MEN The NCAA Division II men’s steeplechase will have a new champion this year. In fact, with seniors taking all top five spots at last year’s national meet, we will have a completely new group at the top of Division II this season. With only two athletes from last year’s final returning to Nationals this season, and the steeplechase already being one of the most unpredictable events in track and field, the outcome of this race is up in the air. If we take a look at just seed times alone, two individuals automatically stand out. Leakey Kipkosgei of American International and Jackson Sayler of Adams State lead the field as the only two athletes to break the 8:50 mark this season. Kipkosgei picked up his time at Penn Relays a few weeks ago, running a PR of 8:44.13, while Sayler picked up his time in his only steeplechase of the season thus far, running a PR of 8:45.39 at Payton Jordan earlier this month. Behind that duo is Alaska Anchorage’s Wesley Kirui as he comes in with the #3 time in the field running an 8:52.35 at the West Coast Invitational just two weeks ago. The Hampton transfer competed in the steeplechase at last year’s NCAA Division I Championships, so he is no stranger to running against the best of the best. He is a legitimate contender for a national title, and someone who could completely take over the steeplechase in the next couple of years. Jonah Theisen of Black Hills State also has a strong case for bringing home a national title after running an altitude converted time of 8:52.81 at the RMAC Championships. Theisen took home the steeplechase crown during his freshman year back in 2016, so him being the only person in the field with that experience of a steeplechase title may give him a mental edge over everyone else. Sitting right behind Theisen is Walsh’s Jacob Kernell. Kernell made Nationals last year, but did not have a good race and was far from making the final. However, he PR’d by eight seconds this year, running an 8:52.87 at the G-MAC Championships where he took down fellow steeplechase qualifier Trent Classen (Cedarville). Another PR from Kernell could put him right in the mix to end up on the podium. Then there are runners like Lee’s Christian Noble, the aforementioned Trent Classen, Alaska Anchorage’s Edwin Kangogo, and Chico State’s Jack Johnson - all of whom have qualified for a steeplechase final in year’s past, but have yet to grab a top three (or even a top five) spot. They will look to change that this year. Taylor Stack could have a key role in this field, especially after his 13:58 5k from Oxy two weeks. It's clear that his fitness is top-notch, but will he be able to handle doubling back from what will likely be an ultra-competitive 5000 meter race? It will be interesting to see the strategy for the field going into prelims and then the finals. With Theisen and Western Colorado’s Taylor Stack being the only athletes doubling back for the 5k, there should not be any holding back from the rest of the field. This steeplechase will probably be the least tactical race of any of the races this weekend. With the field being so tightly bunched from top to bottom, along with the unpredictability that comes with the barriers, seeing how this race unfolds is going to be quite spectacular. Final Predictions Leakey Kipkosgei, American International Wesley Kirui, Alaska Anchorage Jackson Sayler, Adams State Edwin Kangogo, Alaska Anchorage Jonah Theisen, Black Hills State Christian Noble, Lee (Tenn.) Jacob Kernell, Walsh Taylor Stack, Western State WOMEN Unlike the men’s steeplechase, the women’s race does not have as much depth, as there is a clear hierarchy of three women at the top - two of whom came into the season as favorites - and one who burst onto the scene this season. Alijca Konieczek of Western Colorado comes in as the two-time defending national champion in this event, and goes into this weekend as the favorite with a Division II leading time of 9:52.32 which she ran earlier this month at Payton Jordan. However, unlike the past two years, this year she has chosen to double with the 1500 instead of the 5k, which adds a prelim race before her prelim of the steeplechase. It will be interesting to see if that affects her at all. Coming in as the defending runner-up is Adams State’s Eilish Flanagan who has been right there with Konieczek this season. She comes in with a time of 9:55.25 which she picked up at Payton Jordan, finishing right behind her main rival (Konieczek). Eilish has looked as good as any runner in Division II so far this season as she also goes into the 5k with the #2 leading time in that event. She has to have the confidence that she can dethrone the two-time champion and take home the steeplechase crown. The newcomer to the event this season who is a real threat to take down both of the women mentioned above is Simon Fraser’s Julia Howley. In her first ever season running the steeplechase, Howley comes in with a time of 10:02.45 