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Three Sentences Or Less: 2023 D1 NCAA Indoor Championships Men's Mile Preview
- Gavin Struve
- Mar 5, 2023
- 4 min read
Written by Gavin Struve, 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. Anass Essayi (South Carolina)
Still a relative unknown entering this winter, the Morocco native may be indomitable at his best, as evidenced by a near-NCAA mile record of 3:50. He has a chance to etch his name further into the NCAA history books with a title to back up his elite times.
2. Joe Waskom (Washington)
Few collegiate men have been able to blend the firepower and tactical awareness that Joe Waskom has shown, a combination that would surely be lethal in a less historically fast mile field. Regardless, those racing aspects could guide this pure miler to a second national title.
3. Brian Fay (Washington)
It was admittedly a surprise to see Brian Fay opt to contest the mile on the national stage. Of course, he’ll hardly be out of place with his virtually unparalleled blend of speed and strength which allow him to take home his fifth All-American honor in as many seasons.
4. Nathan Green (Washington)
A former top recruit, Nathan Green has exceeded any reasonable expectations with a rapid ascendance to the NCAA’s elite tier. Boasting two mile races under 3:54 this season, as well as a surprisingly quick 1:46.99 (800) effort, he’ll be a dark horse candidate to win this thing outright.
5. Luke Houser (Washington)
An underrated cog of a powerhouse program, it appears Luke Houser has found his optimal distance. A strong cross country history implied that the Washington native may lean toward the longer distances on the track, but a 3:52 mile more than backs up an All-American 1500 meter finish from last spring's outdoor national meet.
6. Aidan Ryan (Washington)
Aidan Ryan waited until the last possible minute to earn his national qualifying mark, but when he did, he made sure he was safely in the field. A 3:53 mile time chops three seconds off of his personal best and six seconds off of his seasonal best. He could be potent when paired with his Division Three title pedigree, although that recent mile PR is admittedly an outlier compared to the rest of his resume.
7. Thomas Vanoppen (Wake Forest)
Regarded as one of the NCAA’s most astute tacticians, Thomas Vanoppen now has the on-paper marks to back up his intangibles, running a 3:54 mile PR back in January. He may be as safe an All-American pick as any, although his recent showing at the ACC Indoor Championships wasn't ideal.
8. Isaac Basten (Drake)
One of the more experienced men in this mile field, Isaac Basten employs one of the most imposing kicks in the nation. Don’t be surprised if he comes out on top should he time his final move perfectly.
9. Ronan McMahon-Staggs (UCLA)
Among 2023’s early breakout stars, Ronan McMahon-Staggs looks to be Coach Sean Brosnan’s first elite distance runner among the UCLA men. With continued momentum, this 3:54 miler could suddenly see himself as an All-American next weekend if he continues to follow his ongoing string of personal bests.
10. Conor Murphy (Virginia)
Conor Murphy is equally adept at the mile and the 800 meters and has only raced the former event once this season. Still, it would be a fool’s errand to discount him with the consistent vigor and improvement that he’s displayed across events. In theory, he could be really dangerous in a tactical race.
11. Elliott Cook (Oregon)
With a resume eerily similar to Murphy, Elliott Cook’s ascendance could have been foreseen from a mile away (no pun intended). The next step would be making a national final, and thus earning All-American honors. His 800 meter speed will almost certainly make him a factor in the final moments of these rounds.
12. Aaron Ahl (Washington)
Aaron Ahl, a former Division Two stalwart, should be more than at home with a treasure chest of national meet experience across multiple events. One could raise the point that Ahl’s recent national-qualifying mile time was the outlier in a somewhat modest season, but perhaps that just means that he’s rounding into form at the perfect time.
13. Adam Spencer (Wisconsin)
An Aussie distance ace, Adam Spencer boasts an underrated blend of strategy and outright stamina. The two-time BIG 10 champion could surely become a two-time All-American in Albuquerque. He feels like a dark horse contender if this race plays out as a tactical battle.
14. Isaiah Givens (Colorado)
Isaiah Givens has proven to be an immensely fast learner in his first year with the Buffaloes, bringing a rare combination of freshman stardom and middle distance focus to Colorado. It will, however, be interesting to see if his youth-based upside counters his inexperience.
15. Nick Foster (Michigan)
Nick Foster has made gradual year-over-year improvements to emerge as one of the BIG 10's most versatile distance runners. However, we don’t exactly know what to expect from Foster in his first national meet appearance as an individual. Nonetheless, it would hardly be surprising if the senior puts it all together in one of his first real attempts at individual glory given his adaptability and comfort with a variety of racing styles.
16. Matthew Rizzo (Georgetown)
One of the purest milers in this field, Matthew Rizzo will be making his first NCAA Championship appearance, but it shouldn’t be the former prep star’s last. He certainly has the juice to compete with the big boys, but we’re not sure how the Hoya ace will fare at altitude, particularly if the pace is hot from the start.
