TSR's 2024 D3 Outdoor Top 20 Rankings (Men): Update #4 (FINAL)

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Written by Kevin Fischer, Conor Daly & Gavin Struve

Additional edits & commentary by Garrett Zatlin & Gavin Struve

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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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20. Enrique Salazar, Senior, Manchester (-9 / 11)

While he was capable of even more than the 7th place finish in the 10k that he earned at the 2024 outdoor national meet (given that he finished 5th over the same distance in 2023), Enrique Salazar's senior year still feels like a resounding success.

We finally saw the Manchester man put it all together throughout this year, emerging as a top-half All-American in the fall, competing at the indoor national meet for the first time (and nearing All-American finishes in two events) and doubling at the outdoor national meet.

His finish to the spring season looks especially solid when you consider that only four men fared better than Salazar between the 5k and the 10k when you add up their placements in both events.

19. Mitchell Dailey, Junior, RPI (Unranked)

Mitchell Dailey made a statement on his way to his first All-American finish.

The RPI long distance runner didn't achieve that honor in the cross country season when there are 40 spots up for the taking nor did he barely squeeze his way into the top-eight. Rather, his 4th place result in the 10k placed him as a top-half All-American in one of the more grueling distance events.

PRs between the 5k and the 10k this spring, as well as a conference title in the former and a silver medal in the latter, suggested that Dailey was ready to break through. However, he left no doubt as to whether he belonged alongside his star distance teammates on the NCAA Championships stage.

18. Joey Sullivan, Freshman, UW-La Crosse (Unranked)

The latest distance star for UW-La Crosse, Joey Sullivan has competed at all three NCAA Championships this academic year despite only racing during half of the previous academic year as a rookie. And he was at his best in his first outdoor track season this spring.

It didn't seem to matter that Sullivan (the WIAC 5k champion) hadn't raced the 3000-meter steeplechase in just over a month heading into the outdoor national meet or that he had only contested that event collegiately at three meets prior to this past weekend. Sullivan had little trouble advancing through the prelims and placed 5th over the barriers and water pits behind four upperclassmen in the final.

17. Ned Farrington, Senior, Bates (Unranked)

While this was his first track national meet race in his career, it didn't feel like a shock that Ned Farrington placed 5th in the metric mile final. He was, after all, an All-American on the grass this past fall and was coming off of a 1500-meter conference title as well as a flashy 3:45 PR in his previous two races leading up to these NCAA Outdoor Championships.

With that in mind, it's easy to see why Farrington's pedestrian recent 800-meter PR (1:59) didn't seem to hold him back any in a tight 1500-meter final where speed and turnover appeared to be especially important.

16. Mason Ratkovich, Senior, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Unranked)

Mason Ratkovich emerged even further from obscurity than Ned Farrington to edge out his Bates counterpart for a top-half All-American finish over 1500 meters. Ratkovich had a clear focus this season with his final six races all being either metric mile or mile efforts.

With seasonal bests in his last two races leading up to the outdoor national meet -- 3:47 (1500) and 4:04 (mile) -- perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that this UCLA transfer found such fast success in his first year at the D3 level. His experience of racing with accomplished teammates in a top-tier conference likely gave him a level of comfort when he moved down to the D3 level.

15. Trevor Richwine, Sophomore, Dickinson (Unranked)

Top-five finishes in the half-mile at both national meets this year have cemented Trevor Richwine as one of the more reliable 800-meter runners in Division Three despite his sophomore status.

Richwine rode a fast-paced final to a new 1:49 PR and a top-half All-American finish. Given that two of the men who finished immediately ahead of him were seniors, we should get used to seeing Richwine succeeding at this level and prepare for him to reach even greater heights.

14. Will Kelly, Junior, St. Olaf (Unranked)

Will Kelly raced like the veteran he is throughout this outdoor track season and he was rewarded with a 4th place finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Like several men in these rankings who also just joined the All-American ranks on the track, Kelly didn't simply scrape by for a top-eight finish.