which she picked up at the GNAC Championships. She has run four steeplechase races, all of which she has won by more than fifteen seconds. It will be very interesting to see how fast she can run when she has competition to push her. After those three, there is a large drop in time to the fourth spot which is occupied by Grand Valley State’s Hannah Groeber who, along with Megan Wenham of Colorado Mines, is one of two women returning who ran in last year’s final. Groeber picked up a PR of 10:23.52 in early April at the Bison Outdoor Classic while Wenham picked up a PR of 10:29.23 at the Stanford Invitational in March. Both women will try to grab that All-American spot that they narrowly missed out on last year. Joining Groeber are her teammates Holly McKinney and Madison Goen. This is Goen’s first season running the steeplechase while McKinney, a transfer from Central College, will compete at her first Division II National Championship. This group from Grand Valley State could get big points in a chase to a team national title. The most underrated name in the field is probably HaLeigh Hunter-Galvan of Adams State. She has only run the steeplechase once, running a 10:35.58 at Oxy just two weeks ago. Who knows how much steeple practice she had before then, but now that she knows what the race feels like, she may be able to make some noise this weekend. Other top names coming in are Tusculum’s Nicole McMillen, Hillsdale’s Allysen Eads, and Point Loma’s Zita Molnar - all of whom are going to be battling for their first outdoor All-American finish. This steeplechase will probably be a tale of two races. The first being what is happening at the front, and the second being what is happening behind them for the rest of the top eight spots as the rest of the top 10 is separated by only ten seconds. The showdown between Konieczek, Flanagan, and Howley is going to be one of the most exciting things we see all weekend. Final Predictions Julia Howley, Simon Fraser Alicja Konieczek, Western State Eilish Flanagan, Adams State Hanna Groeber, Grand Valley State Allysen Eads, Hillsdale Haleigh Hunter-Galvan, Adams State Nicole McMillen, Tusculum Megan Wenham, Colorado Mines

*Honorable mentions below* KEY (Unranked) Was not ranked during the last update. (#/#) First number indicates the change in a runner's ranking from the prior update. Second number indicates where the runner was ranked during the last update. 25. Justine Kiprotich, Senior, Michigan State (Unranked) Kiprotich reminded us all that he is one of the best tactical middle-distance runners in the country by beating Oliver Hoare at BIG 10's in the 1500. He doesn’t have PR's that put him at the top of the NCAA leaderboard, but the Spartan ace wins whenever he runs a 1500. This season, he hasn’t lost in a race that wasn’t a prelim. 24. Steven Fahy, Senior, Stanford (Unranked) The Cardinal has put together a very solid outdoor season after sitting out the cross country season due to injury. His 13:34 at the Cardinal Classic showed that his fitness was back, but his 8:43 win in the steeplechase at PAC-12's shows that he is ready to compete for a national title again. He hasn’t lost in the steeplechase this year and winning by seven seconds shows that he is ready to compete with the best in the country. 23. Conner McMillan, Senior, BYU (Unranked) McMillan joined his BYU teammates at the top of the 10k with his 28:11 at Payton Jordan. Like his fellow Cougars, he will hope that the regular season is a good indication of what will happen at Nationals. With a group of BYU runners, they should be able to dictate what type of race they want run which should play into their favor. 22. Gilbert Kigen, Senior, Alabama (-4 / 18) Alabama’s Gilbert Kigen has been very consistent throughout the year. He has run 28:20 in the 10k, 13:34 in the 5k, and won the 10k at SEC's. Most importantly, he has the ability to stay in the race at almost any pace and has experience from last year where he finished 7th in the at NCAA's in the 10k. He's a solid name to have in our Top 25, but a few standout performances from a handful of others pushed Kigen back a bit. 21. Geordie Beamish, Junior, NAU (Unranked) The indoor mile champ boasts a pair of PR's that are two of the best times in the country. His 3:39 at Bryan Clay might have been expected after his mile win during indoors, but running 13:31 at Payton Jordan came as quite the shock. He could do some damage at Nationals in the 5000 meters. 20. Waleed Suliman, Sophomore, Ole Miss (+1 / 21) In Suliman’s first meet since Bryan Clay, he took care of business by winning the 1500 at SEC's. This is another good sign for the young Rebel as he continues to improve as a championship competitor. 19. Carlos Villarreal, Junior, Arizona (-11 / 8) Villarreal didn’t run his best at PAC-12's, finishing 4th in the 1500 and 3rd in the 800. Still, it would be surprising if he didn’t bounce back. His 3:37 at Bryan Clay is still one of the fastest times in the country, and the senior is still one of the favorites in the 1500. 