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Can Wisconsin Repeat as NCAA Men's Champions?Published by
Last fall, the University of Wisconsin men’s cross country team showed up in Terre Haute, Indiana on a mission. With their top runners running in a pack for much of the season, the Badgers took this same strategy into the NCAA Cross Country Championships and simply ran away from the competition, besting runner-up Oklahoma State by 42 points. While Wisconsin returns five of their top seven, a question regarding their top runner Mohammed Ahmed and whether or not he’ll actually run this season after competing in the Olympics, will loom large for at least the first half of the season. With Ahmed the Badgers are the odds-on-favorites to win the team title, but without him they are a bit vulnerable, especially as their 4-5 runners aren’t as dominant on paper compared to last year’s 4-5. Regardless, Wisconsin is the favorite heading into the season, but their main challengers are right on their heels. Colorado was considered by many to be the biggest challenger to the Badgers title hopes, but top returnee Joe Bosshard is out for the season after undergoing surgery this spring, meaning young Ammar Moussa will be tasked with leading the squad. While the Buffaloes have plenty of talent to challenge for a trophy, getting to the very top spot is much more challenging now. BYU on the other hand is full of experienced veterans and will be eyeing the program’s first NCAA championships. The Cougars, who were fourth in 2011, return their 2-6 runners, led by All-American senior Rex Shields and junior Jared Ward. BYU will rely on the duo to score very low points in Louisville (site of this year’s NCAA Championship), while packing up their 3-5 runners. Not to be overlooked, Oklahoma State could once again challenge Wisconsin for the title. Led by the trio of Tom Farrell, Shadrack Kipchirchir and Joseph Manilafasha (and possibly Girma Mescho), coach Dave Smith’s squad should have the upfront talent and overall depth to contend with any squad in the country. With a handful of other squads looking to make some noise this fall, Wisconsin will face a tough test to repeat their title run, but at this point the Badgers are still in control. --- With the cross country season kicking off over the next two weeks, we're tackling ten burning questions heading into the 2012 campaign. These questions cover both the high school and college levels. Check back each day as we provide some answers to the questions. Question 1: Who Will Be The Top American Male Finisher at the NCAA XC Championships? More news |
