TSR's 2023-24 D1 Indoor Top 25 Rankings (Men): Update #3

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Click here to see our Just Missed and Honorable Mention names.

Listed eligibility takes redshirts and Covid-related extensions into consideration.

TFRRS is used as a general, but not strict, guide when determining eligibility.

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KEY

(Unranked):

Was not ranked in our last update.

(#/#):

First number indicates how much the individual has moved in our rankings.

The second number indicates where the individual was ranked in our last update.

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25. Alex Maier, Rs. Senior, Oklahoma State (Unranked)

At the tail-end of the 2023 outdoor track season, Alex Maier didn't look like himself. He wasn't at all the national title threat that he appeared to be at the end of the 2022 outdoor track season and he was far from the same form that he was in during the winter of 2023.

But after rallying back a good fit in the fall, Maier has slowly put together a really respectable resume during the 2024 indoor track season. Sure, he hasn't posted any jaw-dropping results, but his resume holds quietly great value. He did, after all, just win the BIG 12 title over 3000 meters.

With seasonal marks of 7:43 (3k) and 13:21 (5k), this Oklahoma Stater veteran is one of only seven men who will contest the 5k/3k double at the indoor national meet. Those six other names? Nico Young, Ky Robinson, Parker Wolfe, Habtom Samuel, Aaron Las Heras and Theo Quax.

That's pretty good company to be in, huh?

24. Tarees Rhoden, Junior, Clemson (Unranked)

Welcome back, Tarees Rhoden! The Clemson middle distance star ventured to the ACC Indoor Championships to snag his third-straight indoor ACC title over 800 meters. And once again, he employed an aggressive front-running approach, going wire-to-wire to win gold.

Rhoden did face some challenges en route to his title, but being able to find another half a gear in the last 70ish meters allowed him to fend of a sneaky-good group of middle distance standouts.

Few people are ever going to question how talented Tarees Rhoden is. However, his ultra-aggressive front-running approach has not always worked for him in the postseason. Or at least, it hasn't worked as optimally as something slightly more conservative would/could.

Regardless, Rhoden just took home a conference title by outrunning a very deep field and qualifying for the national meet in the process. For that reason, we put him at TSR #24.

23. Abdullahi Hassan, Junior, Wisconsin (-1 / 22)

This past weekend, Abdullahi Hassan went into the BIG 10 Indoor Championships as a favorite to win the men's 800-meter title. Handal Roban was the other main contender while Camden Marshall was likely viewed as a long-shot contender for that same crown.

But in the end, it was, in fact, Marshall who emerged victorious. Hassan would have to settle for a runner-up finish that was far from bad, but it certainly wasn't great, either.

In terms of talent and experience, there aren't many half-milers in the country who have been better than Hassan this winter. In fact, some of our writers have even said that they think he could contend for a national title (which I don't totally disagree with).

Of course, it would have been better if this Wisconsin ace had gone into the national meet with the momentum of a conference title under his belt.

22. Ryan Schoppe, Junior, Oklahoma State (-1 / 21)

A solid pair of wins in both the DMR and the mile at the BIG 12 Indoor Championships was a nice way for Ryan Schoppe to gain momentum prior to the national meet. None of the men in either of those fields had responses for the late-race moves of this Oklahoma State star.

Admittedly, the competition that he faced this past weekend pales in comparison to the juggernauts who he will encounter on the national stage. Even so, refining his speed with a pair of really solid victories is a great way to build confidence for a season finale that requires exactly that.

21. Matt Strangio, Senior, Portland (-1 / 20)

Has not competed since our last rankings update.

20. Peter Maru, Freshman, Arkansas (+4 / 24)

After seeing him run 13:17 for 5000 meters at Boston U. earlier this winter, most distance fans around the NCAA had zero questions about just how fit this newly-signed Arkansas rookie is.

However, tactics and the ability to thrive in championship races was the biggest aspect that we needed to monitor. Could Peter Maru translate his raw times and fitness to races that are far more different in terms of how they unfold?