Rather, he had one of the fastest marks in the prelims and finished ahead of Joey Sullivan and a handful of other standouts in a relatively tight-finishing group in the final. It's hard not to think that a steeplechase PR performance at Drake Relays in April helped Kelly further acclimatize to competing towards the front of fast fields.

13. Simon Heys, Senior, Wilmington (OH) (Unranked)

Simon Heys didn’t qualify for the 2024 indoor national meet after a fantastic cross country season, but he slowly began to turn things around this outdoor track season. His regular season efforts were solid, but by no means was there one race that screamed that he would be a title contender. In retrospect, there were still signs that he had the potential to earn bronze in the 10k at “the Big Dance." 

At the Washington U. Distance Carnival in late March, Heys finished a 5k in front of a full lineup from a historically strong UW-La Crosse program. And although he didn't post a personal best, Heys’ runner-up finish over 10k at the Bison Outdoor Classic (behind only a BIG 10 runner) was a mark that should have been taken a bit more seriously.

Like many of those contesting the 10k/5k double, the latter event wasn’t kind to Heys on the national stage. But it’s more important that Heys fared fantastically, placing 3rd, in his main task for the weekend.

12. Colin Kirkpatrick, Junior, Pomona-Pitzer (+2 / 14)

It was certainly strange to see this Pomona-Pitzer star take on the 1500 meters instead of his usual specialty, the steeplechase, this season. But despite the doubts about that decision, Kirkpatrick had a very successful weekend.

After getting the “Q” in his heat, Kirkpatrick took to the final to cement his highest placement at a national meet to date. A 55-second final lap propelled Kirkpatrick towards the front of the field to earn 3rd place in the metric mile. That kind of last-lap speed was a very pleasant surprise and it also looked like one of Kirkpatrick's better tactical efforts of his career.

11. Michael Olson, Senior, Plymouth State (+6 / 17)

After he failed to do so on the indoor oval, it was awesome to see Michael Olson cap off his outdoor track season with a performance that’s truly representative of his elite fitness.

This Plymouth State middle distance ace saw a regular season in which he didn’t finish behind a single Division Three athlete. And that’s not to say that he didn’t race strong Division Three competition, because he beat two fields loaded with talent in early May.

In the prelims of the outdoor national meet, that trend continued. But ultimately, the talent found in the half-mile finals proved too much for Olson to continue that winning streak as he settled for a 3rd place finish. Believe it or not, that’s Olson’s first-ever All-American result and it makes for a very strong effort to end his collegiate career.

10. Adam Loenser, Junior, UW-La Crosse (+5 / 15)

After an incredible first few weeks of the season that included a 8:44 steeplechase performance, Adam Loenser didn’t display that form through late April or early May. But based on his performance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, there was never real reason to worry about his form. 

Thanks to his performance over the barriers and water pits, Loenser sits as the highest-ranked bronze medalist from any event in our latest update. That’s because he only finished behind two of the greatest steeplechasers that Division Three has ever seen, so to keep them as close as he did is an impressive feat.

No, his 5k effort that followed the next day wasn’t anything too mentionable, but finishing in the middle of the field (11th) on the double is certainly commendable.

9. Tyler Schermerhorn, Sophomore, Wartburg (Unranked)

One of the biggest runs of the weekend (relative to expectations) was that of Tyler Schermerhorn. The sophomore hit the front of the 10k with a mile to go and didn’t relinquish that lead until the final 200 meters as he finished runner-up. Entering the race as the seventh seed, his performance punched way above what was expected from him.

The fact that Schermerhorn made such a strong effort at winning the race was impressive for someone who entered the weekend having never been an All-American.

Although the 5k two days later didn’t go as well, that’s understandable considering the strain the 10k put on his body. Plus, a 12th place finish (matching what he did over 5k at the 2024 indoor national meet) is solid. With strong regular season marks that include being the only true sophomore in Division Three to ever run under the 14-minute (5k) barrier, Schermerhorn was certainly among the nation's best throughout the spring.

8. Eric Anderson, Junior, UC Santa Cruz (0 / 8)

With back-to-back runner-up finishes between the mile and 1500 meters at the national championships this year, Eric Anderson has made quite a name for himself in 2024.

