NCAA XC Countdown #10: Stanford Men and Arizona Women

Aug 21, 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.

#10

Stanford Men

Head Coach: Chris Miltenberg (2nd Season)

2012 National Finish- 16th

Key Returners from 2012

Erik Olson (Jr., 8:04 Open 3k, 13:46 5k, 29:06 10k)
Joe Rosa (Jr., 8:05 Open 3k, 13:58 5k)
Tyler Stutzman (Sr., 3:40 1500m, 8:06 Open 3k, 14:02 5k)
Jim Rosa (Jr., 3:47 1500m, 8:04 Open 3k, 13:59 5k, 29:47 10k)
Michael Atchoo (Sr., 3:39 1500m, 8:00 Open 3k)
Kenny Krotzer (Sr., 3:48 1500m, 8:13 Open 3k)
Thomas Graham (So., 8:09 Open 3k, 14:09 5k)
Andrew Berberick (Sr., 3:44 1500m, 55th NCAA XC '11)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Sean McGorty (Fr., 4:03 1600m, 8:45 2 Mile, 2nd FL Finals '12, 10th FL Finals '11 NBON 2 Mile Champ '13, 2nd NBIN 2 Mile '13)

Jack Keelan (Fr., 4:09 1600m, 8:50 3200m, 4th NBON 5k- 14:33, 2nd NBON 1 Mile, 26th NXN '12)

Sam Wharton (Fr., NXN Champion '12, 6th FL Finals '12, 8:56 3200m, 5th NBON 5k '13)
Patrick Gibson (Fr., 4:11 1600m, 9:01 3200m, FL Finalist '12)

Season Preview

Now that his first year as the Stanford head coach is under his belt, Coach Chris Miltenberg has his first recruiting class of his own to work with along with some horses to lead the charge for this Cardinal team in 2013.

At first glance, this team is full of studs that are capable of making the top seven on most teams in the NCAA. Almost every single one of the athletes listed above were the big time names in the high school scene coming off of their graduation. The key now is for Miltenberg to help these athletes continually progress and reach their potential to bring Stanford back to the podium.

There is no shortage of horses in the stable for the Cardinal coming into 2013. As things look right now Erik Olson is the best guy coming back for Stanford. Olson had a very good track season where he ran a huge 10k PR at the Stanford Invite and another big one for 5k at Payton Jordan. He also had a solid NCAA XC race and will be looking at an All-American finish in 2013 with the combination of his track and xc ability.

The Rosa's are seemingly enigmatic. They have had ups and downs during their first few seasons in the Stanford uniform. Jim had a great Wisco Invite and West Regional (19th and 6th, respectively--struggled at Pac-12s) and Joe had good races at Wisco, Pac-12s and the West Regional (21st, 6th, and 4th), but for both of them the wheels really came off at NCAAs. The Rosa's are the key to a strong season for Stanford. It seems as if the team goes as the Rosa's go. If they can be even more consistent than they have been in the past, they are also potential All-Americans.

Tyler Stutzman, Michael Atchoo, and Kenny Krotzer are all capable of having break-out years. Atchoo and Stutzman were awesome on the track, especially Atchoo, and if they can get the base beneath them, they could make the jump to 8k and 10k a little better. Atchoo has not been nearly as good as Stutzman has been in cross, but he could have a similar year as O'Hare did in 2012 (in terms of going from a mediocre xc guy to leading the team). All three of these guys are nice fits in any top seven that will be keeping the 1-5 spread as close as possible.

Andrew Berberick could potentially be Stanford's ace in the hole. After a redshirt year in 2012, he should be fit (if he's healthy) and is no joke on the xc course. his 55th place finish at NCAAs in 2012 was outstanding and that kind of ability does not just fly away. If his fitness is where it should be, he is another guy to add to the list of someone that could be All-American.

What makes Stanford even scarier, is their unreal good recruiting class. Sean McGorty was one of the best prep runners in the country last season and is an immediate impact kind of guy. He should find himself in the top five off of the bat. His high level experience in high school will prepare him nicely for the long NCAA season. McGorty is one of the few freshman that could actually crack the top-40 at NCAAs, which is very hard to do.

