6. Missouri Southern
They brought back everyone and added Ryan Riddle transfer from Tulsa (4:08/8:56 HS). With the addition of him that makes them a very possible podium team if he can be close to Gideon
6. Missouri Southern
They brought back everyone and added Ryan Riddle transfer from Tulsa (4:08/8:56 HS). With the addition of him that makes them a very possible podium team if he can be close to Gideon
5. Sioux Falls...
now Western, Mines, GV, and Adams will round out the top 4 for Flotrack's predictions
It appears that Northwest Missouri just bought at least a top-8 at nationals team if they keep everyone healthy. 3 new Kenyans on roster from D1's in addition to a guy from Peru and Iowa Central CC. They already had Karim Achnegli who was All-American last year. They are all solid xc runners. If they all stay healthy, they will be good.
Between the men and women team and individual races, the RMAC is taking three of the four titles.
iajbfilabeflihnjauwf wrote:
It appears that Northwest Missouri just bought at least a top-8 at nationals team if they keep everyone healthy. 3 new Kenyans on roster from D1's in addition to a guy from Peru and Iowa Central CC. They already had Karim Achnegli who was All-American last year. They are all solid xc runners. If they all stay healthy, they will be good.
https://bearcatsports.com/roster.aspx?path=cross
Unless those guys were severely undertrained or just partied the whole time they've been in the US, none of them are very impressive.
They aren’t world beaters as individuals, but having 5 guys at or under 25 flat for 8k makes a pretty solid team in division 2. Even if they all improved just a little bit, that’s a possible podium team. Karim is already an All-American and their current credentials could put them in the 40-80 range. That’s a solid team. It’s possible that they could improve by more than just a little bit by having great training partners. It’s possible that some might get injured or might not be eligible. I’m just saying that if they put it together, they could be on the podium.
4. Grand Valley
It's tough losing Panning and Woldemichel but they return a solid group of guys with the addition of a 14:30 high schooler. Could he be the next panning for them?
3. Adams State
2. Mines
1. Western Colorado
Suprised to see GV below Adams in the rankings. Adams seems to be leaning on 2 guys who havent run well since cross 2017. Meanwhile GVs runners are young and consistently improving. If GV pulls the frosh's redshirt they could be competitive with Mines and Western.
Very interesting year for D2
Flotrack top 10
#01 Western Colorado
#02 Colorado Mines
#03 Adams State
#04 Grand Valley State
#05 Sioux Falls
#06 Missouri Southern
#07 Queens (N.C.)
#08 Alaska Anchorage
#09 Chico State
#10 Augustana (S.D)
USTFCCCA
1. GV
2. Western Colorado
3. Colorado Mines
4. Chico State
5. Adams State
6. Missouri Southern
7. Sioux Falls
8. Saginaw Valley
9. Augustana
10. UCCS
Stride Report has started their preseason rankings
10. Queens(NC)
9. Alaska Anchorage
Stride Report rankings...
8. Saginaw Valley State
7. Chico State
6. Missouri Southern
5. Grand Valley State
4. Adams State
3. Sioux Falls
2. Mines
1. Western Colorado
This is gonna be a fun season to see how this all plays out. Could see the first year in a long time that Adams doesn't get on the podium if they are to have some injuries
Great to see GV consistently one of the best teams on both sides for so long. Shout out Jerry Baltes and his team
If Michigan Tech can keep things rolling watch out. They ran well at MSU yesterday nearly upsetting GV and only losing by 4 points and beating ranked Saginaw Valley
^
Queens loses to San Marcos???? san marcos isnt in the top 25 and queens definitely ran their A squad. Why would they fly all the way across the country to lose to an unranked team? is SM that good or is queens not??
Queens definitely isnt at full strength, Felix(indoor mile champ) was their 6th he'll be in their top 5 and they are still missing Adam Wright. With Coach olsen from Art U being there now they will be a contender team but im sure Queens thought they would have it easy going out there. Chico State men looked good to open up with as well taking down some good D1 teams
Getting beat by unranked San Marcos is not a good look. That is a team that did not even qualify for nationals last year, and is not even ranked this year. Yeah their mile champ was there #6, but is he really any better than that? The Mile and 8k/10k are way different, and from what I have researched online via Google, Adam Wright seems to be an 800m guy. Again, not sure how much that is going to help come cross country. Based on tfrrs, outside of Raftis, Kipkemi, & Sanchez, their team is nothing more than 800/1500m runners. That is not a team that will make the podium even on a down year such as this one in D2. Are they a top 15 team?...probably so. But all the hype on them being a podium contender needs to stop.
GV was doing a tempo at MSU. they saving the big guns for conference I hear