Well, admittedly, both the men's 5000 meters and 3000 meters at the SEC Indoor Championships weren't necessarily super tactical, although the former event certainly required some strategy. The 5k was intentionally fast and the latter race was a time trial scenario where Maru had to run by himself since he didn't have a seed time (and was in the "slower" section as a result).

Even so, the turnover that we saw from Maru over 5000 meters led to him earning an SEC title before he came back and won gold in the "slower" heat of the 3000 meters. And don't forget, this Razorback star also split 3:54 on the anchor leg of his team's DMR a few weeks back on his home track.

At the very least, we have learned that Peter Maru has some semblance of decent foot speed. And while I wouldn't necessarily choose him to win a national title, I am beginning to realize that there are more scenarios than I initially thought where he could be an All-American.

19. Tinoda Matsatsa, Freshman, Georgetown (-3 / 16)

It's hard to drop Tinoda Matsatsa back in our rankings.

Yes, the Georgetown rookie did lose to Sean Dolan over 800 meters this past weekend (his second collegiate loss of the season), but the patience and poise that he showed was very impressive. Despite Sean Dolan trying to run from the front, Matsatsa bided his time and chipped away at the lead. In fact, he nearly got his Villanova rival at the end!

With yet another 1:46 (800) mark on his resume, Matsatsa has continued to firmly position himself for an All-American effort on the national stage. However, his youth in some of these higher level races has come out a bit in recent weeks which is why he is dropping three spots.

18. Handal Roban, Sophomore, Penn State (-5 / 13)

Gosh, it has been incredibly tricky to figure out Handal Roban.

He had a slow start to his season, but later put together a brilliant weekend double earlier this month. However, Roban just wrapped up the BIG 10 Indoor Championships with a modest 3rd place finish in the 800-meter finals, losing to Camden Marshall (Indiana) and Abdullahi Hassan (Wisconsin).

On one hand, we would have expected Roban to win that race or at least be closer to doing so. But on the other hand, this is someone who also had two rounds of prelims in his legs (600 meters and 800 meters) from the first day of racing. Plus, this Penn State star has proven time and time again that he is one of the best in the NCAA when it comes to peaking for the postseason.

These rankings are based on what an individual has done over the course of a season. However, if these rankings were based on someone's chances of thriving in the postseason, then Roban would likely be listed at a better spot than this.

17. Sean Dolan, Rs. Senior, Villanova (Unranked)

After going wire-to-wire at the BIG East Indoor Championships to take home the 800-meter crown over Tinoda Matsatsa, Sean Dolan is plenty deserving of cracking our rankings. And frankly, he was already on the fringes of entering our list.

Here is what we said about Dolan in our latest "First Thoughts" article. It couldn't be a more accurate description as to why we now have him ranked at TSR #17...

"Dolan is a true veteran who boasts extensive national meet experience and even owns two All-American honors. However, this may be the best that he has ever looked going into a national meet. The Villanova star has run under 1:47 for 800 meters not once this season, not twice this season, but three times! And that number could be four or even five after March 9th. In nearly every race that he's been part of, Dolan has put himself in a position to win. And even if he didn't emerge victorious in all of those efforts, his execution was sound each time. In a year where the men's 800 meters feels a little thin, Dolan has arguably been the most consistent. That gives me a lot of encouragement about him for the national meet."

If Dolan just simply goes out and executes, then he should be a fairly strong pick to finish among the top-six at the NCAA Indoor Championships for 800 meters. While he may not have the top-end ceiling that other men do, he has proven to be one of the most reliable half-milers in the nation this winter.

16. Colin Sahlman, Sophomore, Northern Arizona (+3 / 19)

After a series of relay contributions and a very underrated 1:47 (800) win over Idaho's Zac Bright, Colin Sahlman continues to quietly climb up our rankings.

