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Three Sentences Or Less: 2023 D1 NCAA Outdoor Championship Men's 3k Steeplechase Preview
- Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
- Jun 4, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 5, 2023
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Editor's Note: 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 leading up to the outdoor national meet. Stay tuned!
The below names are ordered by seeding (via qualifiers list)
1. Duncan Hamilton (Montana State)
One of two national title favorites in this event, Duncan Hamilton is coming off of a race where he ran an NCAA #2 all-time mark of 8:16 in the steeplechase. Admittedly, that result didn't dramatically change our opinion of this aggressive front-runner, but if anyone can outrun (or at the very least, hold off) Kenneth Rooks, then it's him.
2. Kenneth Rooks (BYU)
Earlier this season, Kenneth Rooks dominated two steeplechase fields, running 8:33 and 8:31 in his first two efforts. But then the BYU star dropped an insane 8:17 steeplechase PR to defeat a loaded pro field and secure (at the time) the NCAA #2 all-time mark in the event (he now sits at NCAA #3 all-time). However, what makes Rooks so dangerous (and a clear national title favorite) is his incredible closing strength where he dominates the final lap of almost every steeple race he's been in.
3. Matthew Wilkinson (Minnesota)
Lost in the craziness of Kenneth Rooks and Duncan Hamilton has been the quiet success of Matthew Wilkinson. The Minnesota star has been incredibly consistent this season and he has yet to have a bad race, posting times of 8:29 and 8:26 in the steeplechase while thriving over 5000 meters. The Golden Gopher ace feels like an All-American lock and a very heavy favorite to finish among the top-four.
4. Victor Kibiego (UTEP)
UTEP's redshirt freshman has been quietly strong since the fall, although his fitness has clearly reached a new level this spring. Victor Kipiego dropped an 8:41 steeplechase mark back in March and has put together a nice string of results since then. But after running 8:26 over the barriers at the West Regional Championships, we have to wonder if Kipiego's youth-based upside or his inexperience will win out on the national stage.
5. Victor Shitsama (Oklahoma State)
After showing signs of being a nationally competitive steeplechaser last spring, Victor Shitsama has leaned into this event, making it his primary discipline in 2023. The Oklahoma State talent has only contested four meets this spring, all of which have been over barriers, and he has produced times anywhere from 8:30 to 8:40. For the most part, Shitsama has risen to the occasion every time that he has toed the line this season and we don't expect that to change in Austin, Texas.
6. Rob McManus (Montana State)
Rob McManus was having a nice season prior to the West Regional Championships, but an 8:42 mark in the steeplechase was only going to take him so far. But then the redshirt freshman ran 8:31 over the barriers to qualify for the national meet. Admittedly, his youth and inexperience do leave me with concerns, but with two other teammates in this field, there could be some tactics that get McManus into the finals.
7. Ed Trippas (Washington)
The Aussie steeplechase star who left Princeton to join Washington as a graduate transfer has yet to match (or come anywhere close) to his 8:19 PR or his 2022 seasonal best of 8:20. However, few men in the NCAA are better at peaking for this event than Trippas who was an Olympian over the barriers in the summer of 2021. On paper, he is following the exact same trajectory as he did last year when he eventually placed 5th on the national stage en route to that aforementioned mark of 8:20.
8. Awet Yohannes (New Mexico)
This Lobo distance talent is a completely different (and better) runner when you have him racing over barriers and water pits. Awet Yohannes has gone from 8:45 to 8:43 to 8:33 in the steeplechase this spring, showing highly encouraging progression. But after making a significant jump in his personal best the other week, does this New Mexico standout still have more upside to utilize on the national stage?
9. Levi Taylor (Montana State)
The breakout steeplechase star from last spring was able to snag a national qualifying spot yet again in 2023, this time running a seasonal best of 8:33 at the West Regional Championships. Levi Taylor has been plenty solid this spring in the steeplechase, but he doesn't seem to have the same edge that he showed last year. However, with an 8:27 personal best from 2022 and a promising effort from just the other week, Taylor seems to have another tier of fitness that he can still hit in Austin, Texas.
10. Alex Slenning (Oregon)
One of the more elder distance runners in the NCAA used to be a competitive steeplechaser at the University of Washington, but his 2023 postseason with the Ducks has easily been his best. Alex Slenning ran 8:44 over the barriers to secure bronze at the PAC-12 Championships and then ran 8:34 in the steeplechase to qualify for the national meet. This Oregon runner is clearly peaking at the right time, but never being on this stage before makes him a bit of a wild card.
11. Peter Herold (UCLA)
I've always been a big fan of Peter Herold who has held nationally competitive potential for the last few seasons. This spring, he has slowly cut down on his steeplechase PR to a mark of 8:35 at the West Regional Championships. And after running 13:37 for 5000 meters on the indoor oval, Herold's recent steeplechase PR seems to hold more validity in comparison to other men in this field who also made big (and sudden) improvements.
