I don't think I've seen this conversation start yet, so I'll throw it out there....
I think NAU is losing their top 3 this year (Baxter, Day, Lomong) and keeping their others (Beamish, Ferro, Grijalva, and Raff). Given the amount of seniors in the top 25 this year, I think Beamish, Ferro, and Grijalva are pretty good bets to finish in the top 20 next year, assuming all stay healthy. Add to that Brodey Hasty, who must be starting to reap the benefits of all that altitude as a probable top 20 finisher - and I can see 4 already in the top 20 next year. So, as long as their 5th guy isn't way back, I think they have a decent shot of a 4 peat.
To date - the NAU recruiting class looks good, with a couple of studs from Wisconsin (Bosely and Easton). They might need to call on one of these guys for a 4-peat?
BYU will remain strong or stronger given their never-ending line-up. So they will be tough, and might even be pre-season favorites. Stanford and Wisconsin will be relatively weak due to graduations. I'm not sure of Portland Pilots - not sure who all they are losing and how good their incoming recuits look.
Can the 2019 Lumberjacks 4-peat?
Can the 2019 Lumberjacks 4-peat?
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Nope. No 4-peat, but I think they will be on the podium next year. I think BYU will be the pre-season favorites.
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A recent interview of the 2 future NAU guys that just qualified for NXN. I think they are both attempting to qualify for FL as well, but not sure if that occurred as yet. Anyhow, here is a good video of these 2 new 'jacks via milesplit:
https://www.milesplit.com/videos/312376 -
NAU at NXR wrote:
A recent interview of the 2 future NAU guys that just qualified for NXN. I think they are both attempting to qualify for FL as well, but not sure if that occurred as yet. Anyhow, here is a good video of these 2 new 'jacks via milesplit:
https://www.milesplit.com/videos/312376
So how did Mick Byrne let these two home-grown Wisconsin boys escape to NAU? I think they are both sub-4:10 milers and both obviously NXN individual qualifiers. Not sure if they ran FL qualifiers yet - which they mention in the above video? Pretty cool that they are already buds. -
FL Midwest qualifier is Nov 24th at UW - Parkside: http://footlockercc.com/midwest/
If healthy, etc..., I think both will qualify - esp Bosely. -
I know this will make all you people upset about foreign recruits, but I think next year it will be all about 'Bama.
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Roll Tide! wrote:
I know this will make all you people upset about foreign recruits, but I think next year it will be all about 'Bama.
No, Missouri -
You heard it here first. Portland is winning it all.
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There is NO way that they put 4(!) in the top 20(!)
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I bet they are really wishing they still had Soren Knudsen. If he would have kept training and not gone crazy he'd easily be a top 25 guy.
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NAU has a shot but I am predicting Iowa State, BYU, NAU, Portland, Oregon. Iowa State has the individual favorite and 4 returning scorers. Pollard was top 40, 2 years ago but injured this year.
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Next year, if NAU is all healthy it looks like their likely top 5 will be Grijalva, Ferro, Beamish, Hastey, Quax, but it is really tough to say... Raff and Shea could improve a bunch, and don't know if Smith will run those 2 new Wisc frosh in the video above. Given that lineup, I don't think they will be outright favorites, but they might have as much a chance as other equal returning programs. They will definitely be an expected team on the podium.
Also - I think there is another thread out there somewhere on the same topic. -
Most of the top teams seem to be losing their top scorers and you never know what will happen with the back of the pack guys. Colorado's top two will be a force, 5 of the 7 are back, Wetmore always cooks something up. If Iowa St has most top runners back, they will be tough. Washington will be up there. Can Dave Smith return to glory with Isai Rodriguez leading the charge?
Should be a more exciting season on the men's side after a couple years of NAU vs. BYU. -
vivalarepublica wrote:
Should be a more exciting season on the men's side after a couple years of NAU vs. BYU.
Don't forget Portland, after all they took 2nd last year and had another great performance this year.
Looking forward to what happens next year as well after a number of the top teams lose significant contributors. -
You know, the scary "what if" storyline for NAU's opponents is "what if" Hines had known how good Day was going to be and had him redshirt in 2015 when NAU also sat out Futsum Z. and Nate Weitz to ramp up for a title run in 2016?
If Day uses that redshirt year as a true freshman instead of racing on a squad that had little chances of making it to nationals, he'd be back in 2019 and NAU would be overwhelming favorites once again.
I know every contending team has one of these "what if" scenarios, but I think that is really the one decision that Hines missed on, in hindsight, when trying to build up toward this incredible run. No one could have predicted Day's rise to 3-time XC All-American, so racing him to see what he could do was the right move at the time. -
It's "Heins".
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Please god no
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Who knows about this but 10 Top Predictions for 2019..... !
1. BYU - Mormon men get it done this year.
2. Washington - look for a surprise here. return 6 of top 7.
3. NAU - not strong enough up front to contend with BYU. Still a solid team.
4. Colorado - Depth still a problem, 4/5 back too far
5. Stanford - Consistent but no true stud
6. Iowa St - Injury issues (?) otherwise solid team, could be top 5.
7. Portland - Lose too many key players but now established as top-10 program.
8. Notre Dame - Really young team, up and coming program.
9. Oklahoma St - Also young team, will be fun to see what Isai can do next year.
10. Ole Miss OR NC State- Like Notre Dame and OK State, young teams with good coaches that will improve next year.
Sleeper: Wyoming- Return Top 4. Was 2018 luck? Or will 2019 be even better? Have potential to crack the top 10 if everyone is healthy. -
Returning Grijalva (23), Ferro (26), and Beamish (39).
BYU returns 10, 32, 50, 62
CO returns 8, 9, 43
NAU is returning the 2nd best 1-2-3 in those guys, and adds in Hastey and a few other top recruits. Either Raff, Shea, or one of the freshmen needs to step up to be a solid #5, and I think they will. -
You also forgot NAU has NJ legend Joey Defeo
