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TSR's 2024 Preseason D1 XC Top 50 Rankings: #20-11 (Men)
- TSR Collaboration
- Jul 29, 2024
- 14 min read
Written by Finn Birnie & Garrett Zatlin, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin
20. James Corrigan, Junior, BYU
Now, we know what some of you might be thinking: Doesn’t this seem low for someone who has just run 8:13 (steeple) and will be competing in the Olympics this summer?
And our answer to that question is...maybe.
It's no secret that James Corrigan’s fitness has soared to new heights in recent weeks. Of course, it's not like the BYU ace didn't have a very respectable NCAA outdoor track campaign. The Cougar star was 9th at the national meet over the barriers and water pits and he ran 8:28 in the same event. However, those achievements pale in comparison to what he achieved (and could still achieve) during the post-NCAA season.
After lowering his steeplechase PR to 8:21 in the prelims of the Olympic Trials, Corrigan entered the final with nothing to lose and everything to gain. He ended up doing the latter, placing 3rd and giving himself a chance to make the Paris Olympic team.
Obviously, the major catch was that he was six seconds off of the qualifying standard and didn't have enough points via the world ranking system. This, however, was no bother for the Cougar who, on the final day before selection, crushed his steeple PR in Philadelphia. The BYU star clocked an 8:13 mark and booked his ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
While his leap in fitness over the last two months has no doubt been impressive, it's important to remember that the steeplechase is not cross country.
Last year, we saw Corrigan’s former teammate and fellow steeplechase standout, Kenneth Rooks, only place 35th at last fall's NCAA XC Championships, his best result of the season by far. That performance came after Rooks ran 8:16 in the steeplechase and was crowned both the American national champion and the collegiate national champion.
There is, however, a catch.
The big difference between these two men is that Corrigan has shown much more promise on grass and over the longer distances. His results last fall were highlighted by a 13th place finish at the BIG 12 XC Championships and a huge 32nd place finish at the NCAA XC Championships.
Not only is Corrigan a proven All-American on the grass, but he has been on an upward trajectory ever since the Virginia Invitational from last fall -- and he has shown no signs of slowing down. And frankly, it feels safe to assume that at least some of Corrigan's steeplechase form will translate to the grass. If that is the case, then it would be no surprise to see him improve upon his 32nd place finish on the national stage.
With an unworldly amount of momentum, Corrigan could well be a name that features much further up on our list this season. But with the Olympics starting in mid-August, the BYU star may get a late start to his season. For now, TSR #20 feels like a good spot for him.
19. Victor Shitsama, Senior, Oklahoma State
The ability to perform when it matters the most is arguably one of the most important qualities in a cross country runner -- and few athletes excel at this better than Oklahoma State's Victor Shitsama.
In fact, from a broad perspective, we would argue that Shitsama is to Oklahoma State what Brodey Hasty has been to Northern Arizona: incredibly clutch.
The Cowboy veteran is a four-time cross-country All-American, placing in the top-35 of each national meet. No matter how the regular season is going, you can bet the house that Shitsama will find himself in an All-American position.
Take last fall, for example. A 4th place finish at the Cowboy Jamboree is a very solid result, but it was essentially just a dual meet between OSU and Texas. Not only that, but a 45th place finish at the BIG 12 XC Championships was...well, just flat-out bad.
Yet, despite the sporadic, limited and somewhat inconsistent nature of his season, Shitsama blew us out of the water with an incredible 12th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships. That was, without a doubt, the biggest race of his career. Shitsama not only proved that he is a master at being ready come November, but he also demonstrated a level of fitness that we didn’t know that he was capable of.
This new level of fitness has since been extended as the Cowboy star lowered his steeplechase best to 8:29 this past outdoor track season. Maintaining this level of fitness is going to be crucial as Oklahoma State hopes to successfully defend their team title this fall. And given the attributes that Shitsama has displayed in the past, he may well be their linchpin.
Of course, replicating such an impressive result is no easy feat. However, if Shitsama can do what he does best in November, then he is certainly a shoo-in for yet another All-American accolade.
18. Creed Thompson, Senior, BYU
Over the past two cross country seasons, Creed Thompson has been one of BYU’s go-to scorers, and for good reason: His floor is exceptionally high. Thompson's "off" days are many athletes' good days, making him an exceptionally dangerous scorer for the Cougars.
