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TSR's 2024 Preseason D1 XC Top 25 Team Rankings (Men): #20 Syracuse Orange
- Mike McKean
- Aug 13, 2024
- 10 min read
Written by Mike McKean, additional edits & commentary via Garrett Zatlin
NOTE: Earlier this summer, The Stride Report reached out to nearly every team that was considered for a possible ranking this summer. While we did receive numerous responses and great clarity, we did not get a 100% response rate. On certain occasions, we are referencing TFFRS in order to talk about returners and athletes who are out of eligibility.
As we mulled over where to place Syracuse in our 2023 preseason rankings, we were reminded of how badly they burned us in 2022. After leaving the Orange out of our preseason team rankings and listing them as an "Honorable Mention" team, they would end up finishing an applause-worthy 12th place at the NCAA XC Championships.
Coming into 2023, we were confronted by the same concerns as the ‘Cuse faced multiple key departures once again. Due to how badly they burned us the year before, we had to give them their much-deserved credit with a 2022 TSR #19 preseason ranking. As such, we felt that we had learned our lesson this time around.
Or so we thought.
While we can’t say for certain that Syracuse sees our preseason rankings and utilizes them for motivation as they enter the fall months, it certainly seems that they enjoy proving us wrong.
* * *
As the Orange started the 2023 cross country season, we quickly realized just how talented this Syracuse group was. In their first meet of the season, they had a dominant performance and were the class of the field at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational.
But while a near-perfect team score was impressive, we were more intrigued to see how Syracuse would perform in their first nationally competitive meet of the season: the Virginia Invitational. With the likes of Northern Arizona, BYU and other top-ranked ACC teams (like North Carolina and Virginia) headlining the field, the Orange men were in store for one heckuva of an early-season test.
Of course, they just so happened to pass that test with flying colors.
Syracuse not only held their own in Virginia, but they thrived. The Orange performed more-than-admirably in picking up a huge 4th place team finish, just 10 points behind North Carolina (our preseason TSR #6 team). Only finishing behind the likes of NAU, BYU and North Carolina was an appreciable sign so early in the season, especially considering that NAU and BYU were ranked as our preseason TSR #1 and TSR #2 squads coming into the fall.
What’s even more impressive is that Syracuse did that without a real low-stick in the field. Every other team that placed in the top-five had their first runner notch a top-10 finish. However, Syracuse’s top runner, Paul O’Donnell, finished in 19th place.
After O’Donnell, we saw Syracuse’s pack-running work to near perfection as Perry Mackinnon, Sam Lawler, Assaf Harari and Alex Comerford rounded out their scoring going 31-35-38-44 in the results.
As a whole, the Virginia Invitational was a success for ‘Cuse. Without a real low-stick in the race (depending on your definition), we were encouraged by how well they ran as a team. Their top-five provided tremendous scoring insurance and excellent stability.
Just a few weeks later, Syracuse gave us yet another incredible team performance at the Nuttycombe Invite. After their performance at the Virginia Invitational, we knew that this team was going to be one to watch as the season progressed. However, we wouldn’t have guessed that they would place 3rd in a field as loaded as this.
As the Orange were still looking to establish a certified low-stick, they got even more than they hoped for with a fantastic 1-2 punch from Perry Mackinnon (19th) and Paul O'Donnell (20th). That lethal scoring combination gave the Orange exactly what they needed in a field that more or less replicated the national stage.
On top of that, we saw Sam Lawler take another leap in his progression. His colossal 34th-place finish at Nuttycombe was his best result yet in his young career. And suddenly, the Orange had just discovered a valuable lead trio as they entered mid-October.
Alex Comerford (74th) and Matthew Scrape (106th) followed Lawler with solid performances which provided more than enough value to keep Syracuse in the 3rd place team position.
Another encouraging note for the Orange is that Assaf Harari had an "off" day as he faded to 140th place. And while it wasn't great that someone didn't perform at their best, knowing that they could be better is what gave this team even more promise. It’s also worth noting that Nathan Lawler was not a scorer for Syracuse at Nuttycombe. He was a valuable scoring member of the 2022 team and despite a slow start to the 2023 season, his potential couldn’t be ignored as the season progressed.
