With the ending of the 2017 D3 Outdoor Track season, it's time for the beginning of the 2018 D3 Cross Country season. This thread will highlight the best returners from the 2017 D3 Cross Country season in the Atlantic Region and how well they fare for the 2018 season given their indoor and outdoor track performances last season. Below are the Top 20 teams for men with a list of any relevant returners from each team. Below that is a list of relevant individuals for men who weren't listed in the Top 20 teams' individuals list. I think it is likely the region will take 5 teams as we look very strong especially after the outdoor track season. 6 is pushing it a bit and 4 just seems like too few teams. It should be one of the best seasons in recent memory for The Atlantic Region from both a team and individual standpoint. RPI will win Liberty Leagues easily, Geneseo will win SUNYACs easily, TCNJ and Rowan will battle for NJACs but I think that Rowan will pull ontop. No one cares about Empire 8s.
#. Team - League (Position in League)
Name [YEAR]: Cross Country - Nationals Finish: Regionals Finish: League Finish (Liberty League, SUNYACs, NJAC etc...) Indoor Track Times - (1K, Mile, 3K, 5K) Outdoor Track Times - (1500, 3KS, 5K, 10K)
1. RPI - Liberty League (1) RPI is looking to be hands down the best team around this season and will very much contend to take down Geneseo and become the Atlantic Region team champions in 2018. They return 5 from their Nationals squad from last season including the O'Connors who both enjoyed great success in both cross country and track last season. Grant will contend for a national title and should run away with the regional title quite easily and after a first and a second place finish at Outdoor Track nationals I see this being a reality. Sean is looking to be the third fastest returning runner in the region and I see it being very likely they go 1-2 at regionals. Domanico, Pisacano and Davis will look to have a strong season. Noah Falasco is fresh off of his first All-American honor in the 1500 meters becoming only the fourth returning All-American in the region. John Reed ran well at the Liberty League Championships as a Freshman. This team will look to a Top-8 finish at Cross Country Nationals as they easily have the most depth in the region.
Grant O'Connor [SR]: XC - N:4 R:1 IT - Mile: 4:23 3K: 8:39 5K: 14:50 OT - 1500: 3:59 5K: 14:10 10K: 29:19
Sean O'Connor [SR]: XC - N:69 R:8 IT - Mile: 4:17 3K: 8:21 OT - 3KS: 9:19 5K: 14:36
Joe Domanico [JR]: XC - N:126 R:20 IT - 3K: 9:00
Joe Pisacano [JR]: XC - N:175 R:60 IT - 3K: 8:58 5K: 15:18 OT - 5K: 15:25 10K: 31:52
Jacob Davis [SO]: XC - N:192 R:49 IT - 3K: 9:02 OT - 5K: 15:30 10K: 32:06
Noah Falasco [JR]: XC - LL:15 IT - Mile: 4:21 OT - 1500: 3:52
John Reed [SO] XC - LL:29
2. Geneseo - SUNYAC (1) Losing Isaac as well as a few other key runners will hurt this Geneseo team, although you can never fully count them out of it when it comes to Regionals. McAneny ran decently at Nationals and Ripa also competed as well. What sets this team apart is the face that many of their mid-pack runners enjoyed some very good times in Outdoor Track. Justin Hoelzl, Jackson Tate, Sean Welch all had fast times. The younger Mazzuca, Lorenzo will look to have a breakout cross country season. This team, although not as strong as they used to be can still contend for an auto bid to Nationals. They lack in depth though as they only had one strong freshman last season in Cross Country. Time will tell as to if they will give RPI a good fight.
Sean McAneny [JR]: XC - N:123 SUNY:9 OT - 5K 15:08
John Ripa [SR]: XC - N:224 R:29 IT - 1K: 2:34 Mile: 4:14 3K: 8:58
Justin Hoelzl [JR]: XC - R:43 SUNY:12 IT - 1K: 2:36 Mile: 4:20 OT - 1500: 4:01 3KS: 9:49
Jack Tate [JR]: XC - R:44 SUNY:11 IT - 3K: 8:49 5K: 15:14 OT - 10K: 31:24
Lorenzo Mazzuca [SR]: XC - SUNY:18 IT - Mile: 4:22 3K: 8:59 OT - 3KS: 9:30
Sean Welch [SR]: XC - SUNY:24 IT - Mile: 4:30 3K: 8:44 5K: 15:38 OT - 1500: 4:03 5K: 15:22
Lucas Sutton [JR]: XC - SUNY:28 OT - 3KS: 9:53
3. SLU - Liberty League (2) St. Lawrence is a real team to watch coming into Cross Country. They return six from their regionals squad and have shown some very impressive times recently. Ogetti, Mancuso and Page all had wonderful track seasons and Abdoulaye, who took the season off to study abroad, and Mortensen have shown some great potential in cross country. With the direction this team is heading I predict they will finish in the top 3 come Regionals next year. St. Lawrence have always shown they can bring in a strong freshman class which will help them in this effort. Don't forget to count out Nick Vielhauer as he showed some great times during outdoor track. Although SLU likely won't be able to compete for a team title at the Liberty League they can definitely compete hard for a top three finish at Regionals.
