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PREDICTIONS: 2025 Boston College Eagle Elite Invitational

Writer: Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
Feb 12, 2025
5 min read

NOTE: Predictions are only for attached collegians listed in the entries. TSR is aware that an athlete could/will scratch out of certain events to pursue a more manageable weekend of racing. Even so, The Stride Report will offer predictions for each event as if every athlete in the distance fields will be completely fresh.

*An asterisk denotes that a collegian is also entered in another individual event.

Women’s 800 Meters

  1. Wilma Nielsen (Oregon) - 1:59

  2. Victoria Bossong (Harvard) - 2:00

  3. Taryn Parks (North Carolina)* - 2:04

  4. Nora Haugen (St. John's) - 2:04

  5. Ella Auderset (North Carolina) - 2:05


Analysis: Right now, Oregon's Wilma Nielsen is on an absolute tear. And after running 4:25 in the mile at the Millrose Games, we have good reason to believe that her elite form is the furthest thing from a fluke. That's a scary realization for someone who has previously told TSR that her primary event is the 800 meters.


Harvard's Victoria Bossong could absolutely emerge as the top collegian on Friday, although that would require her replicating her John Thomas Terrier Classic result. As for the rest of the collegians in this field, women like Taryn Parks, Nora Haugen and Ella Auderset have all shown promise in this event. However, showcasing promise and fully delivering on potential are two different things.


Men’s 800 Meters

  1. Samuel Rodman (Princeton) - 1:47

  2. Andrew Regnier (North Carolina) - 1:47

  3. Aiden Neal (North Carolina) - 1:48

  4. Alex Leath (Virginia) - 1:48

  5. Joe Sapone (North Carolina)* - 1:49


Analysis: This is admittedly a tricky race to offer predictions for.


On paper, guys like Samuel Rodman (Princeton) and Conor Murphy (Virginia) should be clear favorites. However, Rodman hasn't run faster than 1:48 over 800 meters in his last 15 attempts at that distance. Meanwhile, Murphy has two DNF results in the mile and a 1:54 (800) result on his resume this winter.


This field should be quick and competitive, but not overwhelmingly so, and I think that will benefit Rodman who has run 1:46-high for the half-mile distance before. UNC's Andrew Regnier could play spoiler given the subtle improvements that he has made this winter. He is a long-time veteran who may be due for a new PR.


I love the momentum that Aiden Neal has recently established and I think some people may forget how good Alex Leath was last spring despite being a freshman. Those two guys are high-upside x-factors to consider for Friday's race.


Women’s Mile

  1. Ceili McCabe (West Virginia) - 4:28

  2. Mena Scatchard (Princeton) - 4:30

  3. Julia Nielsen (Oregon) - 4:30

  4. Molly Hudson (Boston College) - 4:31

  5. Laura Nicholson (Toledo) - 4:32


Analysis: This women's mile field features a handful of highly accomplished pro runners who are going to make this a fast race. And out of all of the collegians who are entered in this field, Ceili McCabe's raw fitness alone could carry her to a sub-4:30 clocking.


But when it comes to the other collegians in this field -- Mena Scatchard (Princeton), Julia Nielsen (Oregon), Molly Hudson (Boston College) and Laura Nicholson (Toledo) -- it feels like at least one of those women are due for a breakout performance.


You could argue that Scatchard has been the better all-around middle distance runner of that group so far this season. However, it's hard not to think about how dangerous Julia Nielsen could be given the recent success that we've seen from her sister, Wilma.


Men’s Mile

  1. Steven Jackson (Boston College) - 3:53

  2. Benne Anderson (Syracuse) - 3:55

  3. Paul Specht (Wake Forest) - 3:56

  4. Jack Crull (Bradley) - 3:56

  5. JoJo Jourdon (Wake Forest) - 3:57


Analysis: This is exactly the type of field that Steven Jackson thrives in. He is very clearly one of the better names entered in this race and he is somewhat clearly the best collegiate miler. But at the same time, there are a handful of pro athletes who will not make this race slow.


And in my mind, that should all play into Jackson's favor come Friday.


Benne Anderson is someone who I am very high on. Not only did he find success over 1500 meters last spring, but he just ran 3:56 in the mile earlier this season. This is a field that should make him work, but he won't be completely out of his element.


The same can be said for most of the men found in our predictions, although JoJo Jourdon is admittedly a challenging name to gauge. He's been solid this winter, but his cross country campaign was very clearly better. He feels like a significant wild card going into Friday.


Women’s 3k

  1. Grace Hartman (NC State) - 8:50

  2. Brynn Brown (North Carolina) - 8:56

  3. Sarah Tait (West Virginia) - 8:57

  4. Hannah Gapes (NC State) - 8:59

  5. Mercy Kinyanjui (Toledo) - 9:02


Analysis: After a brilliant 5k performance a few weeks ago, Grace Hartman is seemingly primed for a big-time 3k mark. And given that a few of her former and current teammates are in this field (such as Sam Bush, Hannah Steelman and Hannah Gapes), this NC State star seems destined to earn a national qualifying mark over 3000 meters this Friday.


Brynn Brown and Sarah Tait are two women who I am incredibly high on for the 3000-meter distance. Both of those women have posted better-than-expected mile times this winter, but they are also known for their long distance prowess. In theory, that should lead to both of those women scoring fantastic PRs and dipping somewhat comfortably under the nine-minute barrier.


Men’s 3k

  1. Colton Sands (North Carolina) - 7:47

  2. Tadhg Donnelly (Iona) - 7:56

  3. Scott Fagan (Iona) - 7:57

  4. Caleb Lind (Bradley) - 8:01

  5. Patrick Mulryan (Boston College) - 8:04


Analysis: Despite his success over the last year, it feels like North Carolina's Colton Sands still hasn't gotten the credit that he deserves.


The 2024 cross country All-American posted a head-turning 5k PR of 13:27 back in December and he recently produced a 3:58 mile PR a couple of weeks ago. That combination of speed and endurance should make him a great candidate to dip under the 7:50 (3k) barrier this weekend.


However, it's hard to know how far under that mark he'll go as the rest of this field may not be able to push Sands in the latter stages of this race.


Women’s 5k

  • There is no women's 5k field at the BC Eagle Elite Invite.


Men’s 5k

  1. Gitch Hayes (North Carolina) - 13:59

  2. Jacob Laney (North Carolina) - 14:02

  3. Will Purnell (Boston College) - 14:03

  4. Theodor Schucht (Boston College) - 14:04

  5. Edward Sullivan (Boston College) - 14:09


Analysis: This is admittedly one of the lighter distance fields at the Eagle Elite Invite. In the men's 5k, the UNC duo of Gitch Hayes and Jacob Laney will aim to fend off a slew of Boston College men. That pack of Golden Eagles will almost certainly be gunning for a sub-14:10 (5k) and maybe even the 14-minute barrier as well.


Right now, based off of what I have seen from everyone, Gitch Hayes seems to be the most likely collegian to come out on top. A recent 4:07 mile PR and a respectable fall campaign suggest that he's due for a big 5k performance.

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