Most Random Individual NCAA Champion (last 20 years)

Who kid #1 wrote:

Sam Burley

Have I finally found another Wyoming native on Letsrun? Or,

are you Same Burley?

Christian Goy from Illinois State winning indoor mile in...2002?

He was a multiple junior champion in South Africa from the same area as Alistair Crag. So although he never had much other success in the US he was pretty well known in South African running circles but probably should have gone to another college and would most likely have been more Successful in the USA in his college career

Teddy Mitchell comes to mind with his 10k victory.

Shadrak Songok from Texas A&M Corpus Christi in the 2007 10k, beating Rupp and Mcdougal.

Lets talk about the most random NCAA Runner-UP, dude, Zack Perkins last year in the NCAA 1500m, crazy kick! Now, where is he? When's the last time you heard his name? What's also crazy is he PR'd in the prelim of the race, never broke 1:50 in the 800m, and his time didn't even qualify for USA's haha wow!

This though wrote:

Lets talk about the most random NCAA Runner-UP, dude, Zack Perkins last year in the NCAA 1500m, crazy kick! Now, where is he? When's the last time you heard his name? What's also crazy is he PR'd in the prelim of the race, never broke 1:50 in the 800m, and his time didn't even qualify for USA's haha wow!

Baumgartner (sp?) from SUU back a few years ago in NCAA XC.

Garret Cullen came out of nowhere in the 3k steeple and spoiled a huge weekend for John Darmody. For anyone that follows the NIRCA circuit this is a huge deal. Darmody was the heavy favorite to sweep going into the weekend.

ghost of art siemers wrote:

Christian Goy from Illinois State winning indoor mile in...2002?

first one who popped into my head too.

I lived in Dallas at the time and ran on the SMU campus 5 days a week on my way to work. I enjoyed feeling a connection to that championship.

v6 wrote:

BigDaddyWooWoo wrote:

Angela Bizzarri...also the prettiest

Huh? You think Bizzarri's win was random? She was like 20th as a freshman, 15th as a sophomore, 6th as a junior, and then won XC. In the meantime she'd qualified for USAs in the 5000m and placed third before winning her 5000m at NCAAs and the XC / 3000m.

I can kinda see where he's coming from. Before the race Barringer was the big odds on favorite. Then the FSU lady pulled the fast start and sent Jenny into who knows what stress. Then FSU lady fades and it's Bizzarri and Schaaf battling till Bizzarri pulls away. It may not have been the most random, but it certainly was an odd win.

Agree with Christian Goy. That's probably because those were the years that I followed track most closely, but that one was surprising - he was a senior and he beat David Kimani, who was unstoppable. There used to be a priceless picture on MensRacing of him holding up the souls of the defeated after that race but I can't find it anymore.

the clash wrote:

This though wrote:

Lets talk about the most random NCAA Runner-UP, dude, Zack Perkins last year in the NCAA 1500m, crazy kick! Now, where is he? When's the last time you heard his name? What's also crazy is he PR'd in the prelim of the race, never broke 1:50 in the 800m, and his time didn't even qualify for USA's haha wow!

Baumgartner (sp?) from SUU back a few years ago in NCAA XC.

^3rd

Erik Olson in the 2011 indoor 3k with Chelanga, Centro, Bayer, Lalang, Korir, and Estrada. Did anyone expect him to come out on top in a filed like that after running the 5k before.

Walter White wrote:

Erik Olson in the 2011 indoor 3k with Chelanga, Centro, Bayer, Lalang, Korir, and Estrada. Did anyone expect him to come out on top in a filed like that after running the 5k before.

Elliot Heath won but still quite the surprise

I hope you don't think John was brutally swept. He ran 3 events before the steeple haha. Split 1:56 in 4x8 4:01 for the 1500 and another 1:56 for the 800. He won both 1500 and 800. The most incredible thing is he didn't start his training back up until January after taking a few months off after his last season in Iowa. He was definitely the most talented participant at Nirca.

I think it's more to do with the circumstances under which she won. With Barringer and Kuijken in the field, no one would have expected Bizzarri to win, unless something catastrophic happened to both the favorites. And we all know how that went down.

Ya Teddy Mitchell in the 10K.

the clash wrote:

Baumgartner (sp?) from SUU back a few years ago in NCAA XC.

What were his track times? I don't remember him outside of that one xc season. How fast was he?