Fun game - how many of the top 10 finishers at 2016 USA XC have you ever heard of?

I know Dinzeo and Stevens but that's just because I'm a d2 guy and Dinz was in my conference

7 women, 8 men.

I can't believe people don't know Allison Grace Morgan (formerly Zap Fitness, competed on the track)- she's been around forever! Mattie Suver and Amy Van Alstine are frequent top 10 finishers on the USATF Road Racing Circuit.

Men's field has a bunch of current/former steeplers and Colorado guys. Disappointing finish for Christo Landry-- is he competing at the Trials? Has he been hurt?

Women: 0

Men: 4

It's an off year for XC since the marathon trials are so close, so yeah there's going to be a lot of people you've never heard of.

rojo wrote:

I was looking at the top 10 results this morning and thought, "Who are these people?"

If only there was a running website that did previews of national championship races and profiles on the runners.

Lenny Leonard wrote:

3. Tabor Stevens 31:57 -D2, Adams State. Sub-13:30/8:45steeple right?

8:26

ck3237 wrote:

Are these our reps to the World XC?

Top five men and women get extended an invitation -continues down the list until five of each says yes.

Not sure if USATF credential alternates or if they travel with the team- guessing yes and no.

Prob see a Team Mgr from one of the male and female head coaches and each with an assistant, a trainer, logistics/ equipment mgr going along.

Lets say 16 in the group in all

Two years ago Stevens beat Dinzeo to win D2 nats at Louisville. 3 years ago Stevens won with Dinzeo 5th. Stevens also got 3rd as a soph and 6th as a frosh.

Craig Lutz: NXN champ 09, 3rd place NCAA D1 10k 2013, multi time AA

Aaron Dinzeo: ran for Cal Penn thru 2014-2015 year. Multi time D2 AA. Runner up to Stevens D2 XC championships 2014. Training in Alamoosa (where Stevens is at).

Tabor Stevens: 6x NCAA D2 champ not counting team titles. 8:26 steeple guy. High 13s for 5k (back when he was an 8:40 guy to be fair). Still in Alamoosa.

Max King: trail king, mountain man, dabbles in anything steeple and up. Pretty sure he's won a couple XTERRA world trail championships.

Hillary Bor: former Iowa State steepler. Fairly competitive on the national level when he was in the NCAA system

Emmanuel Bor: ran for Alabama back around 2006-2008 Era (may be slightly off on years) when they were a podium team at NCAA's. Been attacking road races lately.

Whacker and Bosshard, CU and Wetmore products. Whacker has been near the top of the mountain running scene in recent years. Bosshard famouse for being with Emma Coburn as previous poster stated. Both very solid runners at CU.

Landry: needs no introduction but won a national title on the USATF road circuit this past year.

Cowart:? Name sounds familiar. Pretty sure he's a competitive road guy like Landry

Women: 0

Men: 6

World XC is every other year now, right? Think the next is 2017 in Uganda.

This is what they were racing for, a spot on this team:

APA Pan American Cross Country Cup

March 5th, 2016

Caraballeda, Venezuela

2. Aaron Dinzeo California U. of PA Alum

12-06-14 NCAA Division II National Championships XC 10K 30:19.3 2

11-22-14 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships XC 6.2M 31:49.8 1

I've been out of the loop for a while:

1W, 5M

Briefly heard of Suver, Landry, Wacker and Bosshard

Recognize Lutz from is HS/Collegiate days to a much larger degree. Very familiar with King given his competitiveness at both the Ultra/Trail scene as well as the Track/Roads scene.

I've heard of the top 3 Women and no others.

3/10.

For men I've heard of Lutz. Max King, Brossard, Wacker (ultra guy now), and Hilar Bor = 5/10.

Total is 8/20.

Collier Lawrence is the sister of Mel Lawrence. She went to Washington State. Klopfenstein was an NAIA national champ in Track and top 10 finisher in XC from College of Southern Idaho.

Seems to me that the USA XCs are just a regional thing anymore. Sub elites that live in the region show up. The elites do not.

Max King was world hill racing champ in 2011. The race was in Albania.

GG