This outdoor track season, the Banana Slug star carried his newfound momentum over as he ran top-end PRs of 1:50 (800) and 3:45 (1500). In the 1500-meter final, Anderson’s kick was unlike any other, including that of the winner, it’s just that he was not in an advantageous enough position to use it as effectively as it could have been.

7. Chasen Hunt, Sophomore, Lynchburg (-4 / 3)

Seeded 8th going into the 5000 meters, Chasen Hunt knew that his fresh legs gave him a great chance to finish much higher than that. His previous placement in our rankings suggested as much.

While he didn't win the title we thought him capable of if everything landed in his favor, Hunt's execution was sound and he ultimately came away with a 3rd place finish.

When you consider that the two men he finished behind were Christian Patzka (TSR #1) and Christopher Collet (TSR #3), there is plenty to be proud of and a lot to look forward to for this true sophomore who just produced his greatest individual triumph as a collegian thus far.

6. Bennett Booth-Genthe, Junior, Pomona-Pitzer (-4 / 2)

Despite winning the mile title at the 2024 indoor national meet, Bennett Booth-Genthe continued his streak of only opting for one event on the national stage as he scratched out of the 1500 meters.

The Sagehen stgar went all-in on trying to win his first 800-meter crown and despite an even-split 1:48 effort, he fell to Cael Schoemann to finish as the national meet runner-up. While it might seem harsh for someone of his talent to finish the year only ranked TSR #6, everyone ahead of Booth-Genthe (besides Christopher Collet who scored 16 total points) earned a national title this weekend.

5. Spencer Moon, Senior, Simpson (IA) (+4 / 9)

He's had his share of national meets that didn't go his way, but Spencer Moon continued to knock on the door until it finally broke down over 10,000 meters on Thursday. Moon was patient, covered every move and when it was time to go, he made it definitive, coming away with his first national title.

His 14th place finish in the 5k two days later is an afterthought. This weekend will be remembered for the moment when Spencer Moon became a national champion. 

4. Cael Schoemann, Sophomore, UW-La Crosse (+2 / 6)

The 2024 indoor 800-meter champion saw himself become the underdog against a fresh Bennett Booth-Genthe whom he didn't have to face this past winter. But Cael Schoemann was simply better than anyone else in the field on Saturday, putting down a personal best of 1:48 to defend his half-mile crown.

That Schoemann appears to have this level of clutch factor and understanding of the moment as just a sophomore is a scary thing to consider for other Division Three middle distance runners in the years to come.

3. Christopher Collet, Senior, Wartburg (+1 / 4)

While he's the only top-five individual who didn't earn a national title over the weekend, Christopher Collet absolutely deserves a top-three ranking. When Christian Patzka ran away from the field in both the 3000-meter steeplechase and the 5000 meters, it was Christopher Collet both times who closed hard to take 2nd place (twice).

In the past, Collet has struggled when doubling back at national meets. However, the fashion in which he dispelled that trend this past weekend was emphatic and absolute. His overall value from a point-scoring perspective was on full display this past weekend and he should be viewed as a major winner even if he didn't secure NCAA gold this spring.

2. Sam Llaneza, Junior, Lynchburg (+3 / 5)

Holding the fastest 1500-meter mark in Division Three this year, Sam Llaneza was certainly the favorite to take the metric mile title at the outdoor national meet. However, there were a slew of talented men not too far behind him with what looked to be serious chances to pull off the upset.

Nonetheless, the Hornet ace held off all of them with a fantastic 55-second final lap to take the national title. With the support of a grieving Lynchburg community following the passing of teammate Frank Csorba, it seemed as though Llaneza's first individual national title took on even greater significance and transcends the sport altogether.

1. Christian Patzka, Junior, UW-Whitewater (0 / 1)

Not only did Christian Patzka win a double national title between the steeplechase and the 5000 meters, but the ease with which he accomplished both events was frightening. The steeplechase victory was expected, but we believed that men racing on fresh legs would make the 5k difficult for Patzka despite the fact that he held the fastest time in the country.

