NCAA XC Top 31 Countdown: Men's #20- Georgetown

Editor's note: For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN.

#20

Georgetown

Head Coach: Patrick Henner (14th Season)

2012 National Finish- 25th

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Key Returners from 2012

• Andrew Springer (Sr., 7:53 Open 3k, 13:46 5k, 29:28 10k)
• Miles Schoedler (Jr., 3:47 1500m, 14:32 5k)
• Darren Fahy (So., 8:15 Open 3k, 9:06 3k Steeple (US Jrs))
• Ben Furcht (Sr., 8:12 Open 3k, 14:17 5k, 30:27 10k)
• Max Darrah (Jr., 8:13 Open 3k, 8:43 3k Steeple)
• Dylan Sorenson (Sr., 3:47 1500m, 8:13 Open 3k, 8:50 3k Steeple)
• John Murray (Jr., 8:10 Open 3k, 14:15 5k)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

• Jonathan Green (Fr., 2 X FL Finalist, 9:21 2 Mile)
• Connor Sheryak (Fr., 15:05 5k (5th NBIN 5k), 58th NXN Nats '12) 
• Amos Bartelsmeyer (Fr., 4:11 1600m, 9:15 3200m, MO State XC Champ '12)
• Ahmed Bile (Redshirt Frosh., 4:04 Mile, 2 X FL Finalist: 12th in '11, 14th in '12) 

Season Preview

Depth is name of the game today. The reigning Mid-Atlantic Regional champions of 2012 return four of the their top seven and add a few surprises from track and some solid freshman to their 25th place national finish. Coach Patrick Henner has seemingly turned Georgetown into another "Steeple U" with the four very quality steeplers returning for him in 2013. Along with an almost certain All-American, things are looking good for the Hoyas this year. 

Andrew Springer is the returning leader and star of this team. There is no doubt that he is All-American quality, and as long as he is healthy and actually runs in Terre Haute, he should find himself in the top 40. Springer is coming off of a very good outdoor track season where he qualified for nationals in both the 5000m and 10000m and placed 15th and 13th, respectively. Andrew has surprisingly good range with a 1500m PR of 3:41 and 10000m PR of 29:28. He is a pure cross country runner that will be more suited for the longer stuff as the season goes on and will be in the mix for regional individual honors and nationals as well.

Miles Schoedler was a very good pack runner for the Hoyas in 2012 where he consistently was their no. 3-4. Schoedler is a guy with good leg speed (3:47 1500m) that always pays off the last 400m where he blows by ten runners and gets that many less points. John Murray and Ben Furcht are very experienced xc runners that are also very good pack runners. These athletes know what it takes to make the National meet and they will provide solid veteran leadership. 

The rest of the squad that returns is filled out by Steeplers. The 3k Steeple and Cross Country have not always been a consistent transition of excellence. There have been so many national champions in the steeple that have never cracked the top 100 at cross nationals. Georgetown does have three 8:50 and better 3k Steeplers and a former U.S. Junior Champion (Fahy).

Fahy proved his chops in xc in 2012 and will be counted on to be a top five runner. If Darrah and Sorenson (both nationals qualifiers in the steeple) can learn from Fahy, this is a deep, deep Georgetown team. 

A good recruiting class does not hurt either. Ahmed Bile redshirted 2012 and has great xc experience having been top 15 back to back years at Foot Locker Finals. After a year of college experience, this should translate to a good freshman year for him. 

Another two-time Foot Locker Finalist is Jonathan Green who could be the only true freshman that could crack the top seven. This team is so deep that they could go all year without suiting a single freshman up. 

With Syracuse and Notre Dame out of the Big East, the conference championship is there for them to win if they can hold off Villanova. Georgetown has a lot of potential in 2013. If Springer can be the very low-stick that they need and their steeplers and veterans pull through, they could crack the top 15 at nationals for the first time since in five years. 

NCAA XC Top 31 Countdown: Women's #20- Minnesota

Editor's note: For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN.

