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Ohio Northern University heads into the 2008 cross country season ranked an impressive 9th in the nation. Northern returns their top six runners from a team that was at one time ranked 10th in the nation in 2007 and finished 17th at the NCAA Championships.
Northern's not just an extremely talented and deep squad...they're experienced. Five of their aformentioned top six returners are seniors, while the lone "non-senior," Alan Bowsher, is a junior. Add a sub-31 minute 10k transfer from Purdue and a sensational freshman class to the mix and you have one dangerous team that just might have podium potential on the 22nd of November.
Heidelberg College (not Heidlberg...the USTFCCCA continually forgets there's an 'e' after that 'd') starts the year surprisingly high in the 16th spot. While this team certainly has the potential to place that high--perhaps even the top 15--they'll be largely dependent upon the health of freshman Jamie Martin. If the 'Berg is healthy when it matters, this will certainly be a dangerous team. However, last season's squad was a preseason 19th seed that finished 27th at nationals. The Student Princes must understand that, while fun, a good preseason rank won't punch their tickets to Hanover.
Mount Union College rounds out the trio of OAC teams beginning their 2008 campaigns on the NCAA Division III National Poll sitting in 31st. Mount returns a healthy amount of experience and talented youth and is more than capable of challenging Heidelberg within the conference. With Calvin (preseason #2) and ONU (#9) as the heavy favorites coming into the season, there should be an incredibly hard-fought battle between Mount and Heidelberg, as well as #24 Case Western Reserve for the remaining national qualifying spots at the 2008 Great Lakes Regional hosted by Otterbein, November 15th.
Read about early favorite, #1 SUNY Cortland and more HERE.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
ONU is NCAA Preseason Top 10 ('Berg top 20)
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12 comments:
I'm an OAC alum and even I believe that all three conference schools are overrated going into the year. No way ONU should be ranked over a school with the tradition of a Haverford, and Heidelberg 16? TEN spots ahead of NYU? I GUARANTEE that wont happen at the end of the year. Mount's right where they should be, but I say the conference only qualifies one team to nationals not three and ONU will have to run perfect to finish in the top 10. I predict Calvin, Northern, Case and MAYBE Kenyon out of the Great Lakes.
Don't sleep on BW. That's all I'm gonna say.
NYU lost a lot from last year's team.
Also, I think BW is way underrated with their #10 GL ranking.
BW will be like the 06 Berg squad. 3rd or 4th at conference, then national qualifiers. Not auto bid, but top 4 when it matters.
Mount Union has the history and tradition to be a contender this year. It is early at this point to predict,but I see the top 4 teams for the GL region as
1. Calvin
2. ONU
3. Mount Union
4. Heidlberg
I will give an update after the All-Ohio on Oct. 10th
Kenyon!
Your kidding right..???
Lord, I sure hope so..:)!!!
Kenyon's women are good.
I respect BW a lot, and they have an up and coming team, but there is no way that they will be contending for a spot to Nationals. Bulletin board material or not, it's just not happening. They don’t have enough firepower upfront.
does anyone know what the OAC's longest consecutive trip to nationals streak might be? I know ONU and Heidlburg are going for there 3rd straight and theres no way that's a record but what about some of those old Mount or Otterbein teams? What's the longest streak to nationals? I was just wondering if either Northern or Berg are close and if you think they have engouh young bodies to seriously extend their current runs.
BW doesn't have enough firepower upfront? If anything it's their lack of depth that hurts them. Hill, Bowen and the Akron transfer should give them just as much front runners as a Heidelberg or Mount Union. You're right that is bulletin board material. You'll see firsthand in less than three months.
Who does BW have returning & transferring?
BW does not have enough upfront. I'm not talking about upfront at mid-season meets with 8 teams. I'm talking about upfront at the conference and regional races. Hill (despite his 5k win in Outdoor) has yet to show the consistency of being a top-5 finisher every time he toes the line. He has the tools, but the results show he isn't there yet. As for Bowen and Gibbons, good runner yes, but they are 26:40 or slower on a course like Hanover (where Nationals are this year). Don't let emotion cloud the facts here. Hill, Bowen, Gibbons, and the rest of the BW team will have a great breakout year, but there's another huge step that they are not in position to take yet. Hill was 13th at conference last year, that's not 'upfront' and he was the first guy. A double digit score from your #1 man is not going to get it done. Hill and Bowen were 49th and 66th at regionals, again not upfront strength in the big meets. You need a single digit score or a outstanding 1-4 or 1-5 pack, all under 25th place at conference or under 50-55th place at regionals. Hill broke 27:00 three times last year (two of those on the hyper fast Calvin course). Bowen, the same, 3 times, twice on the Calvin course. They are going to need a lot more than that. Again, facts, not emotions.
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