 runners in Reich, Densmore, Dunning, and Anderson. Reich had a breakout season this year for the Lakers before tanking at the regional meet. What ever happened to the Bryan Buchannon transfer to Oswego rumor?

Oneonta- Lose Scalfone, Durkin, and DeCarr. Top runner Ryan Wells had an up and down year and couldnt even finish at Regionals. Strong running tradition.

Fredonia- This team had high hopes coming into the year with the additions of Tom Williams and Jared Newell. Both had successful starts to their careers but the Blue Devils were hampered all season by the loss of Forma who they expected to return. What happened there? Graduate Buzzelli and that's it from the top 7.

So Lowe, what do you figure, that the NYU guys wont keep getting better? hum lets look at this.

NYU should return 4 all americans, their 5th, and 7th to 12 guys if you look at their roster.

Phillips went from 20th (or so) in the regionals last year to 13th at NCAA's

Abdallah, as we have heard on his board all season, missed months of training and still came back to be 14th, IF (and yes thats an IF) he is able to stay healthy he should be a top 4 guy next year

Schneider, 3rd at regionals, 22nd at NCAA's, who in NY State ever heard of this kid from Delhi? he was not a HS name like most of the Cortland kids everyone talks about, but has stepped it up big time.

Williams seemed to struggle a bit at the end of xc for NYU, but still AA. He was the other guy that had an "food issue" at regionals, and may have struggled wwith the mud at ncaa's like alot of guys did. still AA

McCarthy top 50 for a miler in those conditions, has gotten better every year for them.

They also have some pretty good guys behind them, many young guys who ran some good races during the season (Joynt?, Hess, Maher, McGraw) along with a few other guys who have run better in the past (popeson and mcgrane), and though I dont know why they ran so so, could be back up with their top guys.

NYU got second at NCAA's, I am sure they are just as ambitious and hungry to get close to Calvin as anyone.

Cortland and TCNJ are both good, but were honestly not close to NYU. Look at the NCAA points, and look at the regional results.

Lowe, for you to say NYU wont be "to far behind", makes me think you are not as smart and insightful into this sport as past comments might indicate.

Do better research, heck Lowe, NYU didnt even need the 9:20 steeple guy who beat you at ECAC last year. That guy want even in their top 10.

Did I ever say that NYU wouldn't improve? They have an awesome team, and they're obviously talented and well coached, they peak well and race well. All that I said was that I thought Cortland is going to make bigger strides in the coming year than NYU will.

At this point, I would still put NYU as a lock for top 5 at nationals next year, and top 3 if they don't havce any injury or illness problems. But that having been said, I think Cortland is going to be right next to them, if not on ahead. I don't think they're going to dominate NYU, but I do think they'll be very stiff competition. Look at what they did this year with essentially a team of Freshmen and Sophs, they took 4th at nationals with one of their top two runners (and the only senior) having an off race. They are so solid for such a young team, I don't see much of a chance for them to not make drastic improvements during track and again in XC next year. You are right, Cortland was not on the same level as NYU this year, but don't be too surprised if they make that jump in the coming year.

P.S. I sprained my ankle in the race at ECAC last year, so I don't think thats quite a fair assessment.

I forgot to add:

When the time comes to make predictions next year, NYU will probably top my list unless something drastic happens. By the end of the season, I'm not so sure that will be the case.

With the exception of Calvin, Cortland had the best 6th and 7th at nationals.

They're 8th and 9th men are also freshmen.

one more post to make a 1000! Okay now this thread needs to die

oops! their not they're

Fact of the day: Joe Ver was a 18:05 5k runner before going to Plattsburgh