.png)
TSR's 2022-23 D1 Freshman Class Rankings: #10-9-8 (Men)
Written by Gavin Struve, additional commentary and edits by Garrett Zatlin
D2 and D3 freshman class rankings are coming next week!
Despite our research, it is possible that certain names have been erroneously omitted.
Did we miss someone? If so, send us an email at contact@thestridereport.com & let us know!
10. Missouri Tigers
NOTE: Italian star Alessandro Lotta is listed as a freshman on Missouri's roster, but is shown as a junior on TFRRS this past fall. For that reason, we have opted to omit Lotta when crafting our freshman class rankings.
Missouri isn’t traditionally a program one would associate with distance dominance. But the Tigers could be set up for just that with this standout rookie class, especially in the SEC which looks more open than usual with Arkansas reloading and Ole Miss rebuilding.
The Tigers brought in a class that was already surprisingly strong when taking into account only their domestic-based recruits. But a key international addition have made this already-strong class one of the best in the entire NCAA.
Drew Rogers is the baseline of this class and perhaps had a hand in putting together a memorable group for the Tigers. He’s likely familiar with the program after growing up in the neighboring state of Illinois. He chose Missouri in the summer heading into his senior year after a breakout junior campaign.
During the 2020-21 academic year, Rogers won a state title, finished 10th at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions, won two more individual state titles on the track and then finished runner-up at the HOKA Festival of Miles’ premier high school event.
That is a wildly impressive (and extensive) resume.
The Illinois native also boasts personal bests of 4:08 (mile) and 8:57 (3200), making him the type of regional recruit that Mizzou traditionally doesn’t land.
But the Tigers enjoyed further recruiting success out of Illinois, pulling in Sandburg High School graduate Declan Tunney who was competitive at the highest levels in the state, placing 5th at his 3A cross country state meet.
Tunney also thrived regionally (placing 7th at the NXR Midwest Championships) and was just as smooth on the track with personal bests of 4:09 (1600) and 9:07 (3200).
Rounding out the Tigers’ prairie state haul was Colby Revord who profiles as more a mile specialist with a strong 4:08 (1600) mark. They also added Ryder James who may be best on the grass, as evidenced by a 15:01 (5k) personal best. He secured that time en route to a state title last fall over his now-teammate Drew Rogers.
And if you're beating Rogers to win state gold, then you're doing something right.
Of course, Mizzou didn’t neglect its in-state pool either, as it added a few local signees.
Breakout track star Tyler Freiner ran 4:11 (1600) and 9:02 (3200) last spring. Andrew Smock’s most impressive mark is 4:13 (1600), but he’s also capable of contributing in the longer distances. Similarly, Luke Voelker is also at his best in the 5000 meters.
Ethan Lee had a fairly decorated prep career, locally. He has a skill set that spans from the 800 meters (where he ran 1:53) to the cross country course (where he has run 14:59).
It’s a good bet that at least one of those Missouri mainstays finds their way into the Tigers' cross country lineup early on. And in our eyes, they may be capable of doing more than just cracking Missouri's top-seven -- they could be legitimately competitive scorers.
But for as solid as this class looks as is, the gravy of the freshman group comes by way of an international infusion.
Lewis Hainey of Great Britain provides an upper-tier half-mile specialist with 1:50 (800) chops, making him capable of an instant impact even amidst high-level Division One competition. He is a massive addition for a Missouri team that will soon be without 1:47 man and national qualifier, Christopher Conrad.
The 19-year old standout couldn't have joined this roster at a better time. While he gets accustomed to the NCAA scene, he'll be able to learn and grow behind Conrad before the veteran finishes his eligibility.
And by that point, Hainey could be ready to take on the top-ranks of the SEC.
A large class gives Missouri a strong baseline for future success, especially with a hoard of local and regional recruits. Hainey can also afford them some extra upside and perhaps faster relevance.
This class leans more on the track than they do on the grass, but that’s hardly a concern given that the oval makes up two of the three seasons in collegiate distance running. It’s arguably easier to improve strength for cross country than it is to teach speed.