Just a couple of weeks later, the ACC XC Championships were upon Syracuse. And just like prior years, the goal remained the same for the Orange: Win the team title. Seeking their first conference title since 2019, the Orange were hungry for gold after multiple runner-up finishes over the past five years.
In a smaller field, facing off against formidable foes like North Carolina, Virginia and Notre Dame would bring new challenges.
The celebration would have to wait again for Syracuse as they finished 2nd place behind North Carolina. The Tar Heels' top-four was simply too much for Syracuse to match as they were beaten fairly comfortably. Even so, a 2nd place team finish in a highly competitive conference like the ACC is certainly nothing to scoff at.
While a team title was certainly the goal, Syracuse can find solace in the fact that Paul O’Donnell further emerged as the certified low-stick that they had been looking for all year long. His 2nd place finish was his best performance of the year and he was only bested by Parker Wolfe.
Perry Mackinnon (5th) and Sam Lawler (10th) only further proved that the Orange had a valuable lead-trio on their hands.
Another bright spot for the Orange came as Nathan Lawler (22nd) stepped up as the team's fourth man after a slow start to his regular season. Lawler coming into form as championship racing starts couldn’t be understated, adding another experienced veteran to the scoring group as November neared was a great sign heading into 10k championship racing. Assaf Harari (26th) held his own to wrap up the team scoring that was void of any major blow-ups.
After outperforming expectations throughout the entire season (and cruising through the Northeast regional meet), that trend continued on the biggest stage of the year.
Perry Mackinnon was a star for the Orange at the national meet. He stepped up in a big way to lead them with his 19th place All-American finish. Not far behind was Sam Lawler. Previously in this article, we stated that Sam Lawler had the race of his life at Nuttycombe with this 34th place result. Well, he shattered that previous performance with a 34th place finish in Charlottesville, earning his first-ever All-American honors.
Assaf Harari (88th) had his best result of the season as he stepped up in a huge way to be the Orange’s third man. Alex Comerford (107th) and Nathan Lawler (111th) had solid performances to wrap up their team scoring. That, in turn, led to an impressive 9th place team finish despite a challenging DNF result from low-stick Paul O’Donnell.
And yet again, Syracuse had proven our preseason ranking wrong.
* * *
As the 2024 cross country season quickly approaches, we find ourselves having the same concerns that we’ve had about this team over the past couple of years: Losing multiple high-impact veterans who were valuable low-sticks. However, the Orange should, in theory, be able to soften that blow with key names coming back. Not to mention, there were also a handful of great additions who should be able to help offset at least some of those losses.
But make no mistake, having to recover from the losses of Paul O’Donnell, Perry Mackinnon and Nathan Lawler is no easy task. In fact, we would be stunned if this team was able to replicate the 2023 firepower that those three men offered in 2024.
And while Nathan Lawler certainly didn’t have the 2023 fall campaign that we expected to see after his 2022 cross country season, he was still a valuable scorer, especially during the postseason.
Truthfully, the biggest struggle will come in replacing O’Donnell and Mackinnon. Both runners traded off as being low-stick stars for Syracuse over the course of last year. The latter provided a huge 19th place finish at the national meet, which will be incredibly hard to replicate, and O'Donnell was the main reason why this team was so good in each of their regular season meets last fall.
Losing two lead-scorers and one top-five contributor would be a daunting and nearly insurmountable task to handle for most teams. However, as Syracuse has proven time and time again, they're prepared to reload...we think.
Most notably, the Orange return Sam Lawler (TSR #34). He made leaps and bounds during the course of his 2023 fall campaign and was a reliable scorer for his team. More importantly, the younger Lawler brother delivered on the highest stage with his first All-American performance at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships.
Even with his first All-American honor, we still feel that this rising distance runner is an underrated talent on the grass. While we’re still unclear what Lawler’s ceiling is, his reliability and consistency gives us reason to believe he can repeat last year’s All-American performance.
In fact, we feel even better about that possibility considering his performance(s) on the oval this past outdoor track season. Qualifying for the outdoor national meet over 10,000 meters was a huge positive step in his progression.