Despite being the clear favorite, we shouldn't overlook this win for Sahlman. Zac Bright is no pushover and Nico Young is someone else who also ran under 1:50 for 800 meters this past weekend. Plus, when you pair the fact that Sahlman ran 1:47 (800) for the win in the midst of a multi-race weekend, you have to commend his durability. That, in theory, should help him effectively navigate the rounds in Boston.

But other than that, we didn't necessarily learn anything new about NAU's star sophomore.

15. Brian Musau, Freshman, Oklahoma State (0 / 15)

We could try to go in-depth and analyze Brian Musau's 2:24 (1k) effort at the BIG 12 Indoor Championships this past weekend (where he placed 6th), but there isn't much to discuss. The Oklahoma State freshman was clearly refining his turnover and speed for the national meet. That was also evident given that he was on the Cowboys' conference title-winning DMR.

We shouldn't view Musau's latest performances as anything other than fine-tuning efforts. Of course, he'll certainly need that turnover given how tactical the men's 3k usually is on the national stage.

14. Isaac Basten, Senior, Drake (+4 / 18)

Disclaimer: Isaac Basten currently works with TSR as an athlete interview host.

No, Isaac Basten is not moving up four spots in our rankings because he won the Missouri Valley Conference mile title in a not-so-fast time of 4:11. Instead, Basten is moving up in our rankings more so based on the athletes around him rather than anything that he has done.

With Nathan Green and Liam Murphy unexpectedly scratching out of the mile for the indoor national meet, Joe Waskom recently struggling and Anass Essayi being upset by a freshman for the SEC mile title, the door for Basten to finally earn his first national title looks as wide open as it ever has been.

While it's true that these rankings are based on the overall collection of performances that an athlete has had throughout a season, their potential for postseason success can't entirely be discounted, either.

13. Liam Murphy, Junior, Villanova (+4 / 17)

Regardless of what you think about Liam Murphy scratching the 5k and the mile to go all-in for the 3000 meters at the national meet, you can't deny that this Villanova star has been absolutely brilliant this winter.

After running a huge 13:21 (5k) PR back in December, Murphy ripped off a pair of 3:53 mile marks upon his return from winter break. Then, this past weekend, he essentially ran a 3k time trial with teammate Marco Langon at the BIG East Indoor Championships en route to a new 3k PR of 7:42.

While I still firmly believe that Murphy's best event this season is the mile, I can understand why he would want to be fresh for the 3k. Nearly everyone in that field will be doubling -- except him, theoretically giving the Wildcat star an opening for the national title.

However, the reason why we have bumped up Murphy to TSR #13 is simply because he has shown incredible dynamism as of late. The only other men who have proven that they can match this level of range are Nico Young, Parker Wolfe, Habtom Samuel and Theo Quax.

12. Adam Spencer, Junior, Wisconsin (+2 / 14)

Was Adam Spencer supposed to win the BIG 10 mile title this winter? Yes. And were the Wisconsin men supposed to win the BIG 10 DMR title if Adam Spencer was on their anchor leg? Also yes.

But just because someone delivers on expectations doesn't make their performances any less impressive. Taking down Nick Foster (twice) and Evan Dorenkamp en route to both of those gold medals is encouraging. In fact, if you saw how easily Spencer powered away from Foster over the final 50 to 75 meters of that mile final, then you'd begin to question how many men in the NCAA can realistically beat this Aussie Badger.

11. Joe Waskom, Rs. Junior, Washington (-4 / 7)

After a decent, but somewhat unexciting, 1200-meter leg on Washington's DMR earlier this month, Joe Waskom returned to the mile distance this past weekend. On his home track, he toed the line next to a small handful of pro runners.

However, instead of improving upon his 3:53 (mile) seasonal mark, Waskom struggled slightly, running 3:56 in what was largely an underwhelming performance.

The challenge with gauging and analyzing Waskom right now is that, while he may not be running well at the moment, he's not exactly running poorly, either. He is most definitely still in the national title discussion, but where in that conversation does he belong? An already-difficult question just got even trickier to answer after this past weekend.