Dadley Ogetti [JR]: XC - R:23 LL:4 OT - 1500: 4:01 3KS: 9:30
Sidi Abdoulaye [SR]: XC - R:36 LL:5
Patrick Mortensen [JR]: XC - R:35 LL:7 IT - Mile: 4:34 5K: 15:40
Logan Mancuso [SR]: XC - R:45 LL:13 IT - Mile: 4:33 3K: 8:49 5K: 15:13 OT - 5K: 15:07 10K: 31:21
Jonathan Mitchell [SR]: XC - R:67 LL:27
Evan Page [SR]: XC - R:73 LL:26 IT - 3K: 8:52 5K: 15:15 OT - 5K: 15:11 10K: 31:09
Nicholas Vielhauer [JR]: XC - LL:31 IT - Mile: 4:25 OT - 1500: 4:04 5K: 15:15
4. Rowan - NJAC (1) Dan Henry of Rowan looks to fill in the shoes that Kevin Veltre left behind. After a very impressive track season he looks to a cross country All-American award next year. Matt Russo will aid in this as he had shown some great times in outdoor track, primarily in the steeplechase. Jose Figueroa and Jason Muermann also return from their Nationals squad from last year. This team will be strong and I see them going back to Nationals next season as well to compliment the success they have had in the last year or so.
Dan Henry [SR]: XC - N:84 R:18 IT - Mile: 4:27 3K: 8:48 5K: 14:56 OT - 1500: 3:59c 5K: 14:56
Matt Russo [JR]: XC - N:218 R:25 IT - Mile: 4:24 3K: 8:45 5K: 15:30 OT - 1500: 4:04 3KS: 9:39 5K: 15:40
Jose Figueroa [JR]: XC - N:258 R:64
Jason Muermann [JR]: XC - N:260 R:111 IT - 5K: 15:37
Jacob Francobandiero [SO]: XC - NJAC: 23
5. TCNJ - NJAC (2) A real unknown as all New Jersey schools seem to be. Aside from Luke Prothero this team was all but silent during track and field. Despite Saponara's poor finish at Nationals last year due to an asthma problem he's shown he can compete with anybody in the region in cross country. Wasko as well qualified as an individual. Brian Mitchell and Daniel Brennan also return and can help bring this team back to the front. This team has the potential to compete with Rowan for an NJAC title but are so unpredictable I see them finishing anywhere from 4th to 10th in the region next year.
Matthew Saponara [SR]: XC - N:272 R:10
Quinn Wasko [SR]: XC - N:145 R:22
Brian Mitchell [SR]: XC - R:59 NJAC:21
Luke Prothero [SR]: XC - R:81 NJAC:12 IT - Mile: 4:19 OT - 1500: 3:57
Daniel Brennan [SR]: XC - R:85 NJAC:14
6. RIT - Liberty League (3) Kingstedt had a rough track season, he only shown solid times during indoor and he has proven he can compete with the O'Connors. If he comes into form in Cross Country he along with Feigel can help lead RIT back to another National Championships. Returners Reid Kovacs, Dan Jones and Drew Chabot will give experience to this team that has some real potential, they had some good times in track and can surprise for another season if the pieces fall into place, it will take some hard work though.
Otto Kingstedt [SR]: XC - N:103 R:6 IT - Mile: 4:30 3K: 8:30 5K: 14:42 OT - 5K: 15:22 10K: 30:29
Evan Feigel [SR]: XC - N:122 R:19 IT - 1K: 2:34 Mile: 4:21 3K: 8:33 5K: 15:09 OT - 1500: 4:01 5K: 14:44
Reid Kovacs [JR]: XC - N:221 R:58 IT - 3K: 9:06 5K: 15:26 OT - 5K: 15:16
Dan Jones [SR]: XC - N:255 R:96 IT - Mile: 4:33 OT - 1500: 4:01 5K: 15:42
Andrew Chabot [JR]: XC - N:278 R:116 IT - Mile: 4:27 3K: 9:06 OT - 1500: 4:04 5K: 15:45
7. Ramapo - NJAC (3) As with the rest of the New Jersey schools this team shows that it is unknown how they are looking coming into the season. With Matt Tuohy ending up very strong in cross country last season can he and William McCoy lead this New Jersey team to an upset spot for Nationals? Time will tell.
Matt Tuohy [SR]: XC - N:79 R:14 IT - Mile: 4:29 3K: 8:56 5K: 15:19 OT - 5K: 15:34
William McCoy [SR]: XC - R:28 NJAC:8 IT - 5K: 15:43 OT - 5K: 15:41
Jose DeLaCruz [JR]: XC - R:86 NJAC:27 OT - 1500: 4:01
8. NYU - UAA (1???) (NYU will probably move to Liberty League soon) Brandon Shirazi came off of a wonderful Cross Country season and will be attempting to lead his team back to Nationals. With their only returning two top 7 members it will be difficult for them to do so. Karam competed at Nationals last year and will help bring experience to this team.