Interestingly enough, one of his seemingly rare "off" days was at one of the first major races of the season, the Virginia Invitational, where he took 26th place. While this result was by no means a disaster, it was certainly underwhelming coming from some who had placed 30th at the NCAA XC Championships the fall prior and had just come off running 28:04 (10k) on the track.
Fortunately for Thompson, this result was quickly forgotten as just a matter of weeks later, the Cougar talent produced a monstrous 10th place finish at Nuttycombe. This result was huge. It not only showed us that Thompson has some upside and potential that he is still tapping into, but it was done at a race that bears the greatest resemblance to the national stage.
With championship season on the horizon, Thompson was primed as one of BYU's key low-sticks. And at the BIG 12 XC Championships, he delivered on that expectation, crossing the line with a brilliant 3rd place finish, losing only to the dynamic Oklahoma State duo of Brain Musau and Alex Maier.
A second exceptional performance in a highly competitive field suggested that the Cougar was ready to make a serious splash on the national stage. But ultimately, Thompson had to settle for 46th place on then national stage.
Steadiness has been one of Thompson’s strongest assets, but last fall, he struggled to maintain that. A 46th-place finish at the national meet is by no means a "bad" result, but it's not a true reflection of his potential as a top-tier low stick, especially considering that his heroics at the Nuttycombe Invitational indicated that he had a considerably higher ceiling.
Since the national meet, we haven’t seen anything from the BYU star. This potential lack of availability, paired with the up-and-down nature of last fall, are the sole reasons why Thompson has missed out on a spot in our top-15. And yet, out of all of the men not ranked in our top-15, it's Thompson who is seemingly the most likely to reach that tier this fall.
17. Ernest Cheruiyot, Sophomore, Texas Tech
Texas Tech’s Ernest Cheruiyot is an intriguing name to rank, largely because he has never contested a collegiate cross country event. However, if he can directly transfer his track fitness to the grass, then we are in for a real treat.
We were first introduced to the Red Raider star back in January. However, the Texas Tech product didn't formally introduce himself to the nation until he lined up for the 10k at the Bryan Clay Invite.
There, Cheruiyot’s aggressive front-running style was on full display as he fought tooth and nail with North Carolina standout, Alex Phillip. Despite a few minor tactical errors, Cheruiyot more than held his own, running a fantastic time of 27:52 (10k) for a stunning runner-up finish.
The Texas Tech newcomer eventually booked his ticket to Eugene, Oregon, for the NCAA Outdoor Championships where the race depended on fitness and grit rather than tactics and experience. After 25 laps, it's safe to say that the Red Raider product had plenty of grit as he ran the last 900 meters of the race with one shoe on and still finished with a time of 28:10 (10k) for a 4th place All-American finish.
To put it simply, Cheruiyot is an aerobic monster with heaps of potential on the grass. Sadly, through no fault of his own, that potential may not be showcased in many of the big-name regular season races due to Texas Tech fairly quiet schedule (until the postseason). That, admittedly, may make him difficult to assess throughout the season.
Therefore, with a very limited number of data points and a potentially limited schedule, it’s very hard to gain an accurate reading of where he should be placed. That is why we can't help but wonder whether our TSR #17 ranking for him is too low.
Regardless, one thing is for sure: Cheruiyot's gritty running style will be an even greater asset on the grass than it was on the track.
16. David Mullarkey, Senior, Northern Arizona
Isle of Man native David Mullarkey will be swapping the “poor man’s altitude” for the real thing as he moves from the harsh humidity of Florida State to the daring heights of Northern Arizona.
The Seminole-turned-Lumberjack has shown tremendous reliability on the grass and could very well be the crucial low-stick who keeps NAU's podium hopes alive in November.
Last fall, Mullarkey opened his NCAA cross country bank account with a very impressive 5th place finish at the Joe Piane Invitational. Not only did this confirm that his then-13:37 (5k) PR could translate to the grass, but it also suggested that he was a threat to would-be All-Americans.
However, a superb 14th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite completely altered our understanding of the then-Florida State standout. It was no longer a question of whether his ceiling was that of a backend All-American finish, but whether that was actually his floor.
This new suspicion was quickly confirmed after Mullarkey produced an arguably even more impressive 3rd place finish at the hotly contested ACC XC Championships. Every indicator pointed to an All-American finish on the national stage. Sure enough, that is exactly what happened...but only barely. The now-former FSU star settled for 40th place at the NCAA XC Championships, the final spot to earn an All-American, but a result like 20 spots back from where he should have finished.