#20

Minnesota

Head Coach: Sarah Hesser (1st Season)

2012 National Finish- 22nd

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Key Returners from 2012

• Molly Kayfes (Jr..,9:30 Open 3k, 16:15 5k)
• Laura Docherty (Sr., 9:23 Open 3k, 16:10 5k, 33:24 10k)
• Maggie Bollig (Sr., 4:27 1500m, 9:43 Open 3k) 
• Katie Moraczewski (Sr., 9:37 Open 3k, 10:14 3k Steeple)
• Ashlie Decker (Jr., 9:36 Open 3k, 16:53 5k, 10:40 3k Steeple)
• Rachel Drake (Sr., 9:44 Open 3k, 16:53 5k, 34:47 10k)
• Liz Berkholtz (So., 9:45 Open 3k, 16:42 5k, 35:11 10k)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

• Tess Wasowicz (Fr., 4:59 1600m,  2 x NXN Nats Qualifier)
• Danielle Anderson (Fr., 10:24 3200m, 16:43 5k (2nd NBON 5k '12), 

Season Preview

Coach Sarah Hesser steps into her new role as Head Women's Cross Country coach with quite possibly the deepest team in the country. Her scenario could not be more fun for any first time head coach, especially for one that has paid her dues as long as Coach Hesser has. She inherits a squad that brings back every single woman that ran on their 22nd place team at Nationals in 2012. 

It will be hard to find a team that has the kind of quality depth that the Gophers have. Across the board, every single one of their top seven from 2012 has run sub-17 for 5k and sub-9:45 for 3k. A few of these ladies also have very good 10k PRs. 

Molly Kayfes and Laura Docherty are the two top girls for Minnesota from their 2012 team that is all back for 2013. Kayfes seems to have been a little bit better as the season went on for the Gophers as she led the team at the Regional and National meets. On the other hand, Docherty was by far their best girl on the track and has the fastest 5k and 10k PRs of the bunch. This 1-2 punch is very good and both of these girls could be looking at All-American in Terre Haute. 

To follow this nice duo are five other girls all capable of placing 3-7 on any given day. Katie Moraczewski, Ashlie Decker, and Mollie Bollig all traded off being the no. 3 girl during the Conference, Regional and National meets. The good news is that these three ladies are all going to be challenging each other for that spot in every race which will obviously make them that much better. Moraczewski is the better track athlete of the three, but Bollig has better wheels and Decker the best range of the bunch. 

Rachel Drake and Liz Berkholtz both have good range and are capable 10k runners which will prove useful as the season goes on. With the Regional meet and the National meet being even closer together, their abilities to go up in distance will help them as their strength should shine with a shorter break. 

If Minnesota was already loaded enough, they bring in a solid recruiting class highlighted by Danielle Anderson. Anderson is an accomplished high school runner her placed 2nd overall at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals 5k in 2012 and ran 16:43. That time alone would easily put her in the mix for the top five. Tess Wasowicz ran on a good high school team that helped her qualify for the Nike Cross Nationals two times, this kind of experience will be valuable in her transition from high school to college.

Minnesota's fourth place finish at the Big 10 meet in 2012 behind three very good teams (Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State) and third place finish at the Regional, are good motivators for the Gophers in 2013. If the above mentioned teams are not careful, Minnesota could surprise all of them and beat them. With this kind of depth of returning, experienced cross country runners, Minnesota could well find themselves finishing in the top 10 in Terre Haute.

NCAA XC Top 31 Countdown: Men's #21 Virginia

Editor's note: For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN.

#21

Virginia

Head Coach: Peter Watson (2nd Season)

2012 National Finish- 14th

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Key Returners from 2012

• Kyle King (So..,3:44 1500m, 13:55 5k, 8:57 3k Steeple)
• Thomas Porter (Jr., 14:03 5k, 29:34 10k)
• Drew Paisley (Jr., 14:26 5k, 30:13 10k) 
• Jack St. Marie (So., 14:34 5k, 30:58 10k)
• Chris Foley (Jr., 14:03 5k, 30:04 10k)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

• Connor Rog (Redshirt Frosh., FL Finalist 18th, 9:09 3200m)
• Henry Wynne (Fr., 1:49.9 800m 4:10 1600m, 9:04 3200m, NBON Mile Champ)
• Thomas Madden (Fr., 4:15 1600m, 8:56 3200m, 23rd at FL Finals '11)
• Mike Marsella (Redshirt Frosh., 4:09 Mile, 8:49 3200m, 19th at FL Finals '11)

Season Preview

The defending Southeast Regional champions return in 2013 season, four of their top seven runners from 2012. The losses that they have are critical though as Zach Gates was an All-American performer and Mark Amirault was as good a no. 2 runner on any team in the country. 

Coach Peter Watson has a very deep crew returning that has incredible upside. 

