Gavin Struve
Feb 613 min
Written by Gavin Struve, additional edits & commentary by Garrett Zatlin
Click here to see our Just Missed and Honorable Mention names.
Listed eligibility takes redshirts and Covid-related extensions into consideration.
TFRRS is used as a general, but not strict, guide when determining eligibility.
Was not ranked in our last update.
First number indicates how much the individual has moved in our rankings.
The second number indicates where the individual was ranked in our last update.
25. Kevin McDermott, Junior, Western Washington (Unranked)
We could have gone a number of different directions at this spot. Jacob Hatcher (Lee (Tenn.)) has performed well enough to stay at TSR #25 and Duncan Fuehne (Colorado Mines) recently had a very encouraging start to his indoor track season.
But ultimately, there was little question that Kevin McDermott would find a place in our rankings during this update. In fact, he should arguably be higher. However, a lack of postseason experience on the track is the biggest thing holding him back. That should change next month given that McDermott currently sits in the top-25 of the national leaderboards in three different events.
While he already held a solid 8:10 (3k) mark from mid-January, McDermott closed out the month with an impressive double at the same in-state venue: UW's Dempsey Indoor Center. He topped a handful of Division One names en route to a 3rd place finish and a 13:50 (5k) mark. He also boasted a very strong 4:02 mile effort to boot.
Those marks have him at NCAA #4 and NCAA #12, respectively, on the national leaderboard. Those results also suggest that his next move is probably to run a quick 3k given that he's now down to NCAA #23 in that event, and improve his optionality. But as a cross country talent with more leg speed than we previously realized, the 5k is probably McDermott's best event.
24. Maxime Touron, Sophomore, NW Missouri (-1 / 23)
Maxime Touron's emergence as one of Division Two's better middle distance runners continues. He burst onto our radar in December with a 1:50 (800) mark and complemented that effort with a 2:25 (1k) and 4:05 (mile).
Most recently, he performed a dominant double over the past weekend, helping his team to a 9:42 DMR win which sits at NCAA #2 this season and marginally improving his half-mile PR in a victory. He's now run as fast as 1:50.25 in that event (NCAA #7) and has posted marks of 1:53 or faster four different times this winter over the half-mile distance.
That fantastic consistency suggests that Touron is an All-American favorite in his first season at this high of a level.
23. Jagger Zlotoff, Rs. Sophomore, UC-Colorado Springs (-1 / 22)
After a nice 8:09 (3k) altitude conversion days before our last rankings update, Jagger Zlotoff moved down to what's been his primary distance: the mile. And while he didn't produce the overall win this time around (although he did win his heat), he finished runner-up overall in a competitive field and earned a head-turning 4:01 altitude conversion which sits at NCAA #8.
On the heels of producing two All-American finishes in the mile/1500 meters over the past 12 months and coming off of his best-ever cross country season, it's hard not to like Zlotoff's trajectory in the early stages of 2024. We haven't necessarily learned a ton about him, but we do know that he's looking as strong as ever.
Has not competed since our last rankings update.
21. Josh Pierantoni, Senior, Colorado Christian (0 / 21)
Considering where he stands on the national leaderboards -- top-five in two different events -- it feels like a borderline injustice to have Josh Pierantoni outside of the top-20 in our rankings. After all, this is someone who produced two top-five finishes at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships (in the 5k and 10k). Allow us to explain.
Josh Pierantoni is an aerobic-centric runner who won't have the luxury of racing the 10k distance at the indoor national meet, a setting where he's yet to earn an All-American honor.
We also didn't see Pierantoni race over the fall months. And while he was brilliant in producing strong 3k and 5k marks in early December, he went nearly another two months without racing before producing a shrug-inducing 4:12 altitude converted mile to open February.
That latter performance shouldn't affect our overall outlook of Pierantoni too much, but he'll be hard-pressed to live up to his current seeding in what looks to be a couple of loaded distance events.
20. George Couttie, Freshman, Charleston (WV) (-1 / 19)
We want to move George Couttie up in these rankings. We really do. He's the kind of talent who could reside atop these rankings in future years should he stay in the Division Two ranks (he's currently in the transfer portal).
But it's more difficult to pinpoint his best chance at an All-American finish than it is the athletes ahead of him. And his youth-based championship inexperience could hinder him on the national stage like it did when he finished just outside of All-American placement on the grass a few months ago.
He sits in the top-10 on the national leaderboard in both the mile and the 800 meters after producing a 1:50 half-mile mark in a runner-up effort behind Harry Ross-Hughes to begin this month of racing.