18. Daniel Michalski, Rs. Senior, Indiana (-1 / 17) Michalski has had a very consistent season, running 8:35 and 8:34 in the steeplechase in his first season as a Hoosier. Losing to Ali at BIG 10's by less than a second shows that he is close to competing for a title at Nationals. 17. Ryan Smeeton, Sophomore, Oklahoma State (Unranked) Smeeton shocked the track community by running a brilliant race at Payton Jordan to win the steeplechase in a blistering time of 8:27. Is the Cowboy a one-race wonder, or is he the real deal? That is the main question, but either way, he needs to be considered as the primary threat to taking the title away from Obsa Ali. 16. Kyle Mau, Junior, Indiana (-1 / 15) Kyle Mau bounced back from an underwhelming Cardinal Classic with a 3:40 on his home track. He later secured bronze and silver medal finishes in the 1500 and 5k, respectively at the BIG 10 Championships. Garrett mentioned this here , but I also agree that Mau's speed will be extremely useful in a tactical 5k. Outside of McDonald and Fisher, I think it could be anyone’s race in the 5000 meters whereas the 1500 seems to have so many contenders. 15. Conner Mantz, Rs. Sophomore, BYU (+1 / 16) Mantz, like many of the BYU Cougars, ran well at Payton Jordan and earned a PR in the 5k running 13:29. The sophomore has been impressive this season running PR's in the 1500, 5k, and 10k as well as flashing some speed. Look for him to pack up with his teammates in whatever race he runs at Nationals. 14. Tyler Day, Senior, NAU (0 / 14) Day ran the fastest 5k of the year at Payton Jordan with a 13:25 and reestablished himself as one of the top runners in both the 5k and 10k. Since then, he won the 5k at BIG Sky's by seven seconds. The 10k is shaping up to be a rematch from cross country with both NAU and BYU runners stacking the top of the performance list. 13. Yared Nuguse, Sophomore, Notre Dame (0 / 13) Nuguse continued his sparkling outdoor season with a win in the 1500 at ACC's. In what is becoming a loaded and deep 1500, the Notre Dame product will surely put himself in contention against the likes of Villarreal, Paulson, and Hoare at Nationals. In a year with so much uncertainty in the 1500, Nuguse continues to produce consistently strong results. 12. Cooper Teare, Sophomore, Oregon (0 / 12) Another week, another stunning performance from Cooper Teare. After finishing 2nd to Grant Fisher at the Cardinal Classic and running 13:32, Teare upped the ante and beat Fisher in the 5k at PAC-12's. The young Oregon Duck will certainly be one of the top favorites in the 5k next month especially with Joe Klecker out for the rest of the year. 11. Robert Brandt, Junior, UCLA (0 / 11) Brandt continued his very solid, not flashy, and underappreciated season by winning the 10k at PAC-12's. Along with the BYU men, Brandt has to be one of the favorites in the 10k, but he also should have an opportunity to score in the 5k like he did this past winter. 10. Obsa Ali, Senior, Minnesota (-3 / 7) Ali drops back a few spots after losing at Payton Jordan, but in my eyes, he still is the favorite to take home NCAA gold. The defending steeplechase champ did run 8:31 which was faster than any time he had run last year. Unfortunately for Ali, the steeple field looks much stronger this year especially with Ryan Smeeton throwing his name into the ring. Beating Michalski at the BIG 10 Championships is a good sign that Ali is ready for championship season. 9. Rory Linkletter, Senior, BYU (+1 / 9) Linkletter has had a short, but productive, outdoor season. He has run twice, producing times of 13:36 and 28:12 so far. Look for him to concentrate on the 10k and use his potent finishing kick to put himself into podium position. 8. Clayton Young, Senior, BYU (+1 / 9) Young threw down a 13:31 at Payton Jordan and like Linkletter, hasn’t raced since. The BYU runner has top times in both the 5k and 10k. With BYU stacking the 10k, my bet is on Young being the one leading the team like he did during indoors. 7. Devin Dixon, Junior, Texas A&M (Unranked) After a disappointing regular season, Dixon broke out in a big way to win SEC's in a stunning 1:44 performance. If anyone had forgotten about the Texas A&M runner, then this weekend was a great way for him to reintroduce himself. I still don’t think he’s established himself enough as a favorite in the 800 even though he has the fastest time in the country, but he certainly has put himself back into the discussion. Will this be the year that he gets over the hump at Nationals? 6. William Paulson, Senior, Arizona State (Unranked) Paulson is in the midst of a breakout season. He’s run PR's in the mile and 1500 and has done extremely well in championship races. He won the mile at the MPSF Championships, finished 5th at Indoor Nationals, and recently beat Grant Fisher to win the PAC-12 1500. He ran 3:38 at Bryan Clay to finish just behind Hoare, Villarreal, and Nuguse. I’m as guilty as anyone, but we have been underestimating this Arizona State runner all year. Paulson deserves to be one of the favorites in the 1500, especially now that Hoare looks beatable. 