10. Anass Essayi, Junior, South Carolina (-5 / 5)

We're truthfully a bit conflicted about Anass Essayi right now on.

On one hand, this South Carolina superstar has run 7:39 (3k) and 3:51 (mile) this winter, making him one of the most lethal distance talents in the NCAA as far as pure talent is concerned.

However, this past weekend, Essayi was victim to a substantial upset, losing to freshman Parvej Khan who had a massive last lap kick. And when you see that, it's hard not to think back to last year's indoor national meet where Essayi had a good kick, but not quite as good as the title contenders around him.

Placing a national title threat who has run 3:51 (mile) and 7:39 (3k) on the fringes of our top-10 seems wrong. In fact, this may be too harsh of a penalty. But considering that the nine men ranked ahead of Essayi have yet to have a truly poor race this season, the Gamecock standout will have to settle at TSR #10 for the time being...

9. Theo Quax, Rs. Senior, Northern Arizona (+3 / 12)

8. Aaron Las Heras, Rs. Senior, Northern Arizona (+3 / 11)

I'm going to lump the analysis for these two men together. Partially because it's convenient and partially because these two men are very similar runners.

This past weekend, Aaron Las Heras was fantastic at the BIG Sky Indoor Championships, winning the 5k title in 13:36 over teammate Brodey Hasty and Montana State's Ben Perrin. He later finished runner-up to teammate Nico Young in the mile.

As for Theo Quax, his weekend schedule was essentially the inverse, contesting the 800 meters (where he placed 5th) while placing 3rd in the mile (just 0.22 seconds behind Aaron Las Heras). And while those aren't the most exciting results, its clear that this past weekend was a middle distance tune-up for the national meet before Quax attacks the always-tactical 5k and 3k races in Boston.

Overall, both of these men have been so much better than we expected them to be this winter. They consistently got better as time went on, Quax showcased tremendous range and their aerobic prowess allowed them to secure all-time marks. And with a handful of top distance runners recently having a few hiccups, it's the reliability of Las Heras and Quax that allows them to jump inside of our top-10.

7. Habtom Samuel, Freshman, New Mexico (+2 / 9)

There isn't much to talk about with Habtom Samuel.

The New Mexico megastar was outstanding at the Mountain West Indoor Championships this past weekend. On his home track, the Eritrean freshman ran 7:57 (3k) and 13:47 (5k) en route to double gold. Both of those times are unconverted and were run at 4900 feet of altitude.

Frankly, this is what we've come to expect from Samuel. He comfortably secured each of those wins which should surprise no one. The only thing that we learned about him this past weekend is that he's as fit as one could hope to be entering the national meet.

6. Parker Wolfe, Junior, North Carolina (+2 / 8)

Gosh, Parker Wolfe has looked so good this winter. He has already flexed his talent across the entire gauntlet of distance races (minus the 800 meters) and he proved to be at an entirely different level of fitness than his ACC competition this past weekend.

In Boston, the UNC superstar ran hard from the gun in the mile finals to produce a fantastic 3:54 mile PR. And later that day, Wolfe would run 7:51 over 3000 meters. That mark would give him ACC gold despite facing men like David Mullarkey, Gary Martin and Ethan Strand on the double.

There's nothing more that Parker Wolfe could have done this season to position himself for national meet success. Regardless of what happens at the NCAA Indoor Championships, this Tar Heel standout should be incredibly proud of the season that he has had. Wolfe has rewritten the narrative as to what he is capable of -- and that's something that we can't say about many men in these rankings.

5. Nathan Green, Rs. Sophomore, Washington (+1 / 6)

When Nathan Green ran a jaw-dropping 1000-meter time of 2:18 earlier this season, many of us at The Stride Report simply thought that he was working on his turnover for the mile. And when he did the DMR/800 double at the Arkansas Qualifier, splitting 1:46 and later running 1:47 on the same day, we thought more of the same thing.