Sophomore Kyle King is one of the best young distance runners in the country coming off of an impressive freshman campaign in 2012. After a good nationals race where he was the no. 3 runner for the Cavaliers, King, along with Thomas Porter, are the go-to guys for Coach Watson. A good track season where he broke the 9:00 mark for the 3k Steeple adds to his already impressive freshman PR of 13:55 for 5000m. With this kind of quality freshman year, it seems as if the sky is the limit for Kyle.

Junior Thomas Porter is the other possible no. 1 man for Virginia heading into 2013. Porter has proven himself on the xc course, but also was able to show his track ability this past spring. A 16th individual finish at Outdoor Nats in the 10k, Porter can now use that momentum to have a great summer and come ready to roll for this upcoming season. Porter has demonstrated his ability to improve year after year and that should remain the case this year. 

Virginia also has some very good depth with solid racing experience coming back that can help fill out the rest of the top seven that the great recruiting classes they have had back to back years does not. Chris Foley, Jack St. Marie and Drew Paisley are all capable xc runners and the Cavs are going to need at least one of them step up to take this team to the next level.

After having two incredibly good recruiting classes these past two seasons, Virginia has a quality stable of guys that hopefully can immediately make an impact in their scoring. All of them have fantastic credentials and very good experience running at a high level. 

Henry Wynne is the New Balance Outdoor Nationals Mile Champion from this past spring and is a legitimate competitor and winner. Thomas Madden is a sub-9:00 3200m runner, which generally translates as a great xc runner in college. He also is a former FL Finalist which is a good indication of his ability. Redshirt freshman Connor Rog and Mike Marsella are also FL Finalists from 2011 and after a year of solid collegiate level training under their belts, should be ready to step into the top seven this season.

Obviously Virginia is deep. Peter Watson has done a good job with the athletes he has been given and did a great job with his first recruiting class (post-Vig). With the upside that his athletes have, it is only a matter of time when this squad is top-10 at NCAAs. Do not sleep on Virginia, a repeat Southeast Regional Championship is very possible which could lead to a top-10 finish in Terre Haute. 

NCAA XC Top 31 Countdown: Women's #21- Colorado

Editor's note: For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN.

#21

Colorado

Head Coach: Mark Wetmore (19th Season)

2012 National Finish- 24th

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Key Returners from 2012

• Shalaya Kipp (Sr., 9:35 3k Steeple, Olympian in 3k Steeple)
• Carrie Verdon (So.,16:14 5k)
• Courtney Bouchet (Sr., 9:30 Open 3k, 10:30 3k Steeple) 
• Rachel Viger (Jr., 16:56 5k, 35:06 10k)
• Allie McLaughlin (Sr., 9:23 Open 3k)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

• Heather Bates (Fr., 4:56 1600m, 10:51 3200 (alt. mark), 12th NXN Nats)
• Melanie Nun (Fr., FL Finalist '12, 10:57 3200m (alt. mark)
• Erin Clark (Fr., 4:28 1500m, 9:32 Open 3k, 16:41 5k)
• Hagen Reedy (Fr., 4:56 1600m, 10:21 3200m, 2 X NXN Nats Qualifier: 7th '11, 20th '12)

Season Preview

The theme of today's previews consists of solid returning veterans with potential outstanding young guns. Colorado returns in 2013 coming off of a somewhat disappointing 2012 campaign. The lone real bright spots came from the rise of Carrie Verdon and Shalaya Kipp getting fit in time to lead the Buffs. This year Colorado boasts an even more experienced squad with one of its best recruiting classes in the last few years. 

Shalaya Kipp just recently hit the "A" standard again to qualify for the World Championships in Moscow and will therefore be coming back to Boulder and to the NCAA scene a little later on, similar to last season. This means that the now sophomore Carrie Verdon will need to step into a leadership role and establish herself as the no. 1 runner.

Verdon solidified herself as one of the top freshman in the land last season. A top ten finish at the Mountain Regional was big to help her team finish third and qualify for NCAAs. After a very good freshman year on the track where she ran a good PR of 16:15 for 5k, she should be able to translate that to even better performance on the xc course. 

Colorado also brings back a core group of experienced cross country runners that are capable of being solid pack runners. Courtney Bouchet, Liz Tremblay, Rachel Viger and Jana Stolting, all have many seasons of experience running in one of the most quality programs in the country. The key will be keeping their 1-5 spread as close as possible. With Kipp and Verdon both being potential All-Americans, if these ladies can keep the spread tight, they will have a chance to do some good things at NCAAs. 

