Worst Div I XC Team? - Is it Bradley?

I'm sure the worst D1 teams are located in the Southern regions among the schools without football teams that only sponsor cross country because they want to be D1 in Basketball.

I've seen schools that put out cross country teams made up of sprinters who can't even make it through the course without walking. Its embarrassing to them. I assume its a situation where the coach says, "we have to have cross country and you're going to have to go to x number of meets."

What pisses me off when spectators give them a big applause after they finally get done with their 40 minute 8k and say, "Well, you have to admire that"

If you break down the country according to how many scholarships actually go towards distance runners you're looking at a few teams that are really heavily advantaged.

A team with loads of talent like Wisconsin versus a team that probably puts a third of that towards distance runners, like Ohio State, isn't perhaps a fair comparison.

If Ohio State was to finish 16th at Nationals, that could be comparable to Wisconsin placing 2nd.

But that Bradley team is terrible. Any 10:20 3200 runner should be able to run 28:00 at least as a freshman. Obviously the leadership there hasn't been able to inspire those guys to train adequately.

Hadtogetoutofthere -

I'm curious what year you ran at Bradley. I started in '97, and stayed there through '02. I was a 10:20 3200 and 4:35 miler in high school.

My pr's at Bradley:

8K - 26:40

5K - 15:26

1500 - 3:59

Maybe not great for div I, but I had several injuries at Bradley, and I think I played the cards I was dealt fairly well. I personally had no problems with Dave, the coach, but I admit that some other ex-teammates have felt differently. His style seems to work ok for some dedicated individual runners and for groups of talented runners (such as the women's teams over the last few years).

On the other hand, I do disagree with his method of recruiting. Basically, he doesn't recruit anyone unless they show interest in Bradley first. Look at how we've finished at conference the last few years, the loss of the track program, and the limited scholarships available (I think 1.5 or 2) and you can guess how many talented, dedicated runners have been knocking on Bradley's doors lately.

If by some chance, a group of talented runners all show up at once, then maybe the program can generate enough interest to keep runners coming as is happening with the women's team.

Anyway, there is my two cents on the situation at Bradley. Were they the worst Div. I team last year? I hope not, but I'm sending them this thread and if it doesn't motivate them, nothing will.

It is Auburn....They produce nothing in the way of distance runners there. Good sprint school though.

Benedict wrote:

Hands down the worst DI team is St. Bonaventure. They finish dead last every year in the Atlantic 10 - not only the team score, but always have the last 3-4 runners in the race (I use the term runner loosely). These guys are 'running' 35+ min for 8K and look more like football players than runners. Occasionally, they'll have 1 guy in the top 30 of the league that breaks 29-30 min, but other than that they are dreadful.

At least they do not quit like the basketball team.

Phil... how's it going?

I think you know who this is... and I did come in at the same time as you along with 2 others if I remember correctly. Are you the only one from our class that stayed. I know that Jason eventually left... I agree with you 100percent. I know that everybody had their own opinions. I guess I should say that my first statement was my opinion and my opinion only. Let me know what you are up to...

E.A.

You don't know what you're talking about....they have a freshman who has run 14:40 indoors...several other guys have run 8:30's and below for 3g this year. simple.

Daydream wrote:

It is Auburn....They produce nothing in the way of distance runners there. Good sprint school though.

Syracuse. They are terrible. (With the exception of Bitok)

E.A.

Things are going well for me - not with running though. I finished last season with a decent 5K PR, a great 1500 PR, and a horrible case of Plantar Fascitis which has kept me from running for most of the last year. Hopefully I'll be back at it this summer. I'd love to run a sub 4:10 mile, but I need to get healthy soon to do it.

I'm at the U of IL, working on my Masters in computer science, so I'm busy even without training. Where are you at these days? Still running?

Matten is the other guy from our class who stayed, that makes just 2 out of 4. After that year, we only had a few runners who were even mildly serious show up along with a lot of dumbasses with no work ethic at all. Quite a few of them were more talented than me, but that means nothing when they didn't put in the time.

later -

Phil

Phil,

I transferred to DePauw... there I finished my career as an average runner, not that I would have been anything else. My pr's ended up being

10k - 32:48

5k - 15:50's (several times... couldn't get over the hump, always injured during track)

In cross, I ran many races in the low 26's for 8k, but you can't really judge 8k's as being equal. But I graduated from DePauw in 2001 and I am currently working for Daou Systems, which is a healthcare computer consulting company. I am running, but is nothing like I used to. I just saw some results and pictures up on the web of Andy Snyder running a 10k in Indy that he won in the mid 31's. I wonder if he's livin in Indy? If you are up for running anytime in Indy, or will be around... I live right by Eagle Creek Park, which is great for running. Regularly I see Bob Kennedy flying over the roads and through the trails.

My email is

erikalbers01@hotmail.com

Erik

Ole Miss is pretty bad, though I am considering going there.