Brandon Shirazi [SR]: XC - N:99 R:12 IT - Mile: 4:18 3K: 8:36 5K: 15:04 OT - 5K: 15:45
Benjamin Karam [JR]: XC - N:257 R:117 IT - Mile: 4:22 3K: 8:45 OT - 1500: 4:03
Ben Haderle [SR]: XC - UAA: 59 IT - Mile: 4:31 3K: 8:49
9. Brockport - SUNYAC (2) Brockport is a team that can really surprise this season. If they continue on with the fast times they experienced in Outdoor Track they can finish runner up at SUNYACs in the fall. Andrew Davis narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the Steeple, he can lead the team to a top 10 finish in the region.
Dylan Brickner [SR]: XC - R:40 SUNY:23 IT - Mile: 4:28 3K: 8:48 5K: 15:38
Andrew Davis [JR]: XC - R:50 SUNY:15 OT - 3KS: 9:16 5K: 15:31 10K: 32:10
Sean Kuehn [JR]: XC - R:57 SUNY:20 IT - 1K: 2:36 Mile: 4:23 3K: 9:05 OT - 1500: 4:00 5K: 15:40
10. Oneonta - SUNYAC (3) Akerley is coming off of a full year of solid performances. He can be a real asset to pulling his team along despite losing a large majority of their top 7 to graduation.
Devin Akerley [SR]: XC - N:87 R:13 IT - 1K: 2:32 Mile: 4:18 3K: 8:32 OT - 1500: 4:01 5K: 15:29
Matt Palmer [JR]: XC - R:55 SUNY:23 IT - Mile: 4:27 3K: 9:03 OT - 1500: 4:03
Ethan McDonald [JR]: XC - R:69 SUNY:10 IT - Mile: 4:33
11. Plattsburgh - SUNYAC (4) *Mitch Marlow to Utica? - Ran past track seasons for Utica
Mitch Marlow [JR]: XC (for Plattsburgh) - R:27 SUNY:13 IT (for Utica) - Mile: 4:25
12. Ithaca - Liberty League (4)
Forest Stewart [JR]: XC - R:31 LL:9 IT - Mile: 4:22 3K: 8:43 OT - 5K: 15:44
13. Oswego - SUNYAC (5)
Dylan McCarthy [SR]: XC - R:26 SUNY:8 OT - 1500: 4:03
14. Utica - Empire 8 (1)
Tyler Wright [SR]: XC - R:38 E8:6 IT - Mile: 4:30
15. Cortland - SUNYAC (6)
Nolan Vest [JR]: XC - R:65 SUNY:21 IT - Mile: 4:17 3K: 9:01 OT - 1500: 3:57
16. Stockton - NJAC (4)
Joe D'Amico [SR]: XC - R:33 NJAC:10 IT - 1K: 2:36 Mile: 4:19 3K: 8:52 OT - 1500: 3:58
17. Houghton - Empire 8 (2)
Tyler Deuschle [JR]: XC - R:62 E8:9 OT - 5K: 15:37
18. Vassar - Liberty League (5)
Peter Ferretter [SO]: XC - R:42 LL:21
19. Clarkson - Liberty League (6)
Austin Smith [SR]: XC - R:52 LL:35
20. New Paltz - SUNYAC (7)
Stephen Smith [SR]: XC - R:92 SUNY:47 OT - 1500: 4:02 5K: 15:30
Other Individials:
Ethan Francis [SR] (Fredonia): XC - R:30 SUNY: IT - Mile: 4:24 3K: 8:50 5K: 15:10 OT - 5K: 15:38
Chris Tinti [JR] (Ithaca): XC - R:46 LL:18
Jeff Montgomery [JR] (Ithaca): XC - R:47 LL:19
Luke Arsenault [SR] (Vassar): XC - R:51
Lucas Wright [SO] (Hamilton): XC - R:54 NESCAC:39 IT - Mile: 4:25
PJ Gunther [SO] (Stevens) XC - R:68 E8:2 IT - Mile: 4:28 3K: 8:44
Matthew Jenkins [SR] (Plattsburgh) XC - R:70 SUNY:34
John Weed [SR] (Plattsburgh) XC - R:72 SUNY:60 OT - 5K: 15:40
Phillip Inguanta [SR] (Oneonta) XC - R:76 SUNY:22 IT - Mile: 4:34 OT - 3KS: 9:55
Daniel Burdo [JR] (Houghton) XC - R:77 E8:40 IT - Mile: 4:31
*With Mitch Marlow competing for Plattsburgh in cross country last season and in Utica his previous TWO track seasons it is unsure about where he will be for Cross Country. I don't exactly know how this is possible but wherever he ends up will affect how either team does this season.
These are just my opinions and feel free to debate as I'm sure you will. I'm excited to see how this cross country season will play out. Have fun memeing.