Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown: #29 Michigan State Men
Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown: #29 Michigan State Men
Probable Top Five:
SR Caleb Rhynard (4:03 Mile; 7:53 3K; 13:49 5K; 161st NCAA XC ’14)
SR Chris Collier (8:14 3K; 8:51 3K Steeple)
JR Sherod Hardt (3:46 1500; 136th NCAA XC ’14)
JR Nick Soter (4:07 Mile; 8:13 3K; 213th NCAA XC ’14)
JR Garret Zuk (8:10 3K; 14:11 5K)
Impact Freshmen/Transfers:
Ryan Robinson via Waterford, MI (4:10 1600; 8:56 3200; 55th NXN ’14)
Jesse Hersha via Concord, MI (4:18 1600; 9:11 3200; 16th FL ’14)
Analysis:
The Michigan State Spartans are coming off a 24th place finish last year. They lose a few men to graduation however they do return a potential big time low stick in senior Caleb Rhynard. Rhynard bust onto the national scene his sophomore year and went into 2014 as an All-American contender. Unfortunately, NCAAs did not go as planned for Caleb as he finished 161st. However, Rhynard, now a senior with multiple years of championship experience and solid track PBs (7:53 3K/13:49 5K), should be the low stick the Spartans need.
Outside of Rhynard there is not much elite talent to warrant a higher preseason ranking. However, the Spartans do have a solid group of returners and two key freshmen who could make a splash in the Big Ten, Great Lakes, and ultimately NCAAs. Chris Collier ran a solid 8:51 steeple this year which typically translates to solid XC performances. The junior trio of Sherod Hardt, Nick Soter, and Garret Zuk will also be called upon to have breakout seasons to lead the Spartan pack in 2015.
Keep an eye on 4 star recruits Ryan Robinson and Jesse Hersha to slide into the top seven as well. Robinson out of Waterford, MI has some great track PBs 4:10/8:56. Hersha is also a native of Michigan and finished in the top 20 at Foot Locker Nationals. Robinson and Hersha are two young talents that could be the wildcards the Spartans need to compete with Big Ten rivals Michigan and Wisconsin throughout the 2015 season.