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Three Sentences Or Less: 2023 D2 NCAA Indoor Championship Men's 5k Preview
- Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
- Mar 9, 2023
- 4 min read
Written by Garrett Zatlin
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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 indoor national meets. Stay tuned!
The below list is ordered by seeding.
1. Dillon Powell (Colorado Mines)
On paper, no one should be able to touch Dillon Powell. The aerobic-based front-runner isn't afraid to set a fast pace and he should be able to pull away from this field from pretty far out. A tactical scenario would not at all favor Powell (as we've seen in the past), but the Colorado Mines star is also at a completely different level this year compared to last winter.
2. Awet Beraki (Adams State)
When he's at his best, Awet Beraki is maybe the only guy who can give Powell a challenge in an honest race. However, a not-so-great showing at the RMAC Indoor Championships over 3000 meters leaves us curious as to where exactly his fitness is at.
3. Afewerki Zeru (UC-Colorado Springs)
He may be the third seed in this field, but Afewerki Zeru hasn't quite been the same ever since sustaining an injury following the Houston Half-Marathon. However, he has put together some respectable 3k performances recently and his history of success in the postseason is impossible to ignore. He may still be rebounding towards that "title contender" status, but his quietly-great racing IQ makes him a strong All-American candidate.
4. Jan Lukas Becker (Mississippi College)
Few men have built the momentum that Jan Lukas Becker has over the last month and a half. Personal bests of 7:58 (3k) and 13:47 (5k), as well as two Gulf South titles, suggest that he is peaking perfectly right now. Sure, Becker has been great in previous seasons, but he has never looked quite this sharp.
5. Cole Nash (Alaska Anchorage)
A true aerobic-based distance star, the 5000 meters is Cole Nash's best event on the indoor oval. An honest race would likely be preferred from the Alaska Anchorage runner who doesn't have the proven turnover for a sit-and-kick battle.
6. Zach Kreft (Walsh)
An all-around ace with the ability to thrive in most race situations, Zach Kreft could realistically earn NCAA gold if Dillon Powell is (for some reason) unable to get enough separation late in this 5k race. His only loss to a D2 distance talent this season was Tanner Chada (back in December). Given his experience at the D1 level and clear fitness refinement since December, this Walsh ace could be a far greater contender than some realize.
7. Simon Kelati (Western Colorado)
According to TFRRS, Western Colorado's Simon Kelati has raced once this season...but he's still in this field. His 13:52 (5k) conversion from December was super impressive, but how on Earth do you gauge/analyze a guy who hasn't raced in three months?
8. Matthew Storer (Colorado Christian)
He's only raced three times this season, but you have to commend Matthew Storer on his consistency. The Colorado Christian ace has held his own at both altitude and sea level this year. However, we're still trying to learn a bit more about his racing style.
9. Clement Duigou (Adams State)
Few men in D2 have been as steady and as reliable as Clement Duigou has been this winter. He doesn't necessarily have the (proven) firepower this season to be a top-three finisher in this race, but it feels more likely than not that he'll be an All-American.
10. Mitchell Dervin (Adams State)
The Adams State veteran has quietly assembled a string of solid performances over the last year, showcasing respectable range via his 3:49 (1500) PR and recent 13:58 (5k) PR. We've never seen him on the D2 national stage before or in this kind of championship setting, but there's enough talent there for him to threaten for a top-eight spot.
11. Duncan Fuehne (Colorado Mines)
There is likely no latter-half seed in any of these distance fields more dangerous than Duncan Fuehne. The bronze medalist from the 2022 NCAA XC Championships has only raced twice this season, most recently posting a 13:58 (5k) PR at Boston University. But given his experience and his understanding of how teammate Dillon Powell will approach this race, Fuehne seems like a great pick for an All-American honor.
12. Matthew Fowler (Lee (Tenn.))
Back-to-back personal bests, the first in the 3k and the second coming in the 5k, over the last couple of weeks suggest that Matthew Fowler is peaking at the perfect time. He's been fairly consistent this year, but does he have enough raw talent to keep up with a pace that should be fairly hot?
13. Joao Pereira (Charleston (WV))
Much like Simon Kelati, we have only seen Joao Pereira race once this winter...and it came back in December. His 14:05 (5k) mark at Grand Valley State was a solid result, but without any other results since then, it's hard to have any expectations (good or bad) for this Charleston distance talent.
14. Evan Leist (Cedarville)
It's clear that Evan Leist is talented and clearly at his best in the longer distances, specifically the 5000 meters. We don't always know what we're going to get from him, but with nothing to lose, watch for this Cedarville senior to take some chances.
15. Erick Ramirez (Catawba)
The last three individual races that Erick Ramirez has toed the line for have all ended in new personal bests, especially the 5k. Momentum is clearly on the side of this Catawba distance runner, but even if he does make another jump this weekend, will that be enough for him to have an impact on this race?
16. Henry Klitzke (Augustana (SD))
This Augustana distance ace is undefeated in his four races this season. Admittedly, he doesn't race in the RMAC and hasn't traveled to Boston University, but he has taken down a handful of really solid names. It doesn't seem like he's been fully pushed yet, leaving us to wonder what his ceiling is in a field that will surely bring out the best in him.