Among distances that he has contested, one would think that the mile is his best event given the strength that he displayed on the grass paired with the turnover he's shown in the half-mile. He may sit outside of our top-15 for now, but few men in these rankings hold the kind of upside that Couttie boasts.
19. Soheil Boufrizi, Junior, Wingate (-2 / 17)
Has not competed since our last rankings update.
James Dunne is someone who was on our radar ahead of this rankings update. He was a mainstay in the Grizzlies' varsity lineup last fall and has previously qualified for a couple of national meets on the track as an individual. The Adams State veteran even ran a respectable 14:24 (5k) mark two months ago.
But truthfully, nothing on Dunne's résumé suggested that he was due for a massive 3:56 altitude-converted mile effort in which he hung with two star teammates and finished ahead of a couple of others. That NCAA #3 result, a 4:01 mile effort before the conversion, was a PR on its own. But it wasn't entirely out of Dunne's wheelhouse given that he held personal bests of 3:43 (1500) and 7:54 (3k) before this season.
There are few individuals for whom we're more eager to see how they finish their regular season.
17. Dillan Haviland, Senior, Northwood (-6 / 11)
This drop may be too steep for someone who holds some of the best range among D2 distance talents and has done little to change that perception this season. However, this season, we've yet to see Dillan Haviland compete in what's historically been his second-best event -- the 800 meters.
The Northwood senior ran a strong 14:20 (5k) PR early in the season and then posted another personal best upon moving down in distance -- a 4:01 mile. So when he ran the same event just a week later and posted a 4:11 mark, seemingly overwhelmed by a large Boston University (BU) field (finishing 91st across multiple heats), we were left looking for more.
We're not necessarily selling any of our Haviland stock. Mind you, he was a top-half All-American in America's favorite distance a year ago. But his chances of repeating or bettering that feat, in the mile or elsewhere, took a minor hit in recent weeks.
16. Harry Ross-Hughes, Sophomore, Lake Erie (Unranked)
In a season in which the 800 meters appears to be comparably more wide-open (beyond the top name) than other events, Harry Ross-Hughes appears primed to take advantage of that development.
The underclassman has been one of the most consistently strong half-milers over the past 12 months. He's twice run 1:49.52 or faster this winter, and the rest of his seasonal résumé, featuring times of 49.2 (400) and 4:11 (mile), is fairly well-rounded.
That victory over Couttie doesn't hurt, either.
Paired with a 1:48.33 (800) personal best from May and an All-American result a few weeks after that, Ross-Hughes appears more likely than not to be a top-half All-American this season. He was someone who clearly had a ton of upside as a rookie and he's proving that to be the case in the winter of 2024.
15. Awet Beraki, Senior, Adams State (-1 / 14)
Has not competed since our last rankings update.
14. Angel Luera, Senior, Dallas Baptist (+2 / 16)
Angel Luera has had a similar season to the man who he finished one spot in front of him at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships, specifically the 800 meters finals, Harry Ross-Hughes.
Luera's current seasonal best (1:49.82) is slightly slower than his PR, but he's run 1:52 or faster on four different occasions this winter while dabbling in the mile and relay events as well.
More impressively, he has run faster in each successive half-mile race this season, going from 1:52 to 1:51, and most recently running 1:50 in a late-February race at Boston U. as well as that aforementioned 1:49 mark in a win to open February.
Even in our top-25 rankings, it's exceedingly difficult to find someone with this level of talent and linear progression/momentum. Luera is someone who peaked beautifully last spring and given his current trajectory, that may very well be the case come March.
13. Jan Lukas Becker, Senior, Mississippi College (+2 / 15)
We'd been waiting for one of the NCAA's elder statesmen to truly make a statement this winter as he slipped marginally down our rankings. And on the last weekend of January, Jan Lukas Becker delivered.
The Choctaw ace fought with a loaded collegiate 5k field at Boston U.'s John Thomas Terrier Classic, producing a strong 13:54 mark which has him at NCAA #8 in that event this season. It's unlikely that he'll need to run any faster to qualify for the indoor national meet where he snagged the 5k bronze medal last year despite doubling.
12. Tanner Chada, Rs. Senior, Grand Valley State (-2 / 10)
Has not competed since our last rankings update.
11. Simon Kelati, Junior, Western Colorado (+1 / 12)
It feels like we're on the verge of a special performance from Simon Kelati a month from now. Someone who was already a national star and multi-time All-American across several seasons emerged as the runner-up finisher at the NCAA XC Championships in the fall. That left us wondering if we're about to see a leap from him on the oval.
Early signs point to yes as Kelati is two-for-two this season, emerging with victories and producing impressive times at altitude on his home track.
