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Three Sentences Or Less: 2023 D1 NCAA Indoor Championships Men's 5k Preview
- Ryan Winkel
- Mar 4, 2023
- 5 min read
Written by Ryan Winkel, edits and additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin
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Our TSR writers were asked to produce three sentences or less of analysis on every entrant in every distance event for every division. We will be slowly rolling out these previews over the next week leading up to the indoor national meets. Stay tuned!
Predictions coming next week
The below list is ordered by seeding.
1. Dylan Jacobs (Tennessee)
A potential title favorite over 3000 meters with his 7:36 PR from the Millrose Games, the defending 10,000 meter champion from last spring is arguably an even bigger contender at a distance closer to his comfort zone (in this case, the 5k). Look for the Tennessee distance star to be one of the men who employs a hard pace up front to separate the pretenders from the contenders early-on.
2. Ky Robinson (Stanford)
Ky Robinson thrives in the longer distances, has some of the best racing IQ in the NCAA and may be viewed as the title favorite. This Stanford star is coming off of a 10th place finish from the 2022 NCAA XC Championships and an even more impressive 6th place finish at the Commonwealth Games over 10,000 meters last summer. That said, we must wonder: Will his racing load this winter, as well as his recent travel across the globe for the World XC Championships, catch up to Robinson?
3. Alex Maier (Oklahoma State)
A theme is building here as we see the top of the 5000 meter field filled with 10,000 meter studs. While many of us are likely expecting a mid-All-American finish on day two for Alex Maier over 3000 meters, one would expect him to be all-in for his first national title after coming agonizingly close to gold in the 10,000 meters last spring. He's also sneaky-good at finding the right position within the pack and he's a perfectly patient runner.
4. Drew Bosley (Northern Arizona)
Drew Bosley is a tale of two athletes. Despite never qualifying for an outdoor national meet, his 7:36 (3k) collegiate record earlier this winter, paired with his 13:13 (5k) mark in December, makes him a clear contender to take home the 5000 meter crown next weekend. The Northern Arizona superstar is unafraid to be aggressive at the front of these races, but it will be interesting to see if he takes a more conservative approach against this kind of field.
5. Nico Young (Northern Arizona)
It’s hard to believe that we’ve made it this far and haven’t mentioned Nico Young yet. Though a historic high school talent and a top cross country athlete (finishing 4th, 11th and 3rd in his first three cross country national meets), his somewhat recent 7:51 (3k) disappointment from the Millrose Games caused him to miss national qualification in that event. He hasn't looked super sharp this winter, but being the most naturally gifted distance athlete in this field gives him a shot at NCAA gold.
6. Casey Clinger (BYU)
Continuing the theme of cross country studs at the top of this field, Casey Clinger’s 7th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships from last fall, followed by his 13:17 (5k) effort back in December, shows us that he is fit enough for an All-American honor. His 3k win over the Stanford men earlier this season was also wildly encouraging. That said, his lack of racing during the latter-half of this winter (no individual races finished since February 11th) leaves us wondering what we should expect from this BYU standout.
7. Graham Blanks (Harvard)
The first man out from national qualification in the 3000 meters, Graham Blanks will be looking to go all-in at his preferred distance next weekend, the 5000 meters. His 13:18 (5k) personal best is hidden amongst a slew of 13:11 to 13:20 marks that came in the post-cross country 5k race at Boston University. A prodigious talent with a seemingly limitless ceiling, don’t be surprised if this Harvard distance ace thrives with a fast pace and maybe even scares the field for a top-three finish.
8. Parker Wolfe (North Carolina)
The Tar Heel star didn't qualify for the national meet over 3000 meters and he's not entered as one of North Carolina's DMR options. As a result, this 5k race is Parker Wolfe’s one chance at redemption following a highly underwhelming ACC Indoor Championship appearance (which had to do more with tactics/pacing than fitness). Look for Wolfe to take no chances after sustaining a handful of losses (in non-primary events) over the last month.
9. Barry Keane (Butler)
Barry Keane impressed us back in December, running 13:21 for 5000 meters and knocking off several upper-tier talents in the process (Isai Rodriguez, Carter Solomon, among others). A true veteran with extensive championship experience (six career appearances on the national stage), Keane is an under the radar choice for an All-American honor.
10. Charles Hicks (Stanford)
It’s admittedly a bit jarring to see the reigning individual cross country national champion listed at NCAA #11 over 5000 meters (13:22) and NCAA #22 over 3000 meters (7:47). Charles Hicks settled for a delayed start to his 2023 indoor track season, something that he also did last year. Could we see the same rise that he experienced last winter when he earned upper-half All-American honors despite a fairly underwhelming regular season?
11. Patrick Kiprop (Arkansas)
If you score the national meet simply based on the national leaderboard, then the Arkansas men are projected to take home the team title with 53 points. Patrick Kiprop has a history of being a fairly aggressive front-runner, meaning that his coaches theoretically COULD instruct him to run a more conservative race in order to secure a few extra points rather than go for the win and risk a blow up.
12. Isai Rodriguez (Oklahoma State)
A mainstay for the Cowboys on the grass, Isai Rodriguez hasn’t competed on the indoor oval since his 13:25 (5k) effort back in December. His 24th place finish at the USA XC Championships in late January wasn't ideal and it also leaves us a ton of questions. It will be interesting to see what his status is now that we are six weeks out from last competition.
13. Acer Iverson (Harvard)
Acer Iverson may not be viewed as the top distance guy on his own team, but he has the talent to outperform his NCAA #15 spot on the national leaderboard. With this being his first-ever indoor national meet, look for Iverson to work with teammate Graham Blanks as they try to score a couple of points for the Crimson. In theory, Iverson is just as talented as some of the men seeded above him.
14. Carter Solomon (Notre Dame)
The definition of a dark horse contender, Carter Solomon has had an incredible breakout year, most notably winning the ultra competitive ACC cross country individual crown last fall and placing 18th at the NCAA XC Championships. Solomon will need to harness the strength that we saw last fall to be a factor in this race, but at least we know that he's capable of running with the best of the best.
15. Joey Nokes (BYU)
Just qualifying for this meet is a huge deal for Joey Nokes who is making his national meet debut on the track. A contributing member to a powerhouse cross country program, Nokes has an opportunity to work with his teammate Clinger to prove himself amongst the nation's best. This has also been a huge breakout year for the Cougar distance runner who may be able to further tap into some still-unrecognized talent.
16. Devin Hart (Stanford)
Devin Hart is likely thankful for how the stars aligned in terms of national qualification. His 13:29 (5k) in late February catapulted him over several others sitting in the 13:30s range. The Stanford distance talent can be a little up-and-down at times, but he's never been more consistent this season and can be really dangerous when he catches fire.