5. Marco Arop, Sophomore, Mississippi State (+1 / 6) While Arop did lose to Dixon at SEC's, he still deserves to be the top favorite in the 800 behind Hoppel. The Canadian has run well in championship races going back to last year’s outdoor 800 where he finished 2nd to Isaiah Harris. During indoors, he again finished 2nd to Hoppel at the national meet, and at this point, it seems like we are headed towards the same result. 4. Oliver Hoare, Junior, Wisconsin (-1 / 3) After Hoare’s statement race at Payton Jordan, he helped Wisconsin win the DMR and 4xMile at the Penn Relays. Everything seemed to be back on track for the reigning 1500 meter national champion. However, Hoare was recently upset by Justine Kiprotich in the 1500 at BIG 10's. While it is only one race, it does show that Hoare may be more vulnerable than we thought, especially when you think back to Indoor Nationals... 3. Grant Fisher, Senior, Stanford (-1 / 2) Not a great weekend for Grant Fisher. The senior failed to win any PAC-12 titles after getting out-kicked by Paulson in the 1500 and Teare in the 5k. No reason to overreact, though. We must remember that he has run 3:39 and 13:29 already this season and will be one of the favorites with McDonald in the 5k. 2. Bryce Hoppel, Senior, Kansas (+3 / 5) Bryce Hoppel makes the big jump to the #2 spot this week. The guy has been unbeatable all year. Literally, he hasn’t lost yet. He has run 1:45 twice including this past weekend to win the BIG 12 title. Even with Dixon’s fast 800 at SEC's, Hoppel has to be the big favorite to win his second 800 title of the year. 1. Morgan McDonald, Senior, Wisconsin (0 / 1) McDonald has had a strange season up to this point. He hasn’t raced any of his national competitors yet, instead he has settled for earning regional qualifying marks and winning a Penn Relays Wheel. I’m tempted to drop him from the top spot, but, after what he did indoors, he deserves the benefit of the doubt until we see him lose. On another note, it was interesting to see McDonald run the 10k at conference to earn himself a spot to regionals. This seems to indicate that he will be attempting the 10k/5k double at Nationals. Honorable Mentions (no order) Thomas Ratcliffe (Stanford) Ryan Forsyth (Colorado) Sam Worley (Texas) Reed Brown (Oregon) Illias Auonai (Syracuse) Cole Rockhold (Colorado State) Matt Owens (BYU) Clayson Shunway (BYU) Edwin Kurgat (Iowa State)

Look, I know it's against NCAA rules for student-athletes to wager on sports, but haven't you always been curious to know what the odds and lines would be for certain races? Even just a little bit? Don't worry, I promise you won't get in trouble for reading this article. Outside of the Olympics, track and field has virtually no presence in the gambling world (which may be both a pro and a con depending on how you look at it). But although you may not be able to find a bookie who can find a wager for your investment on a track meet, we've decided to conjure up a few "over/under" odds for a handful of fun (and strictly theoretical) bets... 5.5: Number of men BYU will send to Nationals in the 10k How often would you say that the top four men in a regional 10k wouldn't make it to Nationals? Not often right? Well that shouldn't change just because BYU owns the top four spots in the country for this event. If that stat alone wasn't impressive enough, they also have eight of the top 20 spots in the West Region for 10,000 meters. That's an awfully good number to have in your favor, especially when you consider the small number of bottom-half seeds who qualify for the national meet on an annual basis (but more on that later). The top four seeds seem like a lock, and with eight men in the top 20, it seems extremely likely that a fifth would join. But what about a sixth national qualifier? It's not totally out of the question when you have three more men in the top 20 and a ninth man sitting at #38 in the region. I initially posed this question to TSR's group chat, but instead, I put the number at 4.5 qualifiers. There was a relatively good split, but a majority of our writers went with the over. In retrospect, 4.5 national qualifiers may have been a tad low for the general public and I'm sure the men from Provo would debate that it's still too low. Frankly, they would have a pretty good argument. 