Most recently, that meant earning an 8:05 (3k) conversion to complement his NCAA #3 mark of 13:39 (5k) which came via conversion. Though he contested only the latter event at the 2023 indoor national meet, Kelati could realistically race both distances on the national stage this time around.
Don't forget, too, that he placed 4th over 1500 meters at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Beyond fast times and victories, the last element we'd like to see Kelati add over the coming month is experience against elite competition.
10. Caleb Futter, Junior, Grand Valley State (+3 / 13)
Look no further for an emblem of versatility. Caleb Futter bounced back from a slightly underwhelming finish to his fall campaign with a scorching start to the winter months.
In December, this GVSU veteran ripped an 8:00 (3k) mark which was closely followed by a surprisingly strong 1:50 (800) effort in January. However, Futter saved his best performance for last (or most recent): a 3:58 mile win (and PR) over a slew of Notre Dame runners and other Midwest-based Division One athletes.
All three of those results were PRs for Futter and they sit in the top-12 of the national leaderboard. Oh, and he holds a 14:01 (5k) result from last April and could almost certainly qualify for the national meet in that event this season if he pleased.
We haven't necessarily learned anything new about Futter this season -- he's always been a high-octane and highly versatile distance talent. Even so, it's encouraging to see him continue to progress and afford himself enviable optionality for the postseason.
9. William Amponsah, Junior, West Texas A&M (0 / 9)
William Amponsah ran a third event in as many races this winter, finishing January with a gaudy altitude-converted 7:57 (3k) result as he finished a narrow runner-up to New Mexico star, Evans Kiplagat.
The NCAA D2 cross country champion's optimal event figures to be the 5k. However, he showed a bit of turnover with a mid-January mile win and should be able to contest both the 3k and the 5k in the postseason if he pleases as he sits in the top-six, nationally, in both events.
8. David Cardenas, Senior, Adams State (0 / 8)
Has not competed individually since our last rankings update.
7. Tyler Nord, Sophomore, Western Colorado (0 / 7)
There's admittedly not a whole lot to say here about Tyler Nord who ran a solid altitude-converted 4:07 mile mark in a victory on Saturday. He also dabbled over 800 meters and the DMR in late January. His altitude converted 7:54 (3k) mark from December continues to age well, remaining at NCAA #1 this season.
With each passing week, it's appearing increasingly unlikely that Nord races the 5k this season. Last winter, Nord contested the 3k and DMR on the national stage, so we would expect him to pursue that pairing again.
6. Matthew Storer, Rs. Sophomore, Colorado Christian (0 / 6)
Has not competed since our last rankings update.
5. Hamza Chahid, Sophomore, Wingate (-3 / 2)
It seems odd that Hamza Chahid should move down in our rankings. After all, this is someone who, since our last rankings update, produced a (4:01) mile PR.
While his loss in that mile effort was hardly damaging, there were several other individuals (particularly in the same event) who were more impressive in recent weeks. And frankly, we expected Chahid to be even more explosive this season after running 13:33 (5k) last spring.
At any rate, this Moroccan star holds top-10 marks in three different events and is still very much a national title contender as we gear up for March. He hasn't slowed his pace so much as the rest of the field has increased theirs.
4. Miguel Coca, Senior, Adams State (Unranked)
In the span of one day, Miguel Coca went from someone who we weren't even thinking about to the owner of the NCAA #1 mile mark.
The Grizzly veteran was not listed on the team's roster to begin the season, but is apparently racing attached with another season of eligibility. Otherwise, he could have been ranked as high as TSR #2 entering the season.
And frankly, it's possible that he reaches that mantle a fortnight from now.
Keep in mind, Coca won the mile at last year's indoor national meet before going on to take silver in the metric mile at the outdoor national meet. And despite not racing as a collegiate for eight months, he emerged to drop an altitude-converted mile time of 3:55.08 in a win over his elite teammates at the New Mexico Team Open.
With personal bests of 1:50 (800), 7:52 (3k) and 13:36 (5k) to his name, the question becomes whether Coca will stick with what's been his signature event or provide himself some optionality with a blazing fast mark in his pick of another distance.
3. Loïc Scomparin, Junior, Colorado Mines (+1 / 4)
Add Loïc Scomparin running an altitude converted 3:57 mile to feats that weren't on our bingo card entering this season (or last week). Sure, he ran an altitude-converted 4:00 mark at the same race last winter, but he hadn't contested that distance since.
Of course, that didn't stop Scomparin didn't stop him from procuring a top-tier time and an outright win against a hoard of Centennial State Division One adversaries.
It's unlikely that he contests that event again, given one week earlier he earned another conversion -- 7:56 over 3000 meters -- that landed him at NCAA #2. Regardless, Scomparin has three top-four marks on the national leaderboard and appears to have built upon his speed, strength and range in a way few Division Two men ever have.