A wildcard athlete that has not been talked about for a few years is Allie McLaughlin. As a freshman in 2009 McLaughlin was unreal. She placed fifth overall at the NCAA meet. Unfortunately since then, she has been flying extremely under the radar and has not been heard of. Allie is still on the roster and talent like that does not just fly away. If she can stay healthy and keep up some sort of volume, McLaughlin could be the darkhorse on this team and someone to watch out for as an individual at NCAAs. 

To add to an already very good squad returning from 2012, Mark Wetmore has a terrific recruiting class to go along with them. Every single one of these girls are outstanding cross country runners that are also capable on the track. Each of them have experience running at a very high level in cross country which should allow them to immediately step in and roll with the Buffs main pack from the onset of the season. 

Hagen Reedy of Buchanan HS in Clovis, California has two top-15 finishes at NXN Nats and a very good 10:21 3200m PR. Erin Clark has already run times on the track that would make her Colorado's third best 5k girl on their team (16:41 PR). Melanie Nun is a local girl who was a Foot Locker finalist in 2012 and ran some very good races at altitude this past year. Heather Bates rounds out this class and adds another very quality high level cross country performer. Bates finished 12th overall at NXN Nationals in 2012. 

With all of this considered the one factor that has not been mentioned in depth is Mark Wetmore. Year in and year out there might not be a better coach in the country in terms of development of athletes, scouting runners that have very high ceilings, and fine tuning his harriers to produce outstanding performances when it matters. This is a good team that could be great. The Buffs should be able to roll through the Mountain Regional and prepare themselves to peak at NCAAs. Every team in the country should be nervous at NCAAs with how quality this team is and how good Wetmore is at getting them ready at the right time. 

NCAA XC Top 31 Countdown: Men's #22- Auburn

Editor's note: For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN.

#22

Auburn

Head Coach: Mark Carroll (5th Season)

2012 National Finish- N/A

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Key Returners from 2012

• Niklas Buhner (Sr..,3:45 1500m, 8:02 Open 3k, 14:07 5k)
• Kane Grimster (Jr., 3:45 1500m, 8:14 Open 3k)
• Samuel Mueller (Sr., 14:29 5k, 29:49 10k) 
• Griffin Jaworski (Jr., 14:16 5k, 30:11 10k) 

Impact Recruits/Transfers

• Ty McCormack (Jr., From Clemson, 3:45 1500m, 13:52 5k, 8:50 3k Steeple)

Season Preview

After a few years building the foundation of a national qualifying team, it appears as if Coach Mark Carroll has finally done it. Carroll is an accomplished coach and is proving his ability to recruit and develop with the solid team that Auburn brings back for 2013. 

Auburn's Men's Cross Country team has not been relevant since 2009 and if it is going to be this year it is going to rely on veteran athletes that must stay healthy in order for the team to reach its potential and qualify for NCAAs. 

The Tigers are led by no. 1 man from 2012 Niklas Buhner, whose ability to translate his great track ability to the xc course is something he must teach to his teammates in 2013. Buhner had a good cross season in '12 and ran well on the track. As the man with the most quality cross country experience on the squad, he must rise up and lead this team as its lowest point scorer. 

Kane Grimster is a good track guy with excellent wheels (3:45 1500m PR). It will be essential that Grimster has a good summer, stays healthy, and really puts in the miles to be able to lengthen his range and be a contributor in cross country. His talent level is there, he only needs to prove that he can do it in an actual race. 

Samuel Mueller seems like the one real true cross country guy on Auburn's squad and will be counted on to push the pace up front with Buhner. Mueller had a very good track season with a nice 10k PR of 29:49. Mueller finished 5th at the SECs 10k and will need to play a significant role in Auburn's return to NCAAs. 

Griffin Jaworski and Francisco Hernandez are both capable xc runners and anything that they can do to help keep the spread close will be much needed. 

The final piece to the puzzle that will help Auburn make NCAAs is the Clemson transfer Ty McCormack. McCormack is one of the most up-and-coming Steeple guys in the country. He has the ability to run 3:45 for 1500m and 13:52 for 5k. This track ability must translate to the cross country course. McCormack should be competing with Buhner for the no.1 spot and to be honest if he is not the low-stick for the Tigers, they will have a hard time making it out of the regional. 