Mizzou needs their youth to translate their success to the NCAA level, but this program is one large step closer to competing with the Razorbacks, Rebels, Volunteers and Crimson Tide for SEC supremacy.
9. BYU Cougars
NOTE: Some of the athletes mentioned below are not currently listed on BYU's roster. However, many BYU commits often pursue missions prior to joining the collegiate ranks. As a result, we have opted to rank BYU based on their commitments from the Class of 2022, not just the freshmen who are currently listed on their roster.
Unbeknownst to many, BYU is at the precipice of a pivotal point in its program’s future.
At the start of the next academic year, the Cougars are moving to the BIG 12, a product of football-driven conference realignment. That means they’ll bring their powerhouse distance running teams to a much more challenging locale, one further from home.
Luckily, another strong recruiting class should help them make a more seamless transition to the Power Five or high-major conference if you will. This six-man class, all from the American west, could provide the crux of the group that helps the Cougars transition to their new conference, depending on potential mission trip timelines.
Isaac Teeples, a Washington product, provides a superstar centerpiece for the Cougars’ 2022-23 freshman class. This is a dependable, high-ceiling runner with marks of 1:52 (800), 4:05 (mile), 8:51 (3200) and 14:23 (5k). Those are seemingly congruent marks on the oval and he’s a true three-season threat with seemingly endless capabilities.
Teeples could become a rare middle distance stud in Provo, à la Lucas Bons and Sebastian Fernandez, or become a key cog in BYU’s distance conglomerate. His cross country results -- being a state champion, the NXR Northwest runner-up and 10th place finisher at RunningLane -- point to the latter capability.
The best bet is that Teeples is something in between those two ends of the distance running spectrum -- a threat from the mile all the way up to the cross country course. Think Casey Clinger but with more foot-speed.
Although, admittedly, that feels like an unfair expectation to place on a freshman.
Joining Teeples are a trio of in-state additions. Nathan Jaster has the most cross country-centric resume of the bunch, having placed 3rd at the 2020 RunningLane XC National Championships as a junior. However, he also holds a strong 4:14 (1600) personal best.
The tactical savvy suggested by his national meet experience and results, along with a couple of state titles, gives Jaster an early edge on his contemporaries as he attempts to eventually crack BYU’s varsity lineup.
Fellow rookie Jefferson McMullin has similar national meet experience and range as the two aforementioned recruits. He won the NXR Southwest Championships and placed top-20 at the 2021 Eastbay national meet.
Marks of 1:55 (800), 4:13 (1600) and 9:03 (3200) point to some distance-oriented track versatility. McMullin also feels like a late-riser who has star potential with further refinement.
We then come to Jayden Fitzgerald who raced at the RunningLane XC Championships twice himself and has a sterling 5000 meter personal best of 14:34 on the track, fitting the aerobic-based ethos in Provo, Utah.
On paper, he probably fits the distance-first identity of BYU better than his fellow freshman teammates.
Meanwhile, Gabe Parham brings a middle distance focus from Arizona after running 1:52 (800) and 4:13 (1600) in the prep ranks. But he could also be just good enough on the grass to contribute there as well.
Regardless, Parham feels like a great addition who could grow alongside half-mile star Sebastian Fernandez over the next few years. And given that the Cougars are venturing to the BIG 12, a conference that features middle distance powerhouse Iowa State, they'll likely take any help that they can get in the 800 meters.
We then wrap up with Land Lambert, another harrier who should have an impact on the grass.
The Colorado native placed 4th at NXR Southwest Championships and then 50th at the RunningLane XC National Championships. Personal bests of 14:50 (5k) and 9:10 (3200) should fit in nicely with BYU's roster as he crosses a state border.
This class is another case study of Ed Eyestone’s program plumbing the in-state and surrounding areas for gritty, endurance-centric athletes. All of these recruits fit BYU’s program and timeline, and there’s a little more middle distance speed than usual which could translate well to the move to the BIG 12.
Despite the looming change, things should be business as usual in Provo.
8. Georgetown Hoyas
The class of BIG East middle distance running continues to churn out elite recruiting classes.