While the reliability shown on Mullarkey’s resume indicated that he was better than the 40th-best runner in the nation last fall, he can't be faulted too much, especially considering it was his first-ever NCAA XC Championship appearance.
In his short time on the NCAA circuit, the newly-donned Lumberjack has proven that consistency is his biggest trump card. He has qualified for four national meets across all three disciplines and has improved upon his track marks nearly every time of asking.
Over the winter and spring months, the Isle of Man distance star dropped a blistering 7:42 (3k) PR and lowered his 5k personal best to 13:28. While his 3k effort is certainly a step above, we can't help but think that his new 5k time is just an extension of his cross country fitness. If that is the case, then we are left wondering whether we will see more from him this fall or more of the same.
Fortunately for Mullarkey, Coach Mike Smith has a proven history of developing athletes who are more aerobically inclined and he has often helped them excel on the national stage, something that Mullarkey has struggled with. Plus, training at altitude with teammates who are at a similar level could be exactly what elevates Mullarkey to a tier that makes him more of a top-half All-American lock rather than a backend one.
15. Joey Nokes, Senior, BYU
When Joey Nokes finished 10th at the Cowboy Jamboree back in the fall of 2022, we were stunned. We knew who Nokes was, but his resume leading up to that point did not suggest that he would run that well. Thankfully for him, he carried that momentum throughout the entirety of that season, although he settled for a 52nd place finish on the national stage.
The 2023 cross country season was arguably even nicer to Nokes who made a statement with a 4th place finish at the loaded Virginia Invitational. Shortly after that, the BYU veteran secured a fantastic 13th place effort at the Nuttycombe Invitational. And the top-heavy BIG 12 XC Championships? Yep, Nokes was brilliant there as well, placing 6th overall.
Unfortunately, for the second-straight year, the national meet proved to be a challenge for the BYU star. After missing out on All-American honors in 2022 with a 52nd place finish at the national meet, Nokes settled for a 56th place finish at the 2023 national meet.
Nokes did rebound slightly on the track when he ran a new 5k PR of 13:28, but the Cougar veteran struggled mightily at the West Regional Championships in both the 5k and the 10k earlier this year.
No one should question how insanely talented Nokes is. His raw fitness is obvious and his consistency is, generally speaking, really strong as well!
Of course, the postseason (specifically the national stage) has proven to be an issue for Nokes. While two top-60 finishes at the cross country national meet are nothing to hang your head about, it is also fair to say that Nokes is a top-20 runner in the NCAA when he's firing on all cylinders. Both his 2022 and 2023 fall campaigns suggest exactly that.
We're plenty high on Nokes going into this fall, simply because we believe that he is WAY overdue for an All-American honor -- and he will be hungrier than ever before.
14. Rocky Hansen, Sophomore, Wake Forest
We were excited for Wake Forest when they signed Rocky Hansen. Sure, we knew he was a great cross country runner, but his prowess in the mile was where we figured he would thrive.
But then, as just a true freshman, Hansen left our jaws on the floor at the Virginia Invitational. There, the true rookie dropped a monumental 5th place finish, taking down numerous All-American stars in the process.
Of course, that was just one race. And while the Virginia Invitational was a large and competitive meet, it paled in comparison to the Nuttycombe Invite. Surely that stage would prove to be too much for the freshman from Wake Forest...right?
Wrong.
Hansen was incredible once again, earning an arguably stronger result by placing 6th overall at the biggest non-national meet of the year.
Unfortunately, Hansen's magical season ended early as an injury kept him sidelined for the remainder of the fall months. It would also take him much of the winter months to get back into top form. And yet, despite that, Hansen thrived on the outdoor oval, running 13:44 (5k) for 5000 meters and qualifying for the outdoor national meet in that event (where he placed 16th).
Hansen has only two collegiate cross country results on his resume. And yet, the only men who had a more impressive pair of regular season results (important distinction) from last fall were Habtom Samuel, Ky Robinson, Joey Nokes and (depending on your grading scale) Drew Bosley and Parker Wolfe. That is an ELITE group of men to be categorized with.
Truthfully, the only concerns that we have for Hansen aren't necessarily related to anything regarding his racing or consistency. Our main challenges with ranking him were his lack of cross country races, his recent history of injury and the fact that he is still fairly young.
But if Hansen is anywhere close to the runner who he was last year, then this ranking will likely be too low for him.