2.5: Number of women New Mexico will send to Nationals in the 5k Yes, I know that they have the top three seeds in the West Region along with two others in the field (Martin and Prouse), but is anyone else somewhat, maybe, sorta concerned about all of the doubling that these women will be doing? At the West Regional Championships, Kelati and Kurgat will attempt the 10k/5k double while Cohen and Prouse will attempt the steeplechase/5k double. Emily Martin will only be running the 5k. The 10k/5k double isn't a major concern for me. It's a very reasonable double that has been done multiple times before. But the steeplechase/5k double? That's a bit more tricky, especially when you consider that Prouse is ranked #35 in the region for 5000 meters. You also have to consider the possibility of some athletes simply "jogging" the 5000 meters if they are already qualified in another event. Obviously, this goes against the "honest effort" rule which is designed to eliminate these kind of scenarios, but it is extremely difficult to police what someone's "honest effort" is, especially after they already completed a race. I think most people will still take the over on this one, but setting this one to 3.5 qualifiers just seemed too high. Ideally, three qualifiers is the sweet spot, but I think it's a very real scenario that only two of these women get into the national meet. 11.5: Number of bottom-half seeds in both of the men's regions that will qualify for Nationals Last year, 11 men who were seeded at #25 or worse in their respective region were able to qualify for Nationals. In other words, that's just a little over 9% of the 120 distance qualifiers. Obviously, it would be better to count these totals up from over the past few years, but if we're being honest with each other, I don't have that kind of time. In theory, races like the 10k and 5k offer more room for a bottom-half seed to qualify for NCAA's. There is simply more time in these longer races for the athletes to react to certain moves that are being made. Additionally, many of these races often turn tactical, which allows lesser talents to benefit from their finishing speed. Races like the 800 meters have little room for error, so if you're not running near 1:48 low or faster, then you're likely not getting into the Big Dance. I'm not saying this is an exact science or even that the numbers totally support my theory. But it makes a lot of sense in my head and frankly, that's the only thing I'm worried about. So when you're making your regional picks, think about how you want to hedge your selections. There's a good chance that at least one person in a distance race who is seeded at #25 or worse will make it to the national meet. Does that mean you go for broke and try to select the one person who could possibly surprise you? Or do you pick all 12 of your athletes from the top-half of the entries because it's the safer way to go? I just have the numbers, I don't have the answer for you. 6.5: Number of bottom-half seeds in both of the women's regions that will qualify for Nationals The number of bottom-half seeds in both of the women's regions last year was far lower than what we saw with the men. The total wasn't even six, it was four! There's a very good chance my eyes deceived me and that I missed a name or two when counting these totals. Still, it's extremely clear that the top women relinquish far fewer national qualifying spots than the men do. For the longest time, I have heard the very interesting argument that women don't utilize tactical racing as much as men do. Truthfully, I've bought into that idea a good bit, but this is the first statistical comparison I've come across that (might?) support the theory. Even so, I can't buy into the idea that only four bottom-half seeds will make it to the national meet this weekend. The East Region 1500 is stacked with a ton of top-tier names while the West Region 10k and 5k holds a handful of strong talents. Other Fun Prop Bets 3.5: Number of barriers / water pit falls we will see in either regional for the men or the women I have absolutely no data to support the idea that 3.5 is the perfect "over/under" number for this hypothetical. Still, it will give us something fun to keep track of while we're watching the Regional Championships. Straight Up: A #1 seed does not qualify for Nationals I have no idea what this number was last year (it may have been zero), but I have always been a little cautious about the men's 1500. The tactical nature of those races is extremely unnerving. He wasn't the #1 seed, but Waleed Suliman ran 3:39 in the 1500 last year and was unable to make it to the national meet. Just something to keep in mind moving forward... Straight Up: Indiana men earn a national qualifier in each distance event Some may think that even one team accomplishing this is nearly impossible, but have you seen who the Indiana men are fielding? Mau is a heavy favorite to qualify in the 500 meters, Michalski is a heavy favorite to qualify in the steeplechase, and Williams is a heavy favorite to qualify in the 800. Even Ben Veatch looks to be a phenomenal choice to qualify in the 10,000 meters. The 1500 is a bit less clear, but the Hoosiers have three men ranked in the top 16 for the East Region (two are in the top 10). If any team is going to pull this off, it's the Hoosiers.

