NCAA XC Countdown #15: Tulsa Men and Texas Women

Aug 8, 2013 by Isaac Wood

For the next few weeks, 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. Feel free to follow him on Twitter, too.

View the full NCAA Top 31 Countdown HERE.

#15

Tulsa Men

Head Coach: Steve Gulley (12th Season)

2012 National Finish- 7th

Key Returners from 2012

Chris O'Hare (Sr., 3:35 1500m, 3:52.98 Mile, 20th NCAA XC '12)
Andy Heyes (Sr., 3:44 1500m, 8:00 Open 3k)
Marc Scott (So., 8:13 Open 3k,) 14:13 5k,
Danny Thater (Jr., 3:46 1500m, 8:22 Open 3k, All-Midwest Region '12)
Tim Rackers (Jr., 8:13 Open 3k, 14:12 5k, 30:40 10k)
Dennis Hodapp (Jr., 14:21 5k, 29:55 10k, All-Midwest Region '12)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Adam Palamar (Redshirt Frosh., 3:38 1500m, 8:20 Open 3k)

Season Preview

In 2012, no team surprised the NCAA in cross country more than this Tulsa team did. Finishing seventh overall in Louisville and winning the Notre Dame Invite, Tulsa was the under-the-radar team that caught everyone off guard (besides themselves).

The core group athletes that made this team so good last season are back and make Tulsa a real threat once again at the national level.

O'Hare had never been much of a factor in cross country before 2012, but proved his unreal range last season by winning key meets such as the Notre Dame Invite, Conference USA, and the Midwest Regional. O'Hare also had a very good NCAA meet where he finished 20th individually.

O'Hare is coming off the best track seasons of his life (although he did red-shirt outdoor) where he broke the collegiate indoor mile record running 3:52.98 at Millrose. This outdoor season on the European Circuit, O'Hare improved upon his 1500m PR by running 3:35 in Belgium just a few months ago. O'Hare is looking at the World Championships now and might not be back very quick to help Tulsa out at the early stages of the season. In fact, rumor has it that he might not be back at all for his senior year. If this is the case, than Tulsa would definitely not be nearly as good as projected.

Andy Heyes was a very solid contributor for Tulsa in 2012 where he was regularly Tulsa's no. 2. Heyes was nearly All-American in xc in 2012 where he finished 44th and is as good of no. 2 runner in the entire country returning for 2013.

Marc Scott is a British Olympic Trials qualifier in the 10k and has very good cross country experience, much of it coming from his days in the U.K. and last season with Tulsa as a freshman. This kind of high-level resume will be beneficial for Scott this year as he will be looked up to step-up from his freshman year and be a key contributor for Tulsa near the front of their pack.

Adam Palamar could possibly have the biggest impact for the Golden Hurricane in 2013. After an amazing summer Palamar ended up running a Canadian National Junior Record in the 1500m in 3:38.92. If Palamar can learn from his teammate O'Hare and prove his chops, not only at the 1500m, but over 8k and 10k, he will be an impact scorer up-front for Tulsa.

The most impressive part of Tulsa's squad in 2012 was their amazing grouping. The video of the Notre Dame Invite is scary watching how good their grouping really was. Obviously, Coach Steve Gulley knows is a good coach and should be able to find more guys to step-up and join their pack.

The guys that will be looked at to do so include: All-Midwest Regional performers, Danny Thater and Dennis Hodapp, and Tim Rackers. All juniors, these three guys are the crucial parts to the Tulsa pack and have the experience necessary and the taste of what it feels like to be on a winning team that will drive them forth as the season goes on in 2013.

Coming out of the Midwest Region in 2013 will not be the as tough as it has been in years past. No one is beating Oklahoma State, but the second place spot is definitely doable for Tulsa and they should see themselves in Terre Haute at the Big Dance. If O'Hare returns, Tulsa could be able to have a similar quality season as they did last year, especially if they can pack it up and keep their 1-5 spread tight like they did all season in 2012.

#15

Texas Women

Head Coach: Brad Herbster (1st Season)

2012 National Finish- 25th

Key Returners from 2012

Marielle Hall (Sr., 4:20 1500m, 16:22 5k, 23rd NCAA XC '12, 1st So. Region '12)
Sara Sutherland (Sr., 4:18 1500m, 9:18 Open 3k, 16:04 5k, 34:28 10k)
Megan Siebert (Sr., 9:48 Open 3k, 16:50 5k, 35:55 10k)
Brittany Marches (Sr., 10:30 3k Steeple)
Rachel Harper (So., 7th NXN '11, 3 X NXN Qualifier)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Olivia Mickle (Sr., From Brown, 16:21 5k, 33:29 10k)
Meghan Shea (Redshirt Frosh, 4:54 1500m, 10:55 3200m)

Season Preview

Newly minted coach Brad Herbster is a lucky man. Not only does he take over a very-high profile program at a big-time university, but he is inheriting a very good group of athletes with two of the better distance runners in the NCAA.

The good news is that the consistent top three from last year's team are all back for their senior years and have very quality experience and no lack of motivation to improve and finish off their careers with a bang.

Texas has a very good 1-2 punch returning that literally went 1-2 at the South Central Regional in 2012.

Marielle Hall is the returning region champion and is a likely All-American. She provides veteran leadership, toughness and is a big-time competitor. Her solid track PRs do not give her justice in terms of what she is capable of out on the cross country course. Hall could be looking at a top-15 individual finish, which would be a huge low-stick for the Longhorns.

The other part of the two-headed monster Texas returns is senior Sara Sutherland. Having the best track PRs on the team gives reason to believe that she also has the most upside as a cross country runner on this team. Sutherland is definitely talented enough to be All-American in 2013 as well as Hall. Two All-Americans for Texas in 2013 would be huge and is a big part of their ranking being this high.

Another part of the picture for the Longhorns is quality returner Megan Siebert. Being a true cross country runner, Siebert brings experience and a desire to close off her career right. Siebert has good PRs on the track and is an All-Conference and All-Region performer in cross country.

A huge pickup, from a recruiting perspective, for the Longhorns comes from Brown transfer Olivia Mickle. Her 33:29 10k PR is really good and she gives Texas the depth that they really need to be the quality of team they can be this season. With Mickle joining Sutherland and Hall up-front, she adds another potential All-American to this squad.

Texas also brings back five of their top seven from Nationals and Regionals and the likes of Kendall Howen, Brittany Marches, Jessica and Rachel Harper will be key contributors as scorers.

If the Longhorns can find a solid fifth girl out of that bunch mentioned above, there is a reason why the are predicted this high. Three potential All-Americans, a brand new coach, and a core of girls returning from 2012 (not counting Hall, Sutherland and Siebert), Texas is much better than they look on paper.

They might be as deep as some of the other teams highlighted before, but there are only a few schools in the NCAA that have a possibility of three girls placing in the top 40 and that is what makes them dangerous.