And while Georgetown’s usual trend of focusing on the mile continues with this group, there’s more than enough talent to restock the cupboards for the Hoyas’ first BIG East cross country title since 2018 after several years of near-misses.
In fact, if we’re only considering domestic recruits, this is one of the better all-around freshman classes in terms of range, depth and firepower.
We start with a pair of Oregon natives who have ventured to the opposite coast for their collegiate careers. The first of those two runners is Charlie North who could be the most well-rounded athlete in a class full of guys who fit that description.
The standout west coast talent has run 1:52 (800), 4:05 (mile) and 8:14 (3k). Those are marks that are already translatable to collegiate relevancy and could make him nationally competitive with just a year or two of progression.
In fact, North has already gained valuable experience by toeing the line against elite high school fields. He has raced in two different national meets on the track at the tail-end of his senior year -- Nike Nationals and Brooks PR -- faring well in both.
The crazy thing is, I’m not even sure if North is at his best on the track. After all, he holds a PR of 14:40 over 5000 meters and finished runner-up on the grass in Oregon’s largest classification (6A), edging out a number of other high-level recruits.
He then went on to qualify for the 2021 Eastbay XC National Championships where he placed 15th overall! For a Georgetown program that needs a bit more firepower at the front of their cross country lineup, North is massively impactful addition.
We then come to Caleb Lakeman, someone who North is familiar with after competing against the Portland-area product over the last few seasons -- and now they’ll be teammates.
Lakeman flexes the greatest track speed in this class, having won both the 1500 meter and the 3000 meter titles, running 3:50 and 8:10, respectively, at the Oregon 6A State Championships. He improved the former mark to 3:47 at a postseason meet and ran a 4:04 mile mark as well.
Like his prep rival turned future teammate, Lakeman also qualified for the 2021 Eastbay XC National Championships as a senior. However, he finished a bit further back in 40th place which was in line with a strong 5th place result at his state meet.
Regardless, Lakeman is a perfect fit for this Georgetown program. He is a mile-first talent who can also be a legitimate scorer in cross country. On paper, that's the Hoyas' entire identity.
But what if I told you that there’s someone with perhaps even greater upside in this class?
Jackson Barna is arguably just as versatile as North and Lakeman and likely boasts the best strength and aerobic capacity in the class.
Barna hinted at his incredible talent with a New Jersey state title in the 3200 meters during his junior season. He then further refined his resume with a senior cross country campaign that saw him finish runner-up in an all-class championship of a loaded state meet.
He later finished 8th at the 2021 Garmin RunningLane XC National Championships at a torrid pace of 14:22 over 5000 meters.
The future Hoya then impressed us even further by displaying unrealized speed in his final track seasons, running 1:53 (800), 4:06 (mile) and trimming his 3200 meter mark down to 8:51. More impressively, he achieved much of that on the indoor oval.
The trio of Barna, Lakeman and North sets the framework of an elite class that’s furthered by three more skilled signees. And to be clear, these other recruits are plenty talented in their own right.
Luke Ondracek flashed long distance prowess when he broke out during his senior year, finishing 4th in a deep Ohio Division One State Championship and breaking 15:00 at the 2021 RunningLane XC National Championships. He’s no slouch on the track either, holding marks of 4:14 (mile) and 9:02 (3200).
A New York product, Ryan Hagan fits the ethos of the Hoyas’ track-first approach and could translate his talent to several distances or be a key DMR piece. He’s run 1:53 (800), 4:11 (1600) and 8:55 (3200). He hasn’t fared as well in the Northeast’s often-wintry cross country courses, but his runner-up 1600 meter finish at the New York all-class state meet points to championship racing pedigree.
Finally, Daniel McCarthy provides another Northeast-raised harrier, but with a clearer focus than his classmates -- the 800 meters. The Maine product has run 1:53 for that distance where he was a state champion and was competitive across New England. A 15:25 (5k) mark on the grass also points to some deceptive cross country strength as well.
This class at least sets the Hoyas up to maintain their cross country prowess in the BIG East and national success in the middle distances. But the range and upside of all of these freshmen could lend the DC-based program some even higher aspirations.