The other freshman coming with McGorty are no slouches either. Jack Keelan has big time credentials (see above), Patrick Gibson was one of the best guys in Washington, and Sam Wharton was the NXN Champion in 2012 and is another very capable cross guy that could also make an immediate impact in the top seven.

There is no lack of options for Miltenberg and he is one lucky guy to be working with this caliber of talent. What will be critical for Coach Miltenberg is to keep them training through some of the earlier invitationals to prepare them even better for NCAAs. Stanford has a history of struggling at Nationals, but if there is ever a Stanford squad that is capable of breaking that curse, this is the team to do it.

#10

Arizona Women

Head Coach: James Li (12th Season)

2012 National Finish- 6th

Key Returners from 2012

Elvin Kibet (Sr., 9:12 Open 3k, 15:57 5k, 33:02 10k)
Nicci Corbin (Jr., 4:20 1500m, 16:04 5k)
Amanda Russell (Sr., 9:47 Open 3k, 16:43 5k)
Stephanie Bulder (Jr., 16:49 5k, 35:19 10k)
Clea Formaz (Jr., 9:53 Open 3k, 10:12 3k Steeple)
Erin Menefee (Sr., 9:43 Open 3k, 10:41 3k Steeple)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Kayla Ferron (Fr., 4:52 1600m, 11:07 3200m, FL Finalist '12, 64th NXN '11)

Season Preview

Arizona is heading into the 2013 season with a lot of question marks, but two no-brainer potential All-Americans. Coach Li is a world-renowned coach for the work he has done with Bernard Lagat, Boaz and Lawi Lalang, Stephen Sambu, etc. If there is a coach that is capable of getting the group of athletes that he has ready to roll for 2013, he can do it.

The Wildcats will be leaning heavily on their two big guns, Elvin Kibet and Nicci Corbin. Those two girls are big-time talents and must lead Arizona in order to have a chance to be top-10.

Kibet is the real deal. Her 5k and 10k PRs are top-notch and she is crucial to any success Arizona will have this season. She was 16th at NCAAs in 2012 and is capable of scoring points somewhere in the 5-10 range. That kind of a low-stick does wonders for your overall team score. With a redshirt track season under her belt, Kibet should be fit, with a huge base, ready for a huge peak at NCAAs.

Corbin is the other elite level athlete that is a vital piece to the puzzle for Coach Li's squad. She has good range from 1500m to 5k which helps her nicely for 6k xc races. Corbin was awesome in the middle of the cross country season in 2012, but struggled a little bit at NCAAs. Corbin is a potential All-American, and for Arizona to be top-10, which they are capable of, she needs to find her self in the top-40 in Terre Haute.

The good news is that Arizona has some good core contributors that, if they step up this season, can keep the spread tight and hopefully help push Kibet and Corbin. Amanda Russell is the most likely no. 3 runner for the Wildcats and has had some success in cross country in the past. Russell looked good in the West Regional (which is brutally good), but similarly to Corbin, the wheels fell off at NCAAs. Russell has good track PRs and the fact that she knows she must rise to the occasion will help keep her motivated throughout the off-season and heading into the 2013 cross country year.

Stephanie Bulder, Clea Formaz and Erin Menefee are solid pack runners that will be in the mix for the rest of the spots in the top seven. Coach Li desperately needs one of these girls to find another gear within themselves and step up to be the no. 4-6 runners.

The lone recruit that the Wildcats brought in that will help out immediately is Kayla Ferron. With solid track PRs and quality high school cross country experience, she is just what Coach Li needed to fill the space that the seniors that graduated left. Ferron could be looking at being the no. 4 runner this year and if she can do so, will really help push the girls up front (no one wants to get beat by a freshman).

Arizona has a brutal path to get to the NCAA meet having to get out of the Pac-12s and the West Regional to get there. The points must come early in the season to solidify their spot in Terre Haute. The good news is that they have some girls up front that will score low points and can keep them in the hunt of a top-10 team. If Russell, Ferron, and others do not respond like they should, Arizona will struggle to be top-10. On the other hand, if they can roll up front and step up, the Wildcats are once again another top program in the NCAA.