College cross country/distance programs on the up

A year ago the obvious pick would be Oklahoma but it looks like they spent a lot on milers quite recently. What qualifies as an up an coming cross program these day? It's always the same 3-4 traditional powerhouses? Anyone else that can break the top 5 that normally never did would be what I would pick and Oklahoma seems to be that school over the last 2 years.

Any team that looks to have big improvements in the near future. Whether It be a team moving up in their NCAA finish, competing for a conference title, or qualifying for nationals for the first time in a while. That's "on the up".

cal poly

Look for Mizzou, Princeton, and MSU to make big jumps in the next few years.... Those are my bold picks

Look for Mizzou, Princeton, and MSU to make big jumps in the next few years.... Those are my bold picks

Southern Utah. I believe they were like less than 10 pts behind New Mexico at regionals and from making it to NCAA's the fall.

U of Illinois. Solid recruiting class this year, new coach and a very solid class coming in next year

On the women's side, Alabama and Lipscomb in the South.

Not a big name school or anything, but I think the University at Buffalo could make NCAAs in a few years. They have a great freshman class (for an underfunded state school) and their sophomores are also pretty good. They seem to be a lot better at cross than track though.

Keeping with the SUNY programs, Binghamton is going to be really good in the upcoming years. A 4:07 freshman miler and an 8:19 3k freshman leading their tremendous class.

Coach kennedy and co going to surprise a lot over next few years!

Kinda feel that Stony Brook has risen pretty strongly over the last 5-7 years...granted they are doing it with New Zealand girls/guys (and some Irish thrown in for good measure), but it has a pretty strong academic reputation internationally...becomes a very easy sell...the Van Dalen twins (what's Holly doing lately??), Eric Speakman, Leonara Joy, Patricia Barry, Oilvia ???

New $3 million dollar track facilty

jerz wrote:

Not a big name school or anything, but I think the University at Buffalo could make NCAAs in a few years. They have a great freshman class (for an underfunded state school) and their sophomores are also pretty good. They seem to be a lot better at cross than track though.

Keeping with the SUNY programs, Binghamton is going to be really good in the upcoming years. A 4:07 freshman miler and an 8:19 3k freshman leading their tremendous class.

Binghamton doesn't have a lot of money- they do real well considering. I wanted to donate but they said I couldn't specify where the money would go. I didn't want the 2 and infinity basketball team to get it.

Mizzou. Wait until next year and you'll see why

Irv Ray has UC Riverside on the cusp of something great in the next couple of years

Look for the men from Alabama to potentially qualify for nats in 2 to 3 years, big recruiting class and excellent coaches.

texas... i know that they kinda already are on the national scene but it has really only been the past year or so... and they look to be getting much better.

UC Riverside upand comming? You must be talking to crazy Irv Ray personaly or one of his runners. Irv Ray gets spends all most scholorship money on one class. A team of all mature seriors beats alot of mixed age teams but then what happens next year?

They won't compete with the big boys, but Duquesne will open some eyes.

Alabama didn't even qualify a team for nationals last year after Coach Walker had them as a top 10 program while he was there. Looks to me like the new regime has no interest in having a good XC program at all.