13. Peter Maru, Freshman, Arkansas*
*NOTE: Based on a tip from one of our sources, we're not entirely sure if Peter Maru is expected to return to Arkansas this fall. We do not have confirmation of that possibility (at all) and we will therefore still rank him. However, that is something to potentially monitor.
Ah, yes.
Peter Maru.
One of the most challenging names to rank in our preseason top-50 list.
The Arkansas runner is so clearly an aerobic beast. His 5k success on the indoor oval this past winter was brilliant. He ran 13:17 for the 5000-meter distance and he then earned a 6th place All-American in that event at the indoor national meet. Not only that, but Maru's actual 5k personal best sits at 13:07 from a 2022 race in Oslo. The Ugandan distance star has also run 27:30 for 10,000 meters on the roads.
So...why is he so challenging to rank? Well, Maru doesn't have any collegiate cross country results to analyze. He also didn't race on the outdoor oval this past spring, making it impossible to know where his current form is at. Of course, it would be silly to ignore someone of Maru's talent. His 5k PR alone suggests that he is at least a top-15 name on the grass and more likely a top-10 talent.
In other words, this ranking for Maru is a shot in the dark. We think this is an accurate spot for for him, but we don't necessarily feel super confident about that. I suppose we'll find out soon...
12. Bob Liking, Senior, Wisconsin
The best way to describe Bob Liking is saying that he's a souped-up version of Gonzaga ace (and our TSR #24 runner), Will Smith. Both men have posted very fast long distance marks on the track, both men have thrived at the Nuttycombe Invitational and both men have left us wanting a bit more on the national stage.
Last year, Bob Liking went into 2023 national meet undefeated (although he did not race at Nuttycombe that year). Unfortunately, on the national stage, he faded to 83rd place. The year before that, Liking finished a fantastic 4th place at the Nuttycombe Invite and was the BIG 10 cross country champion. He did earn a 34th place All-American finish that year, but he was likely due for a top-20 result on that stage.
And in 2021? Fairly similar -- 5th at Nuttycombe, won the BIG 10 title, finished in 66th place at the cross country national meet.
If you exclude the national meet, Bob Liking is unquestionably a top-10 cross country runner in the NCAA. He has been absolutely brilliant at the Nuttycombe Invitational and he is a three-time BIG 10 cross country champion -- and that could turn to four later this fall. Not only that, but Liking has run as fast as 28:00 for 10,000 meters on the track. He also ran 13:09 for 5000 meters (unattached) earlier this year! That was huge!
The analysis for Liking doesn't need to be any more complicated than this: Be better at the national meet. That, of course, is easier said than done, but that's really the only part of his resume that you could ask to be better. Everywhere else, he has been absolutely fantastic.
11. Fouad Messaoudi, Junior, Oklahoma State
In the fall of 2022, we barely knew who Fouad Messaoudi was.
We knew that he was a Moroccan distance runner for Oklahoma State who had a few strong 1500-meter and 5000-meter times on the oval during the prior academic year. Other than that, he was largely unknown.
For a brief moment, it looked that would remain the case for a while after Messaoudi placed 6th at the BIG 12 XC Championships. And remember, that was when the conference was FAR weaker than it is today.
But then, seemingly out of nowhere, Messaoudi posted a jaw-dropping performance at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships. The Oklahoma State standout earned an insane 12th place finish, effectively making a statement to the rest of the NCAA that he had arrived. Messaoudi would then go on to have an outstanding indoor track season where he won the NCAA title over 3000 meters.
Fast forward to 2023 and we still had questions. Sure, Messaoudi had been awesome on the track, but he only had two cross country performances on his resume at the time. He also seemed to be more of a mile and 3k runner, not an 8k or 10k runner. Could the Cowboy star validate his out-of-nowhere 12th place finish from last year's national meet?
Yes...yes he could.
After placing 5th at the BIG 12 XC Championships, Messaoudi placed 10th at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships.
This is usually the part where we would say, "He has almost no cross country results! We can't properly rank him! There's not enough data!" But when someone earns two national meet finishes in back-to-back years that are inside the top-12, then all you can do is shrug your shoulders and say, "Yeah, he's simply that good."
We'll admit, seeing him pull out of the West Regional Championships this past spring wasn't ideal. It would also be nice if he had at least a couple of regular season performances on the grass for us to analyze. But simply keeping Messaoudi fresh until the postseason has turned out to be a brilliant coaching move by Dave Smith.
As such, we'll keep Messaoudi at the spot in our rankings which meets in the middle of his two national meet results.
