After reviewing the 2006 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship results, I would like to put forth my 2007 Predictions and assessments:
Iona is in prime position to reign supreme in 2007, as they return all top five Gaels, and who knows what other foregin recruits may venture onto campus, as well as the development of the current crop of Africans.
Wisconsin will once again run bridesmaid after losing Nelson and Solinsky. Withrow will be a legitimate candidate for the individual title, while Eagon and Wagner will continue to improve and welcome in another stellar recruiting class (minus those that redshit).
The magic of Lannana. Oregon will take the bronze behind Rupp's individual victory. With the Mercado's and AJ Nation in '07, along with Shadrack, Lannana is already reviving the Duck Dominance of the past. Oregon is the new Stanford, who, by the way, is the biggest loser in 2007.
Not only in graduates, but they will begin losing recruits, as the blue-chippers are going to want to eiter attend Colorado, Wisconsin, or Oregon. Watch for the Cardinal to fall from Cross Country grace...
Providence. Yes, Providence. Even with the loss of their leader, Fagan, Providence's foreigners will build on the success in 2006.
Top five for Louisville? What, is their XC team copying the football program? How about basketball? Louisville is a legit candidate for a top five finish. They return six out of their top seven. And with Coach Mann at the helm, they will be prepared. Greatest gainer in the stock market.
Colorado will drop somewhat. The magic will wear away after '06, but Wetmore is going to have to pick and choose from the plethora of high school seniors wanting to waltz onto Boulder and lay claim to another future national championship. The reason for the short-term demise is that their inherint number one is now a Miler, Stephen Pifer. How can the young Buff's look up to a Miler to lead them in distance? Oh, wait, that is the predicament for a team that will fall outside the top ten in 2007, Texas. Their incumbant number one is also a miler, in Manzano. But that's another story..
Look for Oklahoma State to make another top ten finish. The Cowboys are such solid championship performers. They lose their bookends, but their core is solid.
William & Mary ran stellar in 2006, and look for them to repeat in 2007. Ladndry leads a team with with gaining experience and a proven formula.
Everyone complains of NC State's under-achieving performances through the years. However, look for the Wolfpack to finally break through with a top ten finish in 2007, led by a very experienced (and red-shirted) squad.
Arkansas rounds out the Top Ten with a young squad. Look for this team to learn from its mistakes and run strong again as many harriers become eligible and new foreigners and transfers take root.
Texas will be lead by middle distancemen, but they will once again have a formidable recruiting class. Watch out for the Longhorns in '07.
BYU only loses their now legendary leader, Rohatinsky. Everyone else is back, minus loses to missions, but with the missions come returnables to the lineup.
UCLA should improve by a good ten spots in '07. The Shackletons lead a young squad that only loses one of their top seven.
Cal Poly will hold steady in 2007 with another very young squad and another proven formula. They just need to get some big at-large points at Pre-Nats like in '06.
Finally, look for Notre Dame to take a step closer to the golden dome of the top ten. Losing Benninger is huge, but they bring back a solid squad and always have strong recruits. Hope for the Irish to beat USC to improve recruiting for the future..
2007 NCAA Division I Cross Country Predictions:
1. Iona
2. Wisconsin
3. Oregon
4. Providence
5. Louisville
6. Colorado
7. Oklahoma State
8. William & Mary
9. NC State
10. Arkansas
11. Texas
12. BYU
13. UCLA
14. Cal Poly
15. Notre Dame
2007 NCAA XC Champions: Iona
Report Thread
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Oregon will win it in 2007.
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With Stanford returning their top four as well as a couple others like Hari Mix (28:57 10k), how can Stanford go from fourth to out of the top 15?
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um...why is UTEP being left out of this whole picture. They are returning everyone and they will most likely get another guy. Definitely a top 3 finsih for these guys. I don't think their coaches will make the mistake of only going to one quality meet again.
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Stanford loses #1 (Nef Araia) and #3 (Forrest T.), as well as numbers 5-7.
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wrong. araia and tahoddwhatever are both returning next year.
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There will always be good runners who care about their future beyond running, so there will always be good runners who choose to go to Stanford.
And besides, Stanford is one of the best places to go for running anyway.
I pick the Cardinal to be top 3 in 2007. -
Ouch. Correct. Araia is a RS Junior and Forrest a SO. That changes things dramatically in my rankings-
1. Iona
2. Wisconsin
3. Oregon
4. Stanford
5. Providence -
How to you figure Colorado to "drop somewhat," if they potentially return this crew?:
Vaughn
Pifer
Strang
Harkrader
Janson
Neuman
DeMoor
Pannone
Tebo
Medina
Granted, they may not be as good as this current team, but I think they will be solid. It will depend on whether or not Harkrader, Vaughn (if he stays for his senior CC season, having graduated), and DeMoor can get a full year of training.
I think you may be underestimating the Buffs, but I guess they will thank you for that, as they did on Monday. -
How do you figure Colorado to "drop, somewhat" with this potential returning crew?
Vaughn (if he stays for Sr. CC, could be top 5)
Pifer (should be top 15)
Strang (top 30)
Harkrader (question mark, but very talented)
Janson (same thing)
Pannone
Neumann (this year's alternate, sixth man at Big 12's)
Tebo (true frosh varsity?)
Medina (true frosh varsity?)
DeMoor (varsity before being injured after Pre-Nats)
That's not a bad 10. I certainly wouldn't put them above Oregon or Iona to start, but, as they reminded us again on Monday, you can never count out the Buffs. -
nc state also gets 2004 all american bobby mack back, and they beat a lot f top 10 teams throughout the year and lose noone next year...but they bombed bad yesterday, no doubt...william and mary stepped up.
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Muger Cement wrote:
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Colorado will drop somewhat. The magic will wear away after '06, but Wetmore is going to have to pick and choose from the plethora of high school seniors wanting to waltz onto Boulder and lay claim to another future national championship. The reason for the short-term demise is that their inherint number one is now a Miler, Stephen Pifer. How can the young Buff's look up to a Miler to lead them in distance? Oh, wait, that is the predicament for a team that will fall outside the top ten in 2007, Texas. Their incumbant number one is also a miler, in Manzano. But that's another story..
decent, but didn't do ALL your research..
they return brent vaughn, who's been their number 1 guy for two years now (not consectuively) -
oklahoma state returns basically everyone from this team, as they lose Gray but will gain a healthy Vail next year. Those two are for the most part, interchangeable.
Also looking to step up for the Oklahoma State team is the Canadian Junior cross country champion. -
what does everyone think individually will happen. i think lopez lomong is gona be rock solid
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links wrote:
oklahoma state returns basically everyone from this team, as they lose Gray but will gain a healthy Vail next year. Those two are for the most part, interchangeable.
Also looking to step up for the Oklahoma State team is the Canadian Junior cross country champion.
They should return a healthy Vail. What happened to Breshears at nats? -
How does Portland not make your top-15? They have both Moore and Kinsella (60-something in '05) coming back next year and most of the team from this year.
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Something I just noticed. If Kiptoo wouldn't have ran like garbage, Oregon potentially could've been 2nd & easily could've been 3rd.
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Sally Kipyego
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I Pick Oklahoma State, becouse they will be recruiting some good kenyans and ( John, who beat peter Kosgei)Cowboy Jamboree. So plus those guys there, OKlahoma State will be a team to watch. Those boy will NEVER GO TO TEXAS TECH FOR best reasons known, and however hard Murry will try beleive me or NOT.
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About Breshears, I heard he lost his shoe about 200m into the race and ran the rest of the way with only one on. Pretty impressives in that mud!!
