I know that this conference is kind of shitty with the best team finishing like..what 5th at regionals. But what are some preseason predictions and rankings on the mens side. Who does Belmont have coming in? and is everyone healthy? How about Kennesaw? can they make a run for the championship? discuss.
belmont had what 8 guys sub 15 and three qualify for reigonals in the 5k in track. they only lose one of those. i dont know if i'd say thats shitty. they had a lot of injuries issues at the end of cross, hence the 5th place finish
anybody know about etsu team?
Belmont tried to branch out a couple of years ago and win a track title, didnt work so they are all distance again. KSU- doesnt look like they can decide what direction they want to go. A full team of all distance, they are right outside Atlanta, hot bed of talent, and should be absolutely dominating this conference but aren't yet.
ETSU is a very diverse team now, not the distance powerhouse from years ago, still have some talented guys, but I think the Irish connection is no more.
Belmont should walk away with this thing. Campbell??? are they in the picture anywhere?
Campbell has a few 15:30 guys i think.
1. Belmont (will be close to a perfect score)
2. ETSU
After that I'm unsure Kennesaw is red shirting a lot of their runners.
Campbell will be a Top 3 team this year.
Who?
Kennesaw picked up a 15:11 freshmen from canada...should be pretty good.
He wont be there until the Spring.
WHAT,why?
Jville on the men's side to take it all!!!
those fat asses might beat everybody up at the starting line
I think the women's race will be the real deal,
Big battle up front!!
Belmont vs. NFU...jville, kennessaw, lipscomb, campbell balla
Deren from ETSU to take the individual title.
I used to an asst coach at Jacksonville University back in the late 90s when they were in the sunbelt conf (before the ASun even existed). The women's team was really good (i mostly worked with them) finishing 3rd-4th in most meets around the state of FL. They seem to have kept that team going somewhat - still getting in pretty good talent. The men's team back then, had a couple kneyans (Chris Mutai was AMAZING - he transferred to Alabama later on), a Brit, and a couple kids from around FL who were really talented. The coach was pretty good, and they had a promising future. I dont know what happened by 2000...the coach left, Mutai and the other kenyans left, and all the young guys either quit or were gone. Now it seems like they field a team of 5 high school fat kids. What the hell happened there? It's sad.
Deren can't take all seven (or eight) of Belmont's guys on alone. Don't expect him to out run the two returning reigonal track qualifiers either.
The 3:50 1500m Canadian from KSU is now eligible. The KSU girls team picked up two polish girls who run low 17s. Look from the KSU females to be close to a title again.
JU men's team no longer offers scholarships and runs with guys from the ROTC program
2007 A-Sun Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
# School (1st Place Vote) Points
1. Belmont (12) 144
2. Kennesaw State 126
3. ETSU 123
4. Gardner-Webb 102
5. UNF 96
6. Campbell 90
7. Lipscomb 64
8. Mercer 56
9.. Florida Gulf Coast 49
10. USC Upstate 41
11. Stetson 29
12. Jacksonville
2007 A-Sun Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
# School (1st Place Vote) Points
1. Belmont (11) 143
2. UNF (1) 126
3. Kennesaw State 122
4. Jacksonville 105
5. Campbell 98
6. Lipscomb 79
7. Gardner-Webb 64
8. Mercer 49
9.. ETSU 48
10. USC Upstate 40
11. Florida Gulf Coast 39
12. Stetson 23