Cristian Soratos, Montana State

Soratos has the most compelling story of any athlete in this meet. Having only run 4:23 in high school, the Salinas (Ca.) product was not heavily recruited by D1 schools, and only transferred to Montana State after two years at a community college. He kept improving, dropping seconds here and there, until his day of reckoning came at the 2015 Husky Classic, perhaps the most memorable race of the 2015 season. There, Soratos proved to everyone that he was for real, running 3:55.27 (#1 NCAA) and establishing himself as an NCAA contender. He’s proved the doubters wrong, but can he close with the best in the business (Cheserek)? We can’t wait to find out. 

 

Anthony Rotich, UTEP

Lost in all this Cheserek v. Soratos hype is none other than defending champion Anthony Rotich of UTEP. Rotich hasn’t had a defining race in 2015 a la Soratos, but he has won the last two NCAA track finals that he has raced (indoor mile, outdoor steeple), so experience and confidence should certainly be on his side. The senior ran a 4:02.75 mile in Albuquerque in January that altitude-converted down to a 3:57.46, but we’re more concerned with his recent loss to teammate Cosmas Boit at the C-USA Championships. NCAA champs don’t usually lose conference races, so there may be cause for concern for the returning champ. 

 

Shelby Houlihan, Arizona State

The reigning NCAA 1500m champ has been quietly impressive in 2015, setting PBs in the mile (4:30.77) and 3k (9:03.71) all while keeping her legs fresh by only racing four times in the buildup to NCAAs. Houlihan’s marquee race was the Wanamaker mile three weeks ago at the Millrose Games, and although she didn’t scare the NCAA record (4:25.91) like she had hoped, her 4:30 put her at #2 in the NCAA for 2015, and makes the top returner from 2014 downright formidable heading into Fayetteville. 

 

Leah O’Connor, Michigan State

Leah O’Connor had a huge Big 10 meet last week that saw her win the mile in 4:32.29 after reportedly splitting a 4:25 1600m leg in the Spartans 10:57.80 (#2 NCAA) DMR. If O’Connor truly ran 4:25, she has the capability to win this race in an all out effort. She was the surprise winner of the NCAA steeple last spring, and a key member to the Spartans NCAA XC title this fall, so the pressure of the big stage shouldn’t bother her at all. A big PB should be coming in Fayetteville for O’Connor, but we’ll see if it’s enough to upset Quigley and Houlihan for another title.

Johnny Gregorek, Oregon

The Columbia transfer has shown immediate improvement since he first put on the Oregon jersey. Gregorek went from a 4:01.65 to a 3:57.47 in the mile, while remarkably lowering his 3k PB from 8:13.38 to 7:54.85 all after arriving in Eugene. The former Ivy Leaguer was sixth in the NCAA mile last year, so his marked improvement in times would suggest that a leap in finishing position would subsequently be coming as well. The Ducks have three entries in this race (Gregorek, Cheserek, Winn), so if all three can advance to the final, expect team tactics to have a strong impact on the outcome of the race. 

 

Erin Teschuk, North Dakota St.

It’s hard to be a dark horse when you’re ranked #4 in the mile (4:32.09) and #5 in the 3k (9:02.40), but Erin Teschuk has never qualified for NCAAs in either indoor or outdoor, and thus still flies under the radar. No one has made a bigger jump across the country than Teschuk, going from a 4:51 miler to a legitimate contender for an individual title in just one year. Her biggest strength is her closing speed, exemplified by her huge kick to steal the 3k at the Iowa State Classic in February, where the junior came from absolutely nowhere to upset pro Nicol Traynor. If you haven’t seen that kick, CLICK HERE. Teschuk may not have experience on her side, but she also doesn’t have the intense pressure of expectations like the ladies in front of her. Her ideal race would have her sitting on the leaders until two laps to go when that kick becomes lethal.