TSR Collaboration
May 5, 20206 min
Ben:
Two legends, but only one place in the Final Four.
April Anarchy at its finest, but will we see a #14 seed make it to the next round?
Two of the most popular collegiate runners ever, but the steeplechase star has been on a roll.
Old school all-time great vs new school all-time great.
Maura:
Two of the greatest female distance runners in history pitted against one another.
Will an 800 meter runner run away from the steeple star?
Everyone knows their names.
The veteran taking on the newbie.
Eric:
Marathon city: female edition.
Will the Cinderella story continue in the women's bracket?
Collegiate steeple queen battles the first female to win two NCAA Championships and two Foot Locker titles.
Mrs. 1500 from Colorado faces Mizzou’s newest Hall of Fame inductee.
Michael:
Two of the most well-known female stars of the bracket face off.
Can Montano pull off another big upset?
Potentially one of the tightest matchups of the competition.
Two of the most dominant athletes of their times in the NCAA squaring up.
Grace:
The queens of distance running go head-to-head.
Will the steeplechase star put an end to the streak of surprising middle distance upsets?
A close battle between two recognizable names.
Two dominant athletes, but only one can move on to the Final Four.
Ben: Montano has put together a spectacular run on our bracket, including a narrow defeat of #2 seed Lisa Uhl. Still, Coburn’s combination of credentials and popularity will make her a tough one to beat. I would be shocked if the former California star can pull off her biggest upset yet.
Maura: Coburn’s collegiate career speaks for itself and that should be enough to outscore Montano. Coburn, a steeple star, racked up three NCAA titles compared to Montano’s two 800 titles. The fact that Coburn more recently competed on the college circuit improves her chances of taking the win.
Eric: It's highly unlikely that Alysia Montano upsets Emma Coburn. Hopefully voters wouldn't go just based on name, but just on name alone, Coburn wins by a landslide. The bracket was not kind to the middle distance women as most of the women in the Elite 8 are distanced based.
Conor: I definitely don’t see this happening again for Montano. Coburn is going to easily be her toughest matchup and the fact that she is still a #14 seed will sway some unsure voters to the side of Coburn. Emma Coburn is also an athlete who competed more recently and has garnered a big fan base in the sport.
Michael: While Alysia Montano has great momentum on her side, a victory over Emma Coburn would be by far her biggest yet. Most of Montano’s victories have come by beating less recent athletes and I think name recognition played a bigger role in previous rounds. When comparing their accomplishments while in the NCAA, both are impressive, but Coburn has a decisive edge.
Grace: I was surprised when Montano took down several talented athletes to earn her spot in the Elite 8. She was a fantastic 800 meters runner and her two NCAA titles prove that, but I do not think she will be able to beat Emma Coburn. Coburn earned three titles compared to Montano’s two, and Coburn is the more recognizable name. Coburn's recent success in the steeplechase overpowers Montano’s middle distance prowess.
Ben: I am on the fence between Shalane Flanagan and Jenny Simpson. Ultimately, I will go with Flanagan because I think Simpson has the tougher road to the final. Having to go through Schweizer and then Hasay or Ostrander is a rough stretch. Flanagan doesn’t have it easy either, but I like her chances of making it to the final a bit more.
Maura: I thought Jenny Simpson would win this from the beginning, but as things are playing out, Simpson’s younger competitors appear a bit more popular on the social media end and I’ve seen that this can sway votes. So ultimately, I’m going with Shalane Flanagan. Flanagan taking on Goucher this round will prove interesting, but Flangan’s longevity and name recognition will help her win April Anarchy.
Eric: I'm going with Emma Coburn. I think she will easily get past Montano and will have a Dani Jones/Allie Ostrander kind of matchup (49% to 51%) with the winner of the Shalane Flanagan/Kara Goucher matchup. She will meet Jenny Simpson in the final in an all-Buffalo affair. The people will then have to decide which Colorado star they like more.
Conor: I am never a fan of choosing a #1 seed, but I think Jenny Simpson will end up taking the title. She will have a tough matchup with Schweizer to try and advance, but I think that may be her toughest matchup moving forward.
Michael: I think it has to be Jenny Simpson. She was dominant not only in the 1500 meters, (which she has become better known for in recent years), but crushed the steeplechase as well. When taking this into account, I think Simpson will have an edge over anyone else still in the field.
Grace: Hot take! I'm picking Allie Ostrander. She took down Dani Jones in the last round and had a historical career at Boise State. I think her popularity and talent in the steeplechase could lead her to winning April Anarchy...that is if she can make it to the Final Four.
Ben: Jenny Simpson and Karissa Schweizer will be extremely close. Both are popular runners who have accumulated plenty of fans during their time as collegiates and professionals. There isn’t much in their résumés to separate them either. Both deserve to advance, so picking one will be extremely difficult for our readers.
Maura: I think the Flanagan vs Goucher voting will be close. The votes can go either way. Both ladies have three titles. Everyone has heard of both Flanagan and Goucher and are aware of their successes on the grass and track. Of course, only one will come out on top. Popular vote will play a huge role in this battle as both runners left lasting legacies not only in the NCAA, but beyond.
Eric: I have to agree with Maura here and say the Flanagan vs Goucher matchup will decide a winner. Both women are huge names in the distance running community and are basically equal in my mind. Reposts could play a huge role in deciding the winner here as each vote will be earned in this Tar Heel vs Buffalo matchup.
Conor: I’m agreeing with Ben here and taking the Schweizer vs Simpson matchup as the closest. The fan bases of both of these women is massive and will surely pose a tough decision for voters. I could, however, see some people who are more familiar with Schweizer quickly choose her.
Grace: I have to agree with Ben and Conor on the Schweizer vs Simpson matchup. Both have had relatively recent success and were some of the best runners in NCAA history. I would argue that Schweizer has a bigger fan base due to her recency, but Simpson has the higher seeding.
Michael: I think the Allie Ostrander vs Jordan Hasay matchup will be extremely close. I have a feeling I know who will win each of the other matchups, but I am truly stumped on this one. They’re seeded similarly at #5 and #6 and their accomplishments are somewhat similar, likely making this a very difficult decision for any voter.
Ben: 1) Emma Coburn 2) Shalane Flanagan 3) Allie Ostrander 4) Karissa Schweizer
Maura: 1) Shalane Flanagan 2) Emma Cobrun 3) Allie Ostrander 4) Jenny Simpson
Eric: 1) Emma Coburn 2) Allie Ostrander 3) Jenny Simpson 4) Shalane Flanagan
Conor: 1) Shalane Flanagan 2) Emma Coburn 3) Jenny Simpson 4) Jordan Hasay
Grace: 1) Emma Coburn 2) Allie Ostrander 3) Shalane Flanagan 4) Karissa Shweizer
Michael: 1) Emma Coburn 2) Jenny Simpson 3) Shalane Flanagan 4) Allie Ostrander