Head Coach: 

Brad Herbster (2nd Year)

 

Last Year:
3rd Big 12

2nd South Central Region

14th NCAA

 

Probable Top Five:

SR Craig Lutz (8:07 3k; 14:00 5k; 29:22 10k; 15th NCAA XC '13) 

SR Mark Pinales (14:03 5k; 29:23 10k; 10th South Central XC '13; 125th NCAA)

SR Will Nation (14:06 5k; 29:33 10k; 38th Big 12 XC '13)

SR Eduardo Rodriguez (14:39 5k; 13th South Central XC '13; 225th NCAA XC 13)

SO Nate Moore (8:17 3k; 8:57 3k Steeple; 45th Big 12 XC '13)

Impact Freshman/Recruits:

Connor Hendrickson - Southlake Carroll, TX (4:17 1600m; 9:10 3200m; 58th NXN '13)

Jacob Pickle - Southlake Carroll, TX (22nd NXN '13)

Chris Pietraszkiewicz - TMI-Episcopal School, TX (4:18 1600m; 9:16 3200m)

Wesley Ward - Flower Mound, TX (4:15 1600m; 9:21 3200m; 122nd NXN '13)

 

Anaylsis:

In last year’s preview we had the Longhorns ranked 12th. About all that has changed is the loss of Ryan Dohner, albeit a very quality collegiate distance runner (13:45 for 5k), and their team performed well with a 14th place finish. Why then are we only ranking them 23th going in?

 

Because so many teams got better, a lot better, and Texas didn’t land a lot of top quality recruits this year. Probably one of their youngsters will crack the top 7, and losing Dohner’s leadership will hurt. Brad Herbster is in his second year at the helm and with the loss of 4 of his seniors after this year, it will no doubt free up money for him to recruit some blue chippers in the future.

 

But you can’t fault Craig Lutz if Texas is not ranked higher. Has anybody ever had a more successful championship record without ever breaking 29:22 for 10k? The guy’s a gamer and his 15th  place finish at last year’s NCAA and his back to back NCAA 10k efforts on the track stamp him as one of the most consistent, hard working, yet non-celebrated NCAA distance runners at the moment.

 

Interestingly, Mark Pinales, likely the second Longhorn again this year, has track times almost identical to Lutz, yet at the NCAA cross meet in 2013, they were 110 places apart. Track and cross country are definitely two different beasts run in two different venues at two different times of the year. Track times don’t always translate to great cross performances and vice versa.

 

Nate Moore, former AJR holder in the 2000m steeple, ran a very quality 8:57 on the track last spring, and one year’s maturity and experience might catapult Moore into a nice position in the Texas top five.

 

If Will Nation can take his 29:33 from the track last year and translate it to hill and dale, he could be a difference maker for the Longhorns. Can they take Oklahoma State in the Big 12? Probably not, but it won’t be because Craig Lutz is not laying it out there for the Longhorns.

#23 Oklahoma State Women
#24 Michigan Men