2. Romain Legendre, Junior, Adams State (+1 / 3)
While Scomparin holds top-flight marks in three different events, Romain Legendre sits higher in two of them and holds an outright victory over his conference rival. That's enough for our TSR #2 spot and the temporary distinction of "top Division Two long distance runner" (seeing as TSR #1 is a middle distance ace).
Legendre has done all of this without obtaining an outright victory yet this season. He ran a D2 record 13:24 (5k) in December and recently dropped an altitude converted 3:56.05 (mile) mark in a runner-up effort that sits at NCAA #2 behind Miguel Coca.
Given how loaded the distance events are, I'd argue that it's more likely than not that Legendre won't snag his first win of the season at the indoor national meet. That, of course, isn't to say that he can't win a national title or even be favored for one. It's commendable that he's given himself a real chance to do so in his historic first collegiate track campaign.
1. Wes Ferguson, Rs. Senior, Nebraska-Kearney (0 / 1)
Despite what Legendre and others achieved, I'm not sure that we would have removed Wes Ferguson from his perch atop of our indoor track rankings had he been inactive since our last update. Even so, the Nebraska-Kearney star put to bed any question of a change of the guard with an absurd half-mile effort over the weekend.
The Nebraska native ventured to Lincoln, the state capital, to race at the big state school's track, beating their 1:48 man (Niko Schultz) in the process along with a handful of other Division One men. Ferguson's new 1:47 mark leads Division Two by over a second.
In an increasingly competitive and unpredictable NCAA distance running landscape, this three-time national champion remains by far the biggest national title favorite in any event 800 meters and up.
Miguel Coca (Adams State)
Harry Ross-Hughes (Lake Erie)
James Dunne (Adams State)
Kevin McDermott (Western Washington)
KICKED OFF
Juan Diego Castro (Azusa Pacific)
Reece Smith (NW Missouri)
Jared Gregoire (MSU-Moorhead)
Jacob Hatcher (Lee (Tenn.))
JUST MISSED (in no particular order)
Jacob Hatcher (Lee (Tenn.))
Duncan Fuehne (Colorado Mines)
Paul Knight (Colorado Mines)
Titus Lagat (Lee (Tenn.))
Cole Benoit (Mississippi College)
Ryan Karker (Roberts Wesleyan)
Aziz Mohamed (West Texas A&M)
Nate Mueller (NW Missouri)
Enrico Oddone (West Texas A&M)
Daylen Madison (Ashland)
Ethan Lang (Fort Hays State)
Alberto Campa (Colorado Mines)
Braxton Bruer (MSU-Moorhead)
Dayton Brown (Adams State)
John O'Malley (Colorado Mines)
Josphat Meli (Harding)
HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)
Koby Fraaza (Grand Valley State)
Noah Fisher (Findlay)
Harry Louradour (West Texas A&M)
Ricardo Barbosa (Wingate)
Yonas Haile (Adams State)
Trent Cochran (Colorado Christian)
Scott Nutter (Wingate)
Titouan Le Grix (Wingate)
Kendall Branan (Indiana (PA))
Kewani Campbell (Lincoln (MO))
Hudson Majeski (Colorado Christian)
Prince Mcabelo (West Texas A&M)
Matisse Virey (CSU-Pueblo)
Jon Sweepe (CSU-Pueblo)
Talel Khalfi (Tiffin)
Leo Freeland (Wingate)
Sam Wilhelm (Alabama-Huntsville)
Grant Bradley (Fort Hays State)
Mason Strader (Pittsburg State)
Brock Dregenberg (Colorado Mines)
Cole Nash (Alaska Anchorage)
Johan Correa (Central Washington)
Louis Moreau (West Texas A&M)
Scott Spaanstra (Grand Valley State)
Trever Medina (Fort Hays State)
Nik Shilling (Davenport)
Jonathan Volpe (Southern Connecticut State)
Dawson Gunn (Colorado Mines)
Cas Kopmels (Wingate)
Daniel Appleford (Colorado Mines)
Ramen Felumlee (Cedarville)
Andrew Kaye (Colorado Mines)
Cortland Ross (Illinois-Springfield)
Notes
- Juan Diego Castro (previously TSR #5) has been removed from our rankings as he has yet to race this season. While he's listed on the Azusa Pacific team site, he does not appear on their TFRRS roster. It's a similar scenario for Reece Smith (NW Missouri) and Jared Gregoire (MSU-Moorhead).
- Conversely, Miguel Coca (now TSR #4) was not listed on Adams State's roster prior to our last rankings update, leaving The Stride Report to believe that he was not racing this season.