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April Anarchy Round of 64: Blue Region (Men)
#1 Leo Manzano (Texas '08)
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#16 Ian Lamere (Wisconsin-Platteville '17)
A top seed in our bracket, Leo Manzano accomplished some pretty outstanding things on the collegiate circuit. While at Texas, Manzano secured five national titles and numerous All-American finishes on the track. His 3:35 1500 meter time was run out of season, but it validated just how talented Manzano. Additionally, he helped his Texas teammates secure the national record in the DMR until the Oregon men broke that record this past winter. A USTFCCCA Men's Track Athlete of the Year winner, Manzano will be tough to beat in this bracket.
Ian Lamere was one of the best distance talents that Division Three has ever seen. He stunned the nation with collegiate bests of 8:12 (3k), 13:54 (5k) and an incredible 28:34 (10k) which is the D3 national record by 10 seconds. With six national titles and countless All-American finishes, Lamere redefined greatness for distance runners at the D3 level.
#8 Nick Symmonds (Williamette '06)
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#9 Grant Fisher (Stanford '19)
In the argument for the greatest D3 distance runner ever, Nick Symmonds comes in with a resume that doesn't seem to end. His collegiate best of 1:45.83 in the 800 meters (which was run out of season in 2006, the year he graduated) is the fastest all-conditions time in D3 history. However, if we take that mark out of the equation, Symmonds' time of 1:47.34 is still the D3 national record. A seven-time national champion, the Williamette graduate will be tough to beat.
Grant Fisher was one of the names who helped transition collegiate distance running fans into a post-Cheserek era. His upset win over Justyn Knight in the 5000 meters at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships - along with a jaw-dropping 7:42 3k PR and win at the Millrose Games over Morgan McDonald - are the major highlights of Fisher's career. With an endless list of top five finishes nationally (both in cross country and on the track) as well as additional PR's of 3:39 (1500) and 13:29 (5k), Fisher's unbelievable consistency since the day he entered the NCAA is often an overlooked aspect of his career.
#5 Justyn Knight (Syracuse ‘18)
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#12 Gabe Jennings (Stanford ‘02)
Justyn Knight had some incredibly underrated range during his time at Syracuse. The Canadian ran 3:36 (1500), 7:45 (3k), 13:17 (5k) and won the 2017 NCAA cross country national title. The Orange ace was always a factor when it came to NCAA Championship races. At the end of his career, Knight only acquired one title on the track (the 2018 indoor 5k), but he collected five other top three finishes on the track, as well as 2nd and 4th place finishes in cross country.
During his time in college, Knight finished 9th at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London. Along with athletes like Edward Cheserek, Justyn Knight is a name that immediately comes to mind when thinking of the mid-2010's NCAA distance running scene.
Stanford’s Gabe Jennings lit up the track in the early 2000's, making a name for himself by picking up multiple titles in the mile and 1500 meters. In 2000, Jennings took home the individual crown in the mile during indoors and then 1500 meter national title during outdoors. Later that summer, he won the US Olympic Trials to qualify for the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Jennings later took 2nd in the 2001 1500 meter final and was 3rd in the mile during indoors in 2002. Jennings ended his Stanford career with a collegiate personal best of 3:37 over 1500 meters, although he did run 3:35 out-of-season when he won the Olympic Trials.
#4 Robby Andrews (Virginia ‘11)
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#13 Chris O’Hare (Tulsa ‘13)
Even though Robby Andrews was only at Virginia for two years, he made an immediate impact. He won the 2010 indoor title in 1:48.39 and placed 2nd at the 2010 outdoor national meet running a 1:46.83, losing to 800/1500 double champion Andrew Wheating. After missing the 2011 indoor season, he went on to win the outdoor national title in 1:44.71 which is listed as one of the Ringer's classic sports moments. That time puts him at NCAA #8 All-Time in the outdoor 800 meters according to USTFCCCA. After only two years in the NCAA, Andrews chose to go pro after the 2011 season.
Chris O'Hare, a Scotland native, was a constant presence at the national meet in the mile and 1500 meters. He had up and down results in both events. In the mile, he placed 2nd in 2011, won in 2012 and was 7th in 2013. He found more trouble in the 1500 meters as things got more tactical at outdoor races, but he still walked away with an 11th place finish in 2011 and 12th in 2012. O’Hare left Tulsa with a PR of 3:37 in the 1500 meters and 3:52 in the mile. His indoor mile time puts at NCAA #3 all-time according to USTFCCCA.
