2008 Div I XC Freshman Performances

Dominic Channon, Providence

Lee Carey, Providence

Pat DuPont - Syracuse (9:07 3200m/9:07 3k steeple double at 08 NYS meet)

Zach Rivers - Syracuse

Griff Graves - Syracuse

Tito Medrano - Syracuse

you people have no clue... do some roster searches

Care to elaborate?

While we don't necessarily have to limit it to the ones I first listed, let's not let this devolve into the tracking dozens of freshmen. With so many running sub-8:50 2 miles, 9:07 is relatively dime a dozen. The ones I listed have fairly good potential to be future national champions and Olympians in the next 2-4 years. If there's other first years who start to outperform the ones I listed, by all means let's note their performances.

On second thought, there are a few I should add. Anyone who can run around a 9:00 2 mile has plenty of potential.

Kevin Havel, Stanford University - 7th Footlocker XC, 8:59, 4:14

Brandon Jarrett, Harvard University - 6th Footlocker, 9:01, 4:13

Ryan Prentice, Oklahoma State University - 14:41, 8:59, 4:17

Ryan Hill, North Carolina State University - 11th Footlocker, 9:03, 4:13

Miles Unterreiner, Stanford University - 28th Footlocker, 8th NON 9:02, 4:13

Bobby Aprill, University of Michigan - 7th NON 8:59, 4:17

Max Kaulbach, Princeton University - 9th NON, 9:02, 4:14

Bobby Aprill placed second at the Michigan Open last weekend in 32:16.

Stats from my top 10 picks. Sorry if it's hard to read.

Name, Hometown, University 07 FootlockerFinish 08 NON 2 mi PRs Projected NCAA XC

German Fernandez (Riverbank, CA) Oklahoma State University 3 1, 8:34 4:00 1

Chris Derrick (Neuqua Valley, IL) Stanford University 2 13:55, 8:48, 4:14 2

Luke Puskedra (Judge Memorial, UT) University of Oregon 5 2, 8:47 4:06 3

Michael Fout (LaPorte, IN) Florida State University 1 4:14 4

Colby Lowe (Southlake Carroll, TX) Oklahoma State University 4 3, 8:47 4:06 5

Donn Cabral (Glastonbury, CT) Princeton University 8 30:47, 8:56, 4:09 6

Rob Finnerty (Burnsville, MN) University of Wisconsin 9 4, 8:50 4:01 7

Kevin Williams (D'Evelyn, CO) Oklahoma University 22 5, 8:51 15:18, 4:14 8

Maverick Darling (Ovid-Elise, MI) University of Wisconsin 10 6, 8:57 14:52 9

Kevin Havel (Hersey, IL) Stanford University 7 8:59, 4:14 10

thought i'd throw Fox's kids in there...

he's got an eye for talent...

not all promising freshman pan out...

Sanchez from G'twn

Powell from Stanford

I'd be willing to bet my house that Fernandez

never wins an NCAA title.

...get a life.

Of the 20 or so runners mentioned, of course only a few will be NCAA champions and Olympians. It's a bit early to be betting houses against a freshman. And what's the point in that? Don't you want to see American runners succeed and progress? Rupp hasn't won a championship yet either, but he's not done yet. Try saving your negativity for post-season and just see what they do.

What about UVA's Taye? 4:09 as a frosh (in high school!!) Had a tough sr. year but under the eye of coach Vig. he could be someone to watch.

He's redshirting.

According to Mile Split, Sintayehu Taye ran a 4:15 PR at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games last December. If he really did run faster years earlier, then he should be one to watch in a year or so.

The one at University of Virginia I'd add for now, though, would be Sean Keveren, with PRs of 8:52 and 4:09 in 3200 and 1600. He was 10th at NON in 9:06. Had he run closer to his PR at NON and was a bit more accomplished in XC championships (he was 17th at Footlocker South Regional, :39 behind Colby Lowe), I'd have put him in the top 10.

Nick Holmes originally from IL and now running for Iowa opened up his collegiate xc career with a win in 18:33 for 6k. He ran 4:10ish for the 1600 I belive in hs.

probably redshirting as well...S.K that is...

Fastnbulbous wrote:

According to Mile Split, Sintayehu Taye ran a 4:15 PR at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games last December. If he really did run faster years earlier, then he should be one to watch in a year or so.

The one at University of Virginia I'd add for now, though, would be Sean Keveren, with PRs of 8:52 and 4:09 in 3200 and 1600. He was 10th at NON in 9:06. Had he run closer to his PR at NON and was a bit more accomplished in XC championships (he was 17th at Footlocker South Regional, :39 behind Colby Lowe), I'd have put him in the top 10.

Sintayehu ran 4:09 (in a quadruple) for 1600 and 9:01 fresh 3200 as a frosh. Those are the freshman national records. he has been injured off and on since, never eclipsing either time, but running well in XC at times.

There won't be much action until weekend after next. 'Til then, here's the top frosh at the 2007 Championships:

10 David McNeill, Northern Arizona, 29:56

36 Andrew Kirwa, Alabama, 30:35

43 Hassan Mead, Minnesota, 30:37

56 Emil Heineking, Virginia, 30:43

74 Landon Peacock, Wisconsin, 30:56

84 David McCarthy, Providence, 31:00

97 Matt Leeder, Florida State, 31:06

So last year's star, McNeill, who went on to place 4th in the 5000 championship in 13:42, is Australian. 7 in the top 100 is what one would normally expect. This fall should be much better, maybe 5 in the top 30, and 12 in the top 100, with Fernandez and Derrick shooting for top 10. No one seems to care much about this right now, but hopefully that will change in a couple months.

I heard there is a transfer student at U of L that still has a freshman year of XC to finish!

I gotta say it must be kind of boring to be a Div I runner. Their teams are large with rosters of 15-20 minimum. If you're a top 7 runner you probably only run the last few championships races. If you're below that, you maybe get to run one meet if you're lucky.

Of the invitational results I've seen, I haven't seen any more of the elite freshman yet.

Correction, Ryan Hill of North Carolina State did run, though he was unattached so did not contribute to team score. If that was allowed, I wonder why more teams don't do that.

9/12 - Adidas Wolfpack Invitational

1 Torres, Fredy, Sr, North Carolina S, 15:21

2 Hill, Ryan, Fr, Unattached, 15:21

3 Martinez, John, Sr, North Carolina S, 15:21

4 Coombs, Gavin, Sr, North Carolina S, 15:21

9/13 - Harry Groves Invitational, 5.2 mile

1 Dan Busby, Sr, Syracuse, 25:58, 4:59

2 James Murdock, So, Syracuse, 26:04, 5:01

3 Jay Koloseus, Jr, Syracuse, 26:22, 5:04

4 Tito Medrano, Fr, Syracuse, 26:24, 5:05

5 Griff Graves, Fr, Syracuse, 26:25, 5:05