NCAA XC Countdown #30: A&M Women and ISU Men

Jul 29, 2013 by Isaac Wood

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. Make sure to stay up-to-date with The Wood Report throughout the season. You should follow Isaac Wood on Twitter, too.

View the full NCAA Top 31 Countdown HERE.

#30

Texas A&M Women

Head Coach: Wendel McRaven (3rd Season)

2012 National Finish: N/A

Key Returners from 2012

Hillary Montgomery (Jr., 4:33,16:44, 35:10)
Grace Fletcher (Jr., 16:46, 35:39)
Sophie Blake (Sr., 4:24)
Amanda Jenkins (Sr., 9:38, 16:43, 35:35)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Karis Jochen-(Fr., 5th NXN Nats, 5th Footlocker Finals, 10:31 3200m)
Katie Willard-(Fr., 4:55, 2:09)

Season Preview

This pick could come as a surprise to many who have not seen a relevant Texas A&M women's distance program since Natosha Rogers and she was the lone bright spot for the past few years. Although Rogers will most likely not be running anytime soon, these Aggies find themselves at the beginning of 2013 ranked 30th in the country.

Coach Wendel McRaven has done a fine job developing the athletes he has recruited to College Station and will see that pay dividends in 2013. A third place finish at the South Central Regional in 2012 was just not good enough to make the big dance, but with the experience gained from a good finish to the season, these now veteran athletes are looking to lead the Aggies back to Terre Haute.

Hillary Montgomery returns as a junior to lead this team having previously been the no. 1 runner at the Regional and no. 2 at SECs in '12. Montgomery is coming off of a good outdoor season where she qualified for the West Regional in the 10000m and will be taking her momentum from outdoor to the cross country course and leading this up-and-coming team.

Other possible contributors up front for the Aggies are Grace Fletcher, Gabby Salazar and Sophie Blake. Blake appears to be the wildcard of the group because of her ability in the 1500m (4:24). If she can find a way to translate her speed over 6k she will be a factor. Salazar and Fletcher are talented athletes themselves with experience and will be key pieces to their national championship puzzle.

What will eventually help push this team over the edge and into the field at Terre Haute, is an outstanding recruiting class with experienced, quality harriers. Karis Jochen of A&M Consolidated Class in Texas, placed both 5th at the Foot Locker finals and at NXN National Championships and will bring savvy racing to a team that can use some help up front. Katie Willard of The Woodlands is coming to College Station from a top-tier high school team and her winning ways will add to their depth.

Auto qualifying out of the South Central Regional will most likely not happen, but this team is good enough to pick up points at earlier meets. If the Aggies can have a good regional race, place third, (or upset Texas or Arkansas), and do well early on in the season, they should see themselves at the Nats for the first time since... 2000.

#30

Iowa State Men

Head Coach: Martin Smith (1st Season)

2012 National Finish: N/A

Key Returners from 2012

Mohamed Hrezi (Sr., 3:45, 13:59, 29:25)
Edward Kemboi (Jr., 1:46.06, 3:46.30)
Faulko Zauber (Sr., 3:47.78)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Jason Thomas (Fr., 4:10, 73rd NXN Nats, Iowa XC State Champ)
Charlie Joslin-Allen (24th UK Nat'l Champs '13, 8:29 3k)

Season Preview

After eleven years in Ames, former head coach Corey Ihmels took the position of Head Track and Field Coach at Boise State on June 14, 2013. The Iowa State athletic department took zero time to find a replacement and did a fantastic job of doing so. Martin Smith (formerly at Oklahoma and Oregon) is now at the helm and will look to lead the Cyclones back to Terre Haute. Everywhere Smith has gone he has found success, at Oklahoma and Oregon and will do the same thing with Iowa State.

An eighth place finish at the Midwest Regional in 2012 does not necessarily scream a team that is ready to qualify for nationals the next season. The difference comes from Coach Smith. He did a fantastic job turning milers into cross country runners at Oklahoma and should find the same success at Iowa State.

These milers include: Mohamed Hrezi, Edward Kemboi, Faulko Zauber, and Edwin Serem. Hrezi is a 800m runner turned distance guy and now has proven range after a 5th place finish at the Big 12 10000m and a trip to Austin for the West Regional in the 5000m. Kemboi is a well-known 800m runner, but has proven to be OK over the longer distances, this is where Smith will help him find the range. Zauber and Serem appear to be the darkhorses for this program. Both having good wheels, but never having proved the range, if they can put the miles in this summer and turn themselves into cross country runners this group looks prepared to make a statement in 2013.

Jason Thomas, a local kid from Dowling Catholic High School, is a solid recruit that can make a difference. Thomas comes from a good high school program that qualified for NXN in '12. He has good wheels (4:10 1600m PR) and could prove to be a difference maker in their top five if his post-season cross country experience from high school can translate into post-season experience at the college level. Charlie Joslin-Allen of Great Britain is a very experienced cross country runner having placed in the top 25 at the UK National Championships this past spring.

With Oklahoma losing a huge chunk of their core runners the door seems to be open for Iowa State and Oklahoma's former coach Martin Smith to steal a spot in the top three in the regional and have enough points to find themselves in Terre Haute.