#6 Jorge Torres (Colorado ‘03)
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#11 Josh McDougal (Liberty ‘08)
Jorge Torres was part of Colorado’s era of dominance in the early 2000's with a near-fairytale level cross country career. In 2000, Torres took 3rd at NCAA’s with Colorado taking 2nd as a team. In 2001, he improved to 2nd individually helping Colorado secure its first-ever men’s National Championship win. The following spring (2002), Torres took 2nd in the outdoor 5k to finish what was a very successful junior year. In 2002, it all came together for Torres as he won the individual cross country crown and broke the course record on the famed LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Josh McDougal is one of the best collegiate distance runners that you’ve probably never heard of. McDougal competed for Liberty University and made a name for the program in many ways. In 2007, he finished 3rd in the indoor 3k and later took 3rd in the outdoor 5k. Later that fall, McDougal outran the likes of Galen Rupp and Lopez Lomong to win the 2007 NCAA cross country title. Alongside this string of top finishes, McDougal ran 3:57 (mile), 13:20 (5k), and 28:27 (10k) in a Flames singlet. McDougal is not remembered as well today due to the fact that he did not have a long post-collegiate career due to injuries, but he was the best of the best while at Liberty.
#3 Kennedy Kithuka (Texas Tech ‘14)
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#14 Miles Batty (BYU '12)
Kennedy Kithuka may have had one of the most impressive winning streaks in NCAA history, winning his first 12 individual races, including the 2012 NCAA Cross Country Championships and the NCAA indoor 5000 meter title. In 2013’s cross country campaign, Kithuka returned to his winning ways, breaking the tape in his first eight races. This put his NCAA cross country win streak at 13, one of the longest in NCAA history.
Kithuka could not repeat his NCAA cross country title that year, earning runner-up honors to Cheserek. The 2014 outdoor track season did not bring any titles, but did deliver a personal best of 27:41 for the 10k. Kithuka ran 13:25 at the 2013 Indoor National Championships to earn what was his collegiate 5k PR.
Kithuka’s NCAA experience was limited to two years after spending two years in the NAIA. One of the greatest collegiate milers of this generation, Miles Batty set the bar for excellence in the middle of this era. The former BYU star originally set the collegiate national record in the mile back in 2012 when he ran 3:54.54. Since then, only three men have run faster than that mark (Chris O'Hare, Lawi Lalang and Edward Cheserek). He also sits at NCAA #8 All-Time in the outdoor 1500 meters with a collegiate best of 3:36.25.
Batty only secured one national title during his collegiate career, but his plethora of top finishes and underrated range (7:49 3k) puts him amongst the all-time greats.
#7 Lopez Lomong (Northern Arizona ‘07)
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#10 David McNeill (Northern Arizona ‘10)
Lopez Lomong reemerged as one of the hottest names in US track and field as well as on the world stage in 2019, but he was headlining the NCAA all the way back in 2007. That year, he won the NCAA title in the indoor 3k and later the 1500 meter national title during outdoors. He then took 3rd in cross country that fall, finishing behind legendary talents Josh McDougal and Galen Rupp. While at Northern Arizona University, Lomong amassed personal bests of 3:37 over 1500 meters and 7:49 for 3000 meters.
David McNeill, like Lopez Lomong, was a stud for Northern Arizona University before they were the team we know them as today. McNeill brought the Lumberjacks glory on the national stage multiple times, beginning with his 2nd place finish in the outdoor 5k in 2009. In the fall of 2009, he was the individual runner-up in cross country.
From there, McNeill skyrocketed to stardom by winning both the indoor and outdoor 5k national titles in 2010. While at NAU, McDougal ran 13:25 for 5k and an impressive 28:03 for 10k, which was a school record at the time.
#2 Andrew Wheating (Oregon '10)
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#15 Mason Ferlic (Michigan '16)
Andrew Wheating stood out in his career for the Oregon Ducks as a middle distance runner, but not just for his tall stature - he had a terrific career in the NCAA. He took home five national titles, including two in the 800 meters (2009-2010), one in the 1500 meters (2010) as well as two in the DMR (2009-2010). One of his more memorable moments was seeing him be a part of the electric 2010 Outdoor 1500 meter final that saw Oregon go 1-2-3, led by Wheating himself. In addition, he made the 2008 Olympic team while still in college. He had personal bests of 1:45.03 (800) and 3:37.52 (1500) while at Oregon.
Mason Ferlic was a very prevalent steeplechaser throughout his time at Michigan, culminating with a national title over the barriers back in 2016. He earned an additional two All-American honors in his career, with a 4th place steeplechase finish in 2014 as well as an 8th place finish on the DMR in 2016. His resume was highlighted an 8:27 steeplechase mark and a 13:37 5k.
