Wood’s Breakdown
Isaac Wood analyzes the NCAA Top 30 Men’s Cross Country Teams
as of September 23, 2012

Additional commentary and observations will be added weekly.

1. Wisconsin- Going into the 2012 season, the Badgers are looking to find from their depth a solid 4 and 5 runner to step up in the now absence of Elliot Krause and Ryan Collins. This will probably not be hard for a team with a well of talent such as Wisconsin has every year. Although, Mick Byrne’s Badgers lost 2 quality runners, he’s bringing back 3 of the best in the NCAA. Mo Ahmed, the team’s top returner, comes back to Madison from a summer spent training and racing in the London Olympics. Mo is the 2nd best harrier returning from the NCAA meet last November. The bad news for Wisconsin is there has been much talk concerning the possibility of a redshirt. If this is the case, then Coach Byrne will have to hope that Alex Brill, Michael Brice, Alex Hatz, and, whomever else, will step up. The most likely candidate is Brill after his 8:37 Steeple this past spring. Alex Hatz ran 4:01 in the Mile last Indoor season. A surprise is senior Rob Finnerty who, on September 15, finished with the top of the Wisconsin pack in the Wolfie Invitational. Finnerty ran 3:38 for 1500 last summer and ran in the Olympic Trials. Neal Berman, a junior, is also another name to remember as someone who can fill that 4 or 5 spot. Up next for the Badgers is the Greater Louisville Classic, which will give them a chance to see the course for the NCAA Championships this year.

2. Oklahoma State- Just as the way the 2011 season finished, once again the Cowboys find themselves behind Wisconsin ranking second in the country. Don’t let the number two ranking fool you; these Cowboys are just about as good, if not better than Wisconsin. Losing their top two runners from NCAA’s last year will hurt ( Fernandez and Lowe),  but Okey State has reloaded. Tom Farrell (31st finish in 2011) is the team’s top returner, alongside Shadrack Kipchirchir (50th place finish in 2011) and Joseph Manilafasha (96th place in 2011). From Dave Smith’s second place team last year, he has two outstanding athletes who didn’t run for him in 2011; and they will be strong forces up front. Girma Mecheso redshirted in 2011, but in 2010 he was the Big 12 XC Champ and was 7th in the national meet. Mecheso also owns personal records of 13:34 for 5,000 and 28:16 for 10,000. His fellow Ethiopian Kirubal Erassa will not be far behind in the front group of this legitimate Cowboy front pack. Erassa also didn’t compete in 2011 for the Smith at NCAA’s, but has solid pr’s of 7:59 for 3,000 and 13:47 for 5,000. Also coming back from their second place team is their seventh man Fabian Clarkson who placed 233rd in the national meet. Don’t let his poor NCAA finish in the 2011 XC meet fool you, Clarkson was an All-American in 2012 with his 8:45.96 3000 Meter Steeplechase. Along with some legitimate depth at the top, Dave Smith has a quality crop of young talent with three outstanding incoming freshman: Craig Nowak from Texas, Anthony Armstrong, and Korey Krotzer from Washington could assert themselves into the Cowboy top 7. Oklahoma State will open up their season running their top group at the Cowboy Jamboree this upcoming weekend.