2014 Regional Predictions - Qualifiers to NCAAs

I second the Luis Vargas comment. He is a top 10 talent.

and I 3rd that comment. He has not run with anyone all year - will be interesting to see how he responds with pressure from other runners. Some run better by themselves as they are more relaxed

south centrally located wrote:

While the south central region could certainly use more competition across the board, at least Texas and Arkansas, after cruising to qualify, show up to nationals and compete well!

Duh, they do not have to worry much about actually having to race until NCAAs, so that they have a much easier time than teams that face a sequence of four races, with the likelihood have having to race hard in three of them, not just one. Basically, as far as quality of performance goes, the NCAA meet overstates the quality of teams like Arkansas (in the current world, less so a decade ago) and Texas and others that get to waltz in to the NCAA meet.

Maybe if your region does not have extra qualifiers for two years or two years out of three only the first team goes through. Alternatively, they may need to revamp the regions and put more teams in to weak regions. At the level of individual qualifiers it is not so bad because a region with five qualifiers has fewer top runners left. However, the limit of 'top25' should be made partially dynamic, with a couple places added for each additional qualifying school (e.g., if five qualify from a region, then the limit goes up to 31st place.

Put Wisconsin into Midwest!

Then you would have probably the top two teams from the last decade in the same region.

Northeast -

1. Syracuse

2. Iona

3. Providence

1. Kevin Dooney

2. Silas Talbot

3. Brian Eimstad

4. Brian Biekert

Since Biekert isn't in the region anymore, might want to replace him with one of the following guys:

Eric Speakman (Stony Brook) - America East champ, made it to NCAAs 2 years ago

Tom Purnell (Harvard) - 8:03.39 / 13:59.42 PRs, beat Eimstad and Talbot at Heps

John Prizzi (New Hampshire) - 2nd at America East, 8:02.40 3k / 8:42.20 steeple PRs

Tim Gorman (Dartmouth) - Had back spasms at Pre-Nats and ran better at Heps (but not as well as hoped), so if he's at full strength, he's got a shot

Robert Allen (UMass Lowell) - 4:00.35 mile PR, 3rd at America East

Dominic DeLuca (Cornell) - Knocked it out of the park at Heps but can the freshman do it again over 10k against a tougher field after a long season?

Or maybe one of the Columbia guys (Everett or Boyle) who had disappointing days (for them) at Heps. A lot of Ivy guys are going to want to rebound after underperforming at Heps.

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Exciting news from the Great Lakes Regional!

Mike McGuire and Walt Drenth like to see Bib #'s assigned.

Were Bib #'s 161-165 voodooed?

Bib 607 belongs to Ethan Wilson, a sophomore from Youngstown State, highest Bib # in the Mens' race. Not having the highest Bib # of anyone potentially competing has to be a disappointment to him.

Alexandra Blair, a freshman from Akron, has Bib #2. No competitor having Bib #1 has to be very disappointing to her. It should have been hers.

153 Addison, Laura F JR Michigan

154 Brackett, Olivia F JR Michigan

155 Finn, Erin F SO Michigan

156 Florie, Corinne F FR Michigan

157 Handler, Brook F SR Michigan

158 Hoppe, Devon F JR Michigan

159 Leptich, Alex F SR Michigan

160 Manett, Taylor F JR Michigan

608 Morrissey, Jamie F FR Michigan

609 Munley, Courtney F FR Michigan

610 Osika, Shannon F JR Michigan

611 Pasternak, Anna F JR Michigan

612 Phelan, Jaimie F FR Michigan

166 Sereno, Gina F FR Michigan

167 Weschler, Megan F SR Michigan

168 Brender, Melanie F SR Michigan State

169 Clark, Lindsay F JR Michigan State

170 Drenth, Emma F SR Michigan State

171 Jackson, Shelby F SO Michigan State

172 Jeakle, Molly F SO Michigan State

173 Kovacic, Brooke F FR Michigan State

174 Kroll, Sara F SR Michigan State

175 Landwehr, Katie F JR Michigan State

176 O'Connor, Leah F SR Michigan State

177 Otwell, Julia F SR Michigan State

178 Schulist, Rachele F SO Michigan State

179 Smith, Natalie F SO Michigan State

180 Stassen, Sara F JR Michigan State

181 Wiersma, Alexis F SO Michigan State

182 Wilberding, Aubrey F FR Michigan State