Unfortunately for Auburn is that the South Region is generally not as deep as some of the other regions in the NCAA, but this year it is. Florida, Florida State, and Georgia are all very quality programs that should make the meet. With this being said, the Tigers have an excellent 1-5 and if they can stay injury-free throughout the 2013 season, they will punching their ticket to Terre Haute.  

NCAA XC Top 31 Countdown: Women's #22- Vanderbilt

Editor's note: For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN.

#22

Vanderbilt

Head Coach: Steve Keith (8th Season)

2012 National Finish- 27th

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Key Returners from 2012

• Hannah Jumper (So..,4:24 1500m, 9:40 Open 3k, 17:14 5k)
• Liz Anderson (Sr., 9:24 Open 3k, 16:19 5k, 33:51 10k)
• Amira Joseph (So., 9:54 Open 3k, 17:13 5k, 10:43 3k Steeple)] 
• Grace Orders (Jr., 9:46 Open 3k, 16:48 5k, 34:48 10k) 
• Sara Barron (So., 4:20 1500m)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

• Carmen Carlos (Fr.,4:48 1600m, 10:15 3200m, 12th at FL Finals)
• Reagan Anderson (Fr., 4:42 1600m, 10:40 3200m, 4 X NXN Qualifier: 23rd '11 )
• Courtney Kriegshauser (Fr., 4:49 1600m, 17:08 5k, 10:39 3200m, 3 X NXN Qualifier)
• Lily Anderson (Redshirt Frosh., 4:22 1500m, 9:45 Open 3k, FL Finalist)

Season Preview

If Coach Steve Keith was not set up enough for a great 2013 season with all of the quality women he brings back, he definitely sealed the deal by signing the best recruiting class in Vanderbilt history. After going to NCAAs back-to-back years the 'Dores will be back again, and here is why.

Hannah Jumper, the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2012 is returning with a year of experience under her belt. Jumper had a good track season following up a great cross season with nice runs of 4:24 for 1500m and 9:40 in the open 3k. Some athletes are just better in cross than they are on the track, and Jumper seems to fit that definition to a "t." Her ability to run well when it counts and one year past being a rookie, she is ready to lead this team as the low-stick for Vandy in 2013. 

If anyone is to challenge her upfront for the no. 1 spot it is going to be Liz Anderson. Anderson is a very good track girl who had a breakout outdoor season with PRs of 16:19 in the 5k (10 second PR) and 33:51 in the 10k which helped her make NCAAs where she placed 14th overall at the same distance. If Anderson can carry her strong momentum from track and translate her ability running in circles to running even faster on the grass (she is already a good xc runner) she will make this team even better than they already are going to be and will push Jumper up front. 

The Commodores also return important veteran athletes such as: Amira Joseph, Grace Orders and Sara Barron, who are all capable of running in Vandy's top five on any given race. 

To go along with an already very good team on paper returning from 2012, Vanderbilt has brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Carmen Carlos is a very good track girl who is also has some good range with PRs of 4:48 and 10:15. Carlos was 12th at the Foot Locker finals (and every coach wants to say they signed someone who placed well at that meet). 

Reagan Anderson was a part of one of the best high school teams in the country year after year from Delaware (Wilmington). Anderson qualified for NXN Nationals with her team all four of her high school years. This kind of high level experience will benefit her greatly as she makes the switch from good high school teams to good college teams. She also boasts top notch track PRs: 4:42 1500m and 10:40 3200m. Anderson is the kind of girl that can step up and run with the front pack off the bat and could find her self in the no.3-4 spot by the end of the season. 

This could stop right here and one would be impressed with how good this class is, but it just keeps going. Courtney Kriegshauser of Southlake Carroll, Texas is another girl who has had very quality high school cross country running experience and this will bulk up the already deep Commodore squad. Kriegshauser, like Anderson, has been a member of one of the perennial powers in the country and along with her ability to race well on the track will make her even that much more valuable. 

An athlete that ran track for Vandy, but redshirted cross is Lily Williams. Lily is coming off of an amazing freshman year of track where she ran very good PRs of 4:22 1500m and 9:45 for the open 3k. With her also being a Footlocker Finalist (Vanderbilt does not have enough of them) she also has experience running xc at a high level and is just one more girl to throw in the mix of a possible to five. 

Is there anymore that needs to be said? The only question mark lies in the newcomer learning curve. If these freshman can step up right off the bat and contribute, this #22 ranking is way to low and appalling to be honest. The biggest thing is though, is that these girls need to actually prove it in a race that they can run at this level. Once they do this is a top 10 team. The South Region teams better keep an eye out on Vanderbilt, because they are for real. 