Even so, when he was still in the pack, the 5k looked like a jog in the park for him. And when he broke off, nobody had an answer. Ultimately, our TSR #1 spot is about as clear as it could be in our final rankings update of the season.

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ADDED

Tyler Schermerhorn (Wartburg)

Simon Heys (Wilmington (OH))

Will Kelly (St. Olaf)

Trevor Richwine (Dickinson)

Mason Ratkovich (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps)

Ned Farrington (Bates)

Joey Sullivan (UW-La Crosse)

Mitchell Dailey (RPI)

KICKED OFF

Noah Jorgenson (Central College)

Max Svienty (North Central)

Gunner Schlender (UW-Whitewater)

Cory Kennedy (RPI)

Jonathan Zavala (Brockport State)

Sam Verkerke (UW-Eau Claire)

Ryan Harvey (Loras)

Vince Simonetti (RPI)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Noah Jorgenson (Central College)

Max Svienty (North Central)

Gunner Schlender (UW-Whitewater)

Cory Kennedy (RPI)

Jonathan Zavala (Brockport State)

Ryan Harvey (Loras)

Vince Simonetti (RPI)

Nathan Tassey (Roger Williams)

Steven Potter (UW-Oshkosh)

Isaac Wegner (UW-La Crosse)

Joe Franke (Loras)

Connor Riss (North Central)

Jacob Green (Wartburg)

Mason Shea (UW-Eau Claire)

Justin Krause (UW-Whitewater)

Braden Nicholson (North Central)

James Settles (Colorado College)

Cameron Hatler (Pomona-Pitzer)

Ethan Gregg (UW-La Crosse)

Charles Namiot (Williams)

Ethan Domitrovich (John Carroll)

Nate Lentz (Williams)

John Lucey (Williams)

Derek Fearon (Pomona-Pitzer)

Jake Shumaker (Millikin)

Braedon Gilles (UW-Stevens Point)

Andrew Hutchinson (Dubuque)

Vincent Giumenti (Mount Union)

Mason Brown (UW-La Crosse)

Jayden Zywicki (UW-La Crosse)

Caden Schneider (UW-Platteville)

Corey Fairchild (UW-La Crosse)

Grant Matthai (UW-La Crosse)

Julian Aske (NYU)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

TJ Carleo (Brandeis)

Will Salony (Trinity (TX))

Reza Eshghi (Haverford)

Henry Hardart (MIT)

Emmanuel Leblond (Johns Hopkins)

Andrew McGovern (Carnegie Mellon)

Ziyad Hassan (MIT)

Oscar Roering (Pomona-Pitzer)

Will Houser (Washington U.)

Walter Moak (Oberlin)

Ryan Tobin (NYU)

Michael Madoch (UW-La Crosse)

Jack Brown (Carnegie Mellon)

Peter Weiss (George Fox)

Sean Hendricks (Rochester)

Gavin McElhennon (Johns Hopkins)

Anthony Rodriguez (Babson)

Alex Hillyard (SUNY Geneseo)

Derek Penzkover (UW-Stevens Point)

Gordon Doore (Colby)

Simon Opsahl (MIT)

Sam Verkerke (UW-Eau Claire)

Lance Sobaski (Wartburg)

Parker Boyle (Amherst)

Henry Tierney (Pacific (OR))

Kyle Miller (Buena Vista)

William Dehmler (Washington U.)

Ellis DelVecchio (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps)

Connor Vachon (Hope)

Gabe Nichols (Carleton)

Aidan Arthur (George Fox)

Zeke Micheel (Wisconsin Lutheran)

Austin Gappa (George Fox)

Hayden Beauchemin (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps)

Sam Elsen (Wheaton (IL))

Elias Ritzke (UW-La Crosse)

Connor Oiler (Johns Hopkins)

David Reynolds (WPI)

Matthew Porter (Carnegie Mellon)

Matthew Coyle (Carnegie Mellon)

Connor Kolka (Wittenberg)

Luke Witvliet (Calvin) Connor Havens (Manchester)

Dawit Dean (Emory)

Spencer Watry (Emory)

Lucas Florsheim (Pomona-Pitzer)

Notes

- N/A