But when Green returned to the half-mile distance this past weekend and ran a fantastic open mark of 1:46.50 (NCAA #2 this season), we began to question if the mile was really going to be his focus at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

And sure enough, he has scratched out of the mile and is entered in the 800 meters.

Green has built up a ton of momentum in the middle distances. His speed and turnover are as good as they ever have been. Plus, he is clearly peaking at the right time in the season. And when you consider that the men's national 800-meter field has been relatively unexciting this winter, there was no better time for Green to contest this event on the national stage.

4. Ky Robinson, Rs. Junior, Stanford (0 / 4)

This Stanford veteran has not competed in an open event since our last rankings update. He did, however, anchor his DMR at Boston U. two weeks ago with (by my calculations) a strong 3:55 anchor leg. Even so, the Cardinal men were never truly threats in the DMR.

Robinson also recorded a DNF over 3000 meters this past weekend, but we're under the assumption that he was pacing. In the grand scheme of things, we don't really have anything new to report about Ky Robinson.

3. Luke Houser, Rs. Senior, Washington (0 / 3)

Luke Houser hasn't raced since he attempted the DMR/3k double at the Arkansas Qualifier. He was fantastic on the anchor leg of the Huskies' DMR, splitting 3:54 en route to the win, but he later struggled in the 3k, posting a time of 8:10.

There's not any reason to worry about Houser. That 8:10 (3k) mark was coming off of less than three and a half hours of rest from what was arguably the toughest leg of that relay. And while that's not exactly a great sign for his mile/3k double attempt at the national meet, that shouldn't take away from the fantastic season that he has been having.

2. Yusuf Bizimana, Junior, Texas (0 / 2)

A commanding BIG 12 title victory over 1000 meters (in an unconverted time of 2:22) demands respect. However, there was never any question as to whether or not Yusuf Bizimana was going to win that race.

The Texas superstar will head to Boston in a week and a half to wrap up his indoor track season. There, he'll be the clear-cut national title favorite over 800 meters, a status that he has held throughout the entirety of the winter months.

1. Nico Young, Junior, Northern Arizona (0 / 1)

Posting a 1:49/4:01 (800/mile) weekend double at the BIG Sky Indoor Championships was simply a speed workout of sorts for Nico Young.

That turnover will obviously be necessary on the national stage given how tactical the 5k and 3k races can become. Even so, the NAU superstar has reached a new echelon in terms of his fitness and capabilities this winter. If there was ever a season where he was going to win a national title, it's this one.

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ADDED

Alex Maier (Oklahoma State)

Camden Marshall (Indiana)

Sean Dolan (Villanova)

KICKED OFF

Graham Blanks (Harvard)

Darius Kipyego (Iowa State)

Sam Austin (Florida)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Graham Blanks (Harvard)

Darius Kipyego (Iowa State)

Sam Austin (Florida)

Camden Marshall (Indiana)

Aidan Troutner (BYU)

Conor Murphy (Virginia)

Rivaldo Marshall (Iowa)

Finley McLear (Iowa State)

Ethan Strand (North Carolina)

Gary Martin (Virginia)

David Mullarkey (Florida State)

Jackson Sharp (Wisconsin)

Tom Brady (Michigan)

Dennis Kipngetich (Oklahoma State)

Parvej Khan (Florida)

Marco Langon (Villanova)

Abel Teffra (Georgetown)

Sam Whitmarsh (Texas A&M)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Leo Davis (Hampton)

Luke Griner (Army)

Nick Plant (Virginia Tech)

Olivier Desmeules (Penn State)

Jason Gomez (Iowa State)

Evan Dorenkamp (Penn State)

Nick Foster (Michigan)

Ronan McMahon-Staggs (Washington)

Steven Jackson (Boston College)

Lucas Bons (BYU) Yaseen Abdalla (Tennessee)

Wil Smith (Gonzaga)

Bob Liking (Wisconsin)

Evans Kiplagat (New Mexico)

Kirami Yego (Arkansas)

Said Mechaal (Iowa State)

Notes

- N/A