NCAA XC Top 31 Countdown: Men's #23- Villanova

Editor's note: For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN.

#23

Villanova

Head Coach: Marcus O'Sullivan (14th Season)

2012 National Finish- 27th

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Key Returners from 2012

• Sam McEntee (Jr., 3:36.81 1500m, 3:57 Mile, 7:54 Open 3k, 14:19 5k)
• Jordy Williamsz (So., 3:36 1500m, 4:00 Mile, 8:04 Open 3k)
• Robert Denault (So., 3:41 1500m, 3:59 Mile, 8:15 Open 3k)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

• Ben Malone (Fr., 3:46 1500m, 4:11 1600m, 9:12 2 Mile, NXN Nats Finalist)
• Patrick Tiernan (Fr., 8:11 Open 3k, 3 X Australian Junior XC Champ, 14:40 5k)

Season Preview

After a very good Mid-Atlantic Region race in 2012 where the Wildcats were one point away from tying for first place with Georgetown, the wheels fell off at NCAAs and they saw themselves finish 27th as a team. Villanova will have an opportunity in 2013 to redeem themselves from that with five of their top seven returning and most of them coming off of career track seasons. 

Villanova returns one of the deepest and strongest 1500m programs in the country. The question that always comes along with metric milers is if they have the range to run 8k and 10k (10k is the real kicker). Maybe a reason why the Wildcats struggled in Louisville was because their team is stock full of 1500m runners and the jump to 10k is too difficult. If that were the case though, then there is no way they would have run as well as they did for 10k at the Mid-Atlantic Regional. 

With a fresh season ahead of us all of these questions will be answered, the good news for Wildcat fans is that they have a legendary coach in Marcus O'Sullivan to guide this group of milers. He knows a thing or two about middle distance runners.

Sam McEntee is the returning no. 1 man and leader of this team and is coming off of a very good track season. Although he was not able to improve upon his 3:36 1500m PR of '12 (brutally tough to ever duplicate that performance), McEntee did reach the NCAA 1500m final for the second year and placed seventh overall. He should be able to ride that momentum into a solid summer of training. If he can keep his miles up and stay healthy that jump to 10k will suit him just fine (as he proved at the regional). 

Jordy Williamsz was the star recruit of last seasons class for the Wildcats and was a solid contributor as a no. 2-4 runner. He, like McEntee, had a great regional where he placed fourth overall and ran a solid 30:35 on grass. This proves he has the range to go up to 10k, he just needs to do it on back to back races. If Williamsz can figure that out, he has the ability and talent to roll right with McEntee and should prove a very good no.2. 

The wildcard for this team lies in Robert Denault of Canada. Like McEntee, Denault was able to reach the NCAA Championship in the 1500m where he finished 18th in the country. It is always good to start summer training, looking ahead toward xc, after a very good end to a track season. Denault will be critical to the success of this team if he can prove his range in the latter portions of the season. 

Villanova has two very good recruits in Ben Malone and Patrick Tiernan. Malone ended up being one of the nation's best 1500m runners (go figure) in the country last track season as a prep where he ran 3:46. Malone has had some quality cross country experience in high school. Ben qualified for NXN Nationals and had to struggle through the mud and rain where he did not have the race he expected. This kind of experience will be very helpful to the Villanova 1-5 as he has a chance to break into that group and be an impact player. 

Patrick Tiernan, from the moment he steps on campus, could be the best true cross country guy on the team. His three junior xc championships in Australia proves he is capable over the long distances on grass and his track PRs are very good for his age group. Tiernan is an instant-offense kind of recruit that could put himself in the no. 3 spot the very first real race of the season. In fact, by the end of the season, we could see Tiernan challenging McEntee as the no. 1 runner for the Wildcats. 

Other athletes such as Brian Basili (if he can come back from his crazy broken arm over the steeple barrier in time) and Alex Tully were solid contributors in cross country for Villanova in 2012 and should be in the mix of their top seven where they will be critical to keeping the 1-5 spread as grouped as possible. 

The Mid-Atlantic Regional is always tough and Villanova will once again need to figure out how hard to go at Regionals to make sure they save themselves for a good run at the Big Dance. With Coach O'Sullivan leading this team, that should be no problem and these metric milers could show the long-distance guys that they have some range too in Terre Haute.