NCAA XC Countdown #28: Weber State Women and Georgia 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.

#28

Weber State Women

Head Coach: Paul Pilkington (7th Season)

2012 National Finish- 17th

Key Returners from 2012

Amber Henry (Sr., 4:16.07, 9:43 3k Steeple)
Jamie Stokes (So., 4:28)
Kayla Blackford (Sr., 35:13)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Ellie Child (Fr., 4:58, 10:54 (alt. times))
Kelsey Braithwaite (Fr., 8th FL Finals '11)
Hailey Ricks (Fr., Wyoming State XC Champion)
Summer Harper (Fr., 10:45 3200m (alt. time), Foot Locker Finalist)

Season Preview

After the highest national finish in school history in 2012, Weber State returns looking to defend their Mountain Region Title and to get back to the big dance. Four of the top seven runners are returning to help get the Wildcats to Terre Haute.

If Weber is to get back to the national championships a lot will ride on the shoulders of star returnee Amber Henry. Henry is coming off of a fantastic track season where she had very good PRs of 9:43 for the steeple and 4:16 for 1500m. Amber was an All-American in cross country in 2012 and in 2013 could find herself in the top 20. If Weber State is to better their nationals performance from 2012, the Wildcats must rely on Henry to do so.

Although, Weber's 2-4 are not returning for this season, there are plenty of options to turn to for help solidifying their pack up front. Jamie Stokes is coming off of a solid freshman year where she ran well in cross and on the track and will be looked upon for assistance up front with Henry keeping their 1-5 spread as small as possible. Kayla Blackford has been up and down and will need to find some consistency for her to be a solid contributor for the Wildcats.

Some help can be found through a good recruiting class that Pilkington pulled in for 2013. Ellie Child, from perennial Utah powerhouse Davis High School, will be counted on to fill a spot in the teams top five. Having experience running with some of the best in the country, Child is one that can step right in and play an important role in Weber's success.

Other members of this great recruiting class are: Summer Harper,a Foot Locker Finalist, who comes from a long line of great distance runners (brother and sister, Golden and Amber, were standouts), and Hailey Ricks (whose brother is on the team 3:45, 8:47 Steeple) who was the Wyoming State XC Champ.

The biggest wildcard of the group is Kelsey Braithwaite, a former Foot Locker Finalist from 2011 who was hurt and redshirted 2012. If she can return to her high school form, she is capable of of a top 75 Nationals finish and to be Weber State's no. 2.

With all of this in mind, the Mountain Region in 2013 is wide open, which give Weber State a good chance of returning to the National Championships three straight years.

#28

Georgia Men

Head Coach: Patrick Cunniff (2nd Season)

2012 National Finish- 19th

Key Returners from 2012

Brandon Lord (Sr., 14:03, 29:12)
Lucas Baker (Sr., 14:31, 30:00)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Brad Hort (Fr., 9:18 3200m, Foot Locker Finalist)
Henry Dwyer (Fr., 4:10 1600m)

Season Preview

One of the most up and coming programs in the country is the #28 University of Georgia Men's Cross Country team. After surprising many in 2012 with their national championship bid and a 19th overall finish, the Bulldogs are ready to prove they are not a one hit wonder in 2013.

The leader of the Bulldog pack is returning no. 1 runner Brandon Lord. Lord had a great South Regional run finishing third individually and was the no. 2 man at Nats where he finished 107th overall. Without having a track season in 2013, Lord should be fit and ready to be this team's go to guy.

Speaking of no track seasons, all of the key top returners from cross country in 2012 had little to no participation in outdoor in '13 and should be looked upon to return healthy and fit for the upcoming season. Luke Baker and Charlie Sparks are both capable cross country runners that proved to be solid racers when it mattered at both the regional and national level.

The good news is that while Georgia's top XC 'Dawgs were redshirting/were hurt during the track season, other athletes stepped up and ran well in their place. Freshman Zack Sims and Sid Vaughn both will be counted on to continually progress and improve to strengthen the 1-5 for the Bulldogs. Both ran mid 14s for 5000m in the Spring.

It will be interesting to see how their recruiting class will be able to impact the Bulldog pack up front. Brad Hort was a Footlocker Finalist in 2012 and ran respectable times on the track. Henry Dwyer was not nearly as good in XC as he is on the track where he brought his PR down to 4:10 for 1600m in 2013. If either of these young guns can provide a spark to the top five, Georgia will be all the better for it.

In a region that is steadily improving, the South should be looking at getting three to the Big Dance this year with Florida, Florida State, and these Georgia Bulldogs.