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Three Sentences Or Less: 2024 D2 NCAA Indoor Championship Men's 5k Preview
- Grace McLaughlin
- Mar 1, 2024
- 5 min read
Written by Grace McLaughlin, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin & Gavin Struve
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.
The below athletes are ordered by seeding (via qualifiers list)
Predictions coming next week!
1. Romain Legendre (Adams State)
It’s only natural that the NCAA D2 5k record holder is the top seed and the national title favorite in this event, but the chances of him actually winning said title depend on whether he can overcome the experience level of his competitors. Romain Legendre is extremely talented and has excelled in aggressively paced races this season from the mile up to the 5k. The Adams State star has proven that he has the speed and turnover for a kick finish, but taking a front-running approach might be his best bet at winning gold.
2. Loïc Scomparin (Colorado Mines)
Despite already being an established name, Loïc Scomparin has been pleasantly surprising this season while making a huge jump in his fitness and competitive prowess. His seed time makes him the clear favorite for silver, at least on paper, but Scomparin has the NCAA experience on the track that Legendre lacks. As such, Scomparin might be a more logical pick to win due to his more established tactical knowledge.
3. Simon Kelati (Western Colorado)
With an ideal balance of speed and stamina, Simon Kelati could be successful in a variety of race scenarios next weekend. The 2023 NCAA D2 XC Championship runner-up finisher is firing on all cylinders and has yet to give us a reason to doubt him. He has the experience, talent and momentum to repeat his 5k podium finish from last winter.
4. William Amponsah (West Texas A&M)
William Amponsah dominated on the grass this fall and ran away with the national title at the NCAA XC Championships. Translating his level of talent to a 5k on the track isn’t a perfect science, but Amponsah’s performances this season reflect the same competitive prowess and stamina that we saw in the fall. His seed time (13:40) might be far off of the new D2 record that Legendre holds (13:24), but if there is one thing that we know about Amponsah, it's that he's a proven winner.
5. Duncan Fuehne (Colorado Mines)
After placing 9th in this event at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships, Duncan Fuehne has since shaved 12 seconds off of his PR and has nabbed three more All-American honors. In recent months, an 11th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships, a new PR of 13:45 (5k) and a converted 7:59 (3k) performance indicate that Fuehne is ready to do something special next weekend. However, a more honest race (rather than a speed-based affair) would likely benefit this Colorado Mines star.
6. Dayton Brown (Adams State)
It’s taken some time for Dayton Brown to adapt since transferring to Adams State last winter. However, his recent 13:50 (5k) PR and a 7:57 (3k) conversion indicate that he may even be an improved runner from the man who placed 7th at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships while racing for Saginaw Valley State. Brown has clear momentum on his side heading into this race as a strong All-American candidate.
7. Kevin McDermott (Western Washington)
Kevin McDermott is an extremely solid competitor who has gained high-level experience over the years, culminating in what could be a dream season. The Viking ace made a jump in fitness this winter and has recorded significant personal bests in the mile, the 3k and the 5k. McDermott might not be the biggest name or run for a powerhouse school, but I would count on this underdog to be in the lead pack.
8. Josh Pierantoni (Colorado Christian)
An aerobic workhorse with loads of experience, Josh Pierantoni is back on the national stage after sitting out the fall months due to expired eligibility. The Cougar ace ran 13:57 (5k) in December and his seed time of 13:51 features a heavy altitude conversion. However, his most recent 5k performance at sea level -- a 14:22 mark -- was not on par with his effort from earlier this season, raising some questions heading into next weekend.
9. Matthew Storer (Colorado Christian)
Matthew Storer placed 5th in this event at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships and has racked up several impressive accolades over the past year. A runner-up finish in the 5k and a 4th place finish in the 10k on the outdoor oval, as well as a bronze medal at the NCAA XC Championships, are all no-joke credentials which suggest that Storer should, in theory, outperform his seeding.
10. Jan Lukas Becker (Mississippi College)
While Jan Lukas Becker is seeded at #10, he enters this race with considerably higher expectations given his bronze medal in this event last winter makes him the top returner. He’s run 13:54 (5k) twice this season and has a history of peaking perfectly for championship races, something that we saw with his 7th place finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships. While the level of competition this year is certainly higher, Becker has also gained fitness, experience and consistency.
11. Ryan Hartman (Augustana (SD))
After building momentum throughout the fall months and recording a 9th place finish at the 2023 cross country national meet, Ryan Hartman ran a huge indoor PR of 13:54 (5k) in early December to advance to this meet. But while he's an accomplished veteran in the midst of a strong academic year, Hartman has been relatively quiet for nearly three months now and lacks the same level of experience and success on the indoor oval that some of his competitors boast.
12. Hamza Chahid (Wingate)
Hamza Chahid is seeded 12th in this field, but the Wingate ace has a track record which suggests he is a legitimate title contender in this event. Chahid won national titles in the 3k and the DMR at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships and went on to earn silver over 1500 meters on the outdoor oval. His PR of 13:33 (5k) from last spring, coupled with a 4th place finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships, shows us that he has as much aerobic prowess as virtually any man in this field.
13. Enrico Oddone (West Texas A&M)
He hasn’t recorded many results on the indoor oval, but Enrico Oddone has shown steady progress this season and has momentum on his side. His 5k PR and seed time of 13:57 is impressive, and his recent PRs of 4:11 (mile) and 8:25 (3k) add to the argument that Oddone has made a clear jump in fitness and consistency. While he has newfound ability and momentum, lack of experience will be a barrier for Oddone to overcome.
14. Sam Wilhelm (Alabama-Huntsville)
Sam Wilhelm improved his 5k time from 14:19 in December to 13:57 in February while also running PRs of 4:08 (mile) and 8:08 (3k) this season. While this will be Wilhelm’s first national meet appearance on the track, he took the final All-American spot on the cross country course in the fall and is a great “sleeper pick” to do the same this winter. What Wilhelm lacks in experience and consistency, he makes up for in raw talent.
15. Paul Knight (Colorado Mines)
Although Paul Knight earned All-American honors on the grass and the outdoor oval in the-back half of 2023, it would take a near-perfect race for him to do the same next weekend after his 14:00 (5k) conversion narrowly qualified him for the indoor national meet. That being said, his runner-up finish at the RMAC Indoor Championships and an 8:02 (3k) conversion are promising. Knight is capable of exceeding his seed position based on his elite level of endurance.
16. Josphat Meli (Harding)
Josphat Meli ran impressive solo efforts of 14:00 (5k) and 8:00 (3k) in February, but there are a lot of unknowns about Harding’s newest star. Meli’s ability to compete at the championship level and his overall ceiling for success are two huge question marks. He could either achieve something truly shocking or finish close to his seed position, but this will provide great experience for the 26-year-old freshman either way.
