What is the best men's NCAA XC team in history?

The NCAA's age limit isn't 24, at least not for foreigners. There are lots of guys over 24 competing right now.

There is not a 24 age limit in the NCAA and Grant was 25 when he ran NCAAs

The 2005 Wisconsin team was pretty good. They might have been the best, but they deserve honorable mention.

Agreed. That Wisco team RAPED.

that might be the freshman age limit(?)

That UTEP team had 3 dudes run around 27:33 - and were at the very top of the all-time 10K list.

It would have been hard to be the '81 UTEP team. Even though they were all import B squad Kenyans, that is so stiff competition no matter how you slice it.

how about one of those WSU teams from the mid to late 70s, with Rono, Kimeto, etc?

how about that Penn State team of the mid 70s, when they hosted nationals, with Stemmer, Malley, Snyder, Schauru ?

That UTEP team is clearly the best. Nyambui, Shahanga and Musyoki all went on to be world beaters - with all due respect to the Stanford squad, only Hall has made a dent on the world scene. Nevertheless, a team of Hall (2:06 marathon, Olympian), Robison (3:35 1,500, Olympian), Dobson (13:15 5K, Olympian), Luchini (13:25 5K, ran at Worlds) and Tenforde (28:23 10K) is pretty damn solid.

not a badger wrote:

The 2005 Wisconsin team was pretty good. They might have been the best, but they deserve honorable mention.

edit: They might NOT have been the best...

Grant Robison (age ??, San Angelo, TX)

I always thought Grant was from Oregon?

attended high school in mcminville, or

how about the adams team that went 1-5 at nats

malmo wanna bee wrote:

how about that Penn State team of the mid 70s, when they hosted nationals, with Stemmer, Malley, Snyder, Schauru ?

Different years. 1975 Stemmer(5)-Malley(17)yes, 1976 Malley (20)-Snyder(282) yes, 1977 Snyder(9)-Scharsu yes.

Stemmer-Malley-Snyder-Scharsu were never on the same team.

I thought the age limit was 25... unless a person has religious liabilities they can compete past the age of 25. Missions, quests, etc etc.

there is no age limit. Read all of this:

http://www.ncaa.org/eligibility/faqs/faqs_eligibility_seasons.html

bronco wrote:

there is no age limit. Read all of this:

http://www.ncaa.org/eligibility/faqs/faqs_eligibility_seasons.html

Yes there is. Read closer.

21 Year Age Rule for Division I.

In Division I only, if a student-athlete has participated as an individual or as a team representative in organized sports competition, that kind of participation during each 12-month period after his/her 21st birthday and prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment will count as one year of varsity competition in that sport. Any participation in organized competition during time spent in the U.S. armed services will be excepted.

Translation. It means if you competed in organized sports competitions before your 21st birthday, you have no restrictions on age. Each year of organized competition after your 21st counts against NCAA eligibility.

If you enroll in college after your 21st birthday you have 4 years of eligibility from that birthday. You will be ineligible on your 25th birthday.

Now for the exceptions.

1) If you do not compete during during one or more 12 month periods after your 21st birthday, those years do not count against you. Theoretically, an athlete could be 26, 30, or even 35 and still be eligible, however, those scenarios are so unlikely that the chance of it happening is low.

My prediction is that the age rule won't be tested until 2113 when 26 year old Solomon Haile enrolls in college under a new name with a new passport after winning a record 7 straight Maryland hs championships. The NCAA, now a subsidiary of ACORN/Freddie Mac, and under strict orders from the Obama administration, will abide by the new "don't ask, don't tell" policy towards immigrants.