12. Nathan Mountain (Virginia)
With the possible exception of Kenneth Rooks, I don't think anyone in this field has made the steeplechase look as easy as Nathan Mountain has. This is someone who ran 8:34 over the barriers earlier this spring, won an ACC title in the event (via an 8:32 PR) and had the fastest steeplechase time at the East Regional Championships (8:37). With a 3:39 personal best over 1500 meters, this Virginia ace seems due to have a monstrous performance in Austin, Texas later this week.
13. Abdelhakim Abouzouhir (Eastern Kentucky)
This Eastern Kentucky standout has been the definition of consistency this season in the steeplechase. Abdelhakim Abouzouhir has run 8:36, 8:37 and 8:37 in his three attempts over the barriers and water pits this spring. But with an 8:32 PR, which came prior to his NCAA introduction, this Moroccan distance talent could be far more dangerous than some people realize.
14. Carson Williams (Furman)
Carson Williams has been very consistent this spring and he nearly matched his 8:37 PR in the steeplechase with an 8:38 mark from the other week. After a very strong indoor track season, Williams seems due to run a new PR or, at the very least, become more nationally competitive in this event.
15. Bronson Winter (Weber State)
Given that Bronson Winter contested two steeplechase races at altitude prior to his 8:38 PR at the West Regional Championships, it's hard to get a gauge on him going into the national meet. That said, this Weber State talent did run 1:49 for 800 meters, a rare display of speed for a steeplechaser. If the humidity and heat in Texas force this race to turn tactical, then could Winter end up having a greater role than we expect?
16. Ahmed Kadri (Eastern Kentucky)
This Eastern Kentucky runner shockingly qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in both the 800 meters and the steeplechase this year. The steeplechase (prelims) is the first event that he'll contest on Wednesday, but how much will the 800 meter prelims affect Ahmed Kadri come Friday if he qualifies for the finals? Regardless, his turnover, much like Bronson Winter, could come in handy for a tactical scenario.
17. Charles Harders (Miami (OH))
Sure, Charles Harders may not have the flashiest resume compared to a few others, but he has been so darn consistent this spring, going 8:43, 8:43, 8:53 and 8:40 in the steeplechase. While I'm not sure what his ceiling is for this week, I do feel comfortable saying that he has a relatively high floor.
18. Parker Stokes (Georgetown)
Last year, Parker Stokes stunned the country at the NCAA Outdoor Championships by charging down the final straightaway of the men's steeplechase alongside Ahmed Jaziri and Duncan Hamilton. With a personal best of 8:18 in this event, Stokes was expected to be a major factor over the barriers in 2023. And while the Georgetown ace has been good this year (running as fast as 8:34 this season), he doesn't seem to hold the same over-the-top firepower that he has shown in previous outdoor track campaigns.
19. Derek Johnson (Virginia)
If you're looking for a dark horse All-American pick in the steeplechase, then you may want to consider Derek Johnson. The Virginia distance talent ran 13:39 for 5000 meters this past winter, a great time which complements his seasonal steeplechase marks of 8:38 and 8:33. Johnson was a 7th place All-American in this event back in 2021 (where he ran his 8:32 PR), but when comparing seasons, this Cavalier ace has been better this spring than he was two years ago.
20. Pedro Garcia-Palencia (Eastern Kentucky)
With a handful of steeplechase marks in the mid-to-low 8:40s this season, Pedro Garcia-Palencia is going to need a fairly significant performance in order for him to advance to the finals. But unlike a few other men, we at least know what we're going to get from this Spanish steeplechaser. He has been more consistent than a handful of other men who just ran massive (and unexpected) personal bests in this event.
21. Zach Jaeger (Georgia Tech)
There is no denying that Zach Jaeger is talented, something that he proved by running 8:40 in the steeplechase at the Penn Relays to upset Tom Seitzer and Kevin Robertson. But then the Georgia Tech runner faded hard at the ACC Championships, settling for 11th place. And after only snagging the final national qualifying spot in the East region, Jaeger feels like a massive wild card who holds a wide range of outcomes.
22. Kevin Robertson (Syracuse)
In what has been a significant breakout season for Kevin Robertson, the Syracuse ace has proven to be fairly reliable, running 8:37 in the steeplechase twice this spring and not running any slower than 8:47 (which came at the tactical East Regional Championships). I don't see Robertson having a poor performance on the national stage, but he's probably a year away from contending for an All-American honor.
23. Marshall Williamson (North Carolina)
With a steeplechase personal best of 8:45.99, which is the slowest PR in the field by a good margin, it's admittedly going to be hard for Marshall Williamson to have a significant role during Wednesday's preliminary round. But with nothing to lose, don't be surprised if this Tar Heel talent attempts to be more aggressive as he looks to give himself a shot at being competitive.
24. Tom Seitzer (Notre Dame)
Don't be fooled by his seed, Tom Seitzer is a legitimate All-American threat, and maybe even an All-American favorite. The Notre Dame runner, in my mind, may be the best pure steeplechaser in this field who isn't a national title contender. Between his consistency, experience, ongoing progression, excellent positioning and 8:34 PR in the event, Seitzer has everything he needs to make the finals and upset a few names.