As we search to find who will fill the gaps in Syracuse's lineup this fall, we look no further than to the addition of Abdinasir Hussein. The veteran brings in an encouraging 28:50 (10k) PR that will provide stability in the Orange’s top-five.
The former Duck brings a specialty in the longer distances which matches the Orange's roster ethos and he provides valuable championship experience as well. His 131st place finish at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships may not necessarily raise eyebrows, but experience in big races can be hard to come by for teams. And frankly, simply having that stability should do wonders.
Assaf Harari is expected to easily fill in as a top runner for the Orange as well. Last fall, Harari admittedly had a sub-par season. However, it can’t be denied that he showed up when it mattered most -- at the national meet. His 88th-place finish in Charlottesville was far and away his best result of the season and one of the best of his cross country career.
Despite his underwhelming regular season results on the grass, there’s no denying that Harari is extremely talented. He’s found more success on the oval as he boasts a 28:55 (10k) personal best. Unfortunately, that personal best came in the spring of 2023. Harari struggled mightily this past spring and failed to break the 30-minute barrier in the 10-kilometer distance.
Struggles aside, the talent is absolutely there for Harari. If he can put it together and find his groove on the grass this spring, then we may just see another formidable trio for Syracuse.
* * *
Alex Comerford is another key returner for the Orange this fall. His results over the course of the 2023 fall campaign don’t blow you away, but his consistency was exhibited throughout the entire season.
Finishes of 44th at the Virginia Invitational, 74th at Nuttycombe, 17th at Northeast Regional XC Championships and 107th at the NCAA XC Championships tell us one thing: Comerford never blows up. He fits the bill for a team that needs reliability in the back-half of their scoring. That is a far greater asset than some people realize.
Comerford will certainly be there in November to pick up the pieces if a fellow teammate has an "off" day. An experienced veteran who can serve as a safety net for your team another advantage that this team will not underestimate.
With key returners and vital additions, Syracuse feels set to make yet another appearance at the NCAA XC Championships. However, there are two wildcards who we simply can’t forget about.
The much-anticipated cross country debuts of Connor Ackley and Benne Anderson could give the Orange an even higher ceiling this fall. Both Ackley and Anderson were highly touted recruits who boasted 14:29 (5k) personal bests in high school. Both men notched top-20 finishes at the 2022 NXN Championships which added to their already impressive cross country resumes.
The former posted a solid 13:55 (5k) PR on the oval this past spring. The latter (Anderson) put up one of the more impressive outdoor track seasons by any true freshman in the country. After he dipped under the 14-minute barrier over 5k at the Stanford Invite, we saw Anderson shift his focus to the 1500 meters for the remainder of the spring season. That shift paid off as we saw him clock a massive 3:39 (1500) PR to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
We’ve yet to see this rookie duo on the grass in Syracuse singlets. However, if their outdoor track campaigns are any indication of what their success will be, the Orange are sitting on a potential goldmine right now.
The rest of this lineup could allow Coach Brien Bell to piece together the rest of Syracuse’s top-seven. One of those key returners in Ethan Wechsler. He was the seventh man for Syracuse through the entirety of his 2023 cross country season and he comes into this season with freshly minted 29:22 (10k) and 14:14 (5k) personal bests to his name.
Improvement from Wechsler this fall feels imminent.
* * *
At the end of the day, the Syracuse men are once again prepared to reload their roster and fill in the missing pieces. Despite losing an experienced veteran 1-2 punch, they’re able to slot Lawler seamlessly into their low-stick role. Add in Hussien (who holds championship experience) as well as a wildcard rookie duo and you get a squad that has the potential to surpass this preseason ranking (again).
Of course, any team losing a potent 1-2 punch will face challenges. We’ve also yet to see how Anderson and Ackley will adjust to collegiate cross country racing. And with Harari failing to show consistency on the grass, you can begin to see how many obstacles this Upstate New York program still has to overcome in 2024.
As such, we decided that our TSR #20 spot was the appropriate place for Syracuse.
All that being said, it’s been two straight years that we’ve underrated Syracuse in our preseason rankings and there are valid reasons to believe that they’ll make that a three-peat. The pieces to the puzzle are there, and most importantly, Coach Brien Bell’s squads are seemingly immune to setbacks.
