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One Sentence Previews: 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships Men's 3k Steeple (D1)

  • Writer: Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
    Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
  • Jun 4, 2022
  • 5 min read



NOTE: Athletes are listed in the order that they are shown on the official qualifiers list.

1. Matthew Wilkinson (Minnesota)

The former D3 star has shown absolutely incredible strength this spring and has shattered expectations, peaking in his recent championship meets and forcing us to reevaluate if Wilkinson has a legitimate chance of contending for the national title next weekend.


2. Ryan Smeeton (Oklahoma State)

Smeeton is the most experienced, well-rounded, consistent and reliable steeplechaser in this field, giving him all of the necessary tools to emerge as a true national title favorite after finishing 3rd at last year's outdoor national meet.


3. Alec Basten (Minnesota)

The silver medalist from last year's steeplechase field, very few men in the NCAA have been able to consistently peak in the postseason better than Basten has and from the looks of it, he seems primed to peak once again after strong conference and regional showings.


4. Ed Trippas (Princeton)

No one in this field has more upside than Trippas, the Princeton superstar who has not only run 8:30 this year, but also ran 8:19 last summer and was an Olympian in the steeplechase, making him a legitimate title favorite if he's truly in peak form.


5. Duncan Hamilton (Montana State)

Hamilton has been incredible in nearly every distance event this year, running 3:39 (1500), 13:30 (5k) and a jaw-dropping time of 8:26 (steeplechase), all of which gives him the best wholistic resume of any runner in this field this season.


6. Kenneth Rooks (BYU)

This spring, Rooks has secured three wins in the steeplechase and has run sub-8:35 three times, arguably making him the most reliable name in this field when it comes to predicting All-American candidates.


7. Ahmed Jaziri (Eastern Kentucky)

Jaziri has shown that he can be an elite-level superstar talent for a while now, but he finally delivered on those expectations when he ran 8:24 at Payton Jordan, solidifying the idea that he may have more raw talent and firepower than anyone in this field.


8. Garrett Marsing (BYU)

It's admittedly been a very unexciting and underwhelming season for Marsing, but he changed that at his regional meet when he ran 8:36, forcing us to question whether or not he's now the same consistent All-American star that he was last year.


9. Estanis Ruiz (Loyola Marymount)

Ruiz has been the biggest breakout star in the men's steeplechase this year and he has validated his talent on multiple occasions, but how much of a role will his championship inexperience play in this national meet field?


10. Levi Taylor (Montana State)

The Montana State men have been fantastic this year and Taylor has been super consistent, and although it will take quite a bit for Taylor to earn All-American honors, he also feels like a somewhat safe bet to not have a poor showing.


11. Parker Stokes (Georgetown)

Stokes may be the most underappreciated runner in this field, boasting successful national meet experience, top marks and wins over elite talents, including El Hocine Bouchrak, Ahmed Jaziri, Ben Fleming, Carson Williams and many others.


12. Carson Williams (Furman)

You're not going to find too many men in the NCAA who have peaked in the latter-half of the season and have then sustained that peak better than Williams, a Furman ace who could surprise a lot of people who only glanced through the entries.


13. Colton Johnsen (Washington State)

When looking at the entirety of one's career, Johnsen is probably the most versatile runner in this field and he's been super consistent this year, although some of his past national meet performances have left us wanting more.


14. Ahmed Kadri (Eastern Kentucky)

Teammate Ahmed Jaziri may be the main star of this field, but Eastern Kentucky is one of the best steeplechase programs in the NCAA and Kadri has seen HUGE progression this season, potentially making him one of the runners with the highest momentum in this field.


15. Alexander Korczynski (Northeastern)

Korczynski is a steady and reliable name who has been on the fringe of being truly nationally competitive for a while, but after running an 8:39 PR and boasting some of the better middle distance speed in this field, he could surprise a few people next weekend.


16. Bennett Pascoe (Arkansas State)

The breakout star from last year didn't deliver on All-American expectations in 2021, but if he returns to his peak fitness -- which we didn't see until the steeplechase prelims of last year's national meet -- then Pascoe has a realistic shot of finishing in the top-eight.


17. Yasin Sado (Virginia)

Maybe one of the more underappreciated and underrated names in this field, Sado has been incredibly consistent during his breakout season, often earning wins, top finishes and fast times against some of the best names in the country -- all of which gives him a resume that prepares him incredibly well for the postseason.


18. Bryce Lentz (Air Force)

Lentz ran 8:49, 8:47, 8:49, 8:40 and 8:39 in the steeplechase this spring, giving him a lethal mix of progression, consistency and momentum, something that he also showed in other races like the 5000 meters.


19. Adam Bunker (Utah Valley)

Much like Lentz, Bunker has gone from 8:48 to 8:44 to 8:44 to 8:40 this spring, and although he has finished behind a handful of strong steeplechasers leading into this national meet, Bunker's youth theoretically gives him tons of upside in this field.


20. Ben Garner (Samford)

If you believe in postseason peaks, then it shouldn't have come as any surprise that Garner advanced to the national meet, although admittedly, he hasn't necessarily faced the most elite steeplechase competition this spring outside of the East Regional Championships.


21. Benjamin Nibbelink (Virginia Tech)

Nibbelink never struck me as a steeplechaser, but his quick rise in the event over the last few weeks makes him an interesting name to watch given his unique middle distance prowess.


22. Ben Fleming (Virginia Tech)

Much like teammate Ben Nibbelink, Fleming didn't necessarily strike me as a steeplechaser, but his monster time of 8:31 to win the ACC title over Yasin Sado was wildly impressive, so much so that we're not entirely sure what category Fleming fits into when looking at this field.


23. Christian Hubaker (Michigan)

He hasn't run under 8:40 this spring, but Hubaker ran 8:39 last year and was a national qualifier in 2021, making him a steady, consistent, reliable veteran who just needs to take that next step upwards in his fitness to advance to the finals.


24. Tom Seitzer (Notre Dame)

Seitzer has run back-to-back-to-back steeplechase races this spring and has improved in all of them, although those are the only three races that he has contested this season, leaving us with limited recent results to analyze on Seitzer's resume going into the national meet.


Final Predictions:

  1. Ahmed Jaziri (Eastern Kentucky)

  2. Ryan Smeeton (Oklahoma State)

  3. Duncan Hamilton (Montana State)

  4. Parker Stokes (Georgetown)

  5. Matthew Wilkinson (Minnesota)

  6. Ed Trippas (Princeton)

  7. Yasin Sado (Virginia)

  8. Kenneth Rooks (BYU)

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