Who was the most surprising name you saw when accepted entries were released? Quenten: Sydney Gidabuday of Adams State really surprised me being entered in the 1500. We all know Gidabuday as a long distance runner, regularly competing in the 10,000 meters, but this year he decided to switch things up and to be honest, I am all for it. Another big name in the men’s 1500 will be nothing but positive. On the women's side, I truly liked seeing that Liz Bloch of Michigan Tech is entered in both the 800 and 1500. Bloch has made huge improvements in both events over the years and I expect her to have a great outing. Maybe she'll even secure an All-American finish. Matt: Alicja Konieczek opting for the steeplechase/1500 double instead of the steeplechase/5k was a huge surprise to me. She is the obvious favorite in the steeplechase, but for the past two outdoor seasons, she has doubled back in the 5k, finishing 2nd last year and winning the year before. When you think about the prelims in the 1500, it will be interesting to see how she reacts to having to add another race on her ledger. As for the men, I agree with Quenten that it was very interesting to see Sydney Gidabuday decide to run the 1500 along with the 5k, rather than the 10k like we have seen him do in the past. Granted, he did not run a 10k this season, so he really didn't have a choice, but it will be interesting to see how he does with a 1500 prelim added to his schedule. John: Elysia Burgos stood out to me when I was looking through the entries. She’s just a freshman and has decided to double up in the 800 and 1500. She ran the DMR and the mile during the indoor season at Nationals, but failed to make the mile finals. Four races in three days is a lot to ask for, but she clearly thinks she's up for the task at hand. It’ll be interesting to see how things play out for her. On the men’s side, I’d have to go with Leakey Kipkosgei as the name who made the most surprising decision. Throughout the season I really thought he was going to double at Nationals. Instead, he’s only entered the steeplechase and his intentions are clear: win the damn thing. Which race has the greatest stand-alone value in terms of excitement? Quenten: On the men’s side, the 1500 is going to cause a huge stir of excitement. At Indoor Nationals, we saw the men of Queens (Felix Wammetsberger and Daniel Wallis) go 1-2 in the event, upsetting the favorite Elias Gedyon of Adams State. Heading into the national meet, there are two key narratives that we need to keep in mind. First, the men of Queens want to validate their National's performance from indoors. Wammetsberger and Wallis are racing to remind people that they are a force to be reckoned with. Secondly, Elias Gedyon wants redemption from indoors. He is likely going out there to prove that Adams State is still the top dog when it comes to any distance event. Matt: In terms of excitement, it is really no debate that the women’s 800 should be the most electrifying race at Nationals. There are about 10 to 12 women who could end up on the podium, which means some big names and legitimate contenders are not going to even make the final. Also, everybody is trying to dethrone Skylyn Webb, but there is an extremely small gap between all of the women at the top, with seven women running sub-2:08 this season. Quenten: On the women’s side of things, the 800 will be a shocking and exciting race. There is no clear-cut favorite in my eyes as we have four women under the 2:07 mark. Skylyn Webb of UC-Colorado Springs is the defending indoor national champion in the event from this past March, but a lot of things can change in just two months. Don’t be surprised when a new champion is crowned. John: The women’s steeplechase will likely have the most interesting storyline. With Alicjia Konieczek coming back for her last season, she’ll look to take home another title in her main event. Meanwhile, Eilish Flanagan and Julia Howley look to be the only other competitors who will give her a run for her money. Keep in mind that Konieczek will have a 1500 prelim before the steeplechase while Flanagan and Howley will have finished their steeplechase duties before pursuing the 5000 meters at the end of the championship weekend. It’ll be interesting to see if Konieczek feels any ill-effects from her 1500. Matt: On the men's side, there is no question that the 1500 is going to be the most exciting, closely contested race of the meet. With the top 12 guys separated by less than four seconds coming in, it really is a toss up of who is going to end up on the podium. Elias Gedyon, Felix Wammetsberger, and Daniel Wallis are the big-name favorites going in, but with all the guys so closely bunched at the top, I would not say there is an actual favorite. With six of the nine guys from the indoor mile returning to run this 1500 at Nationals (along with Sydney Gidabuday, Luke Julian, and others), there are going to be some key stars left out of the final, which could end up as one of the most thrilling and electrifying 1500 finals we've seen in recent history. John: I actually am going to side with the men’s 5000 this year. In recent years, there has been a stand-alone favorite that you can place your bets on. That isn't too different this year with Zach Panning coming in as the heavy favorite. He is, after all, the reigning outdoor champion and recently set a personal best in the event with a time of 13:37. However, I think this race could be super interesting when you remember that there are a handful of other stars in this field such as Gedyon (13:45), Stack (13:58), and Gidabuday (13:59). We will likely see a handful of different strategies come into play from these men in an effort to take down Panning. I'm interested to see which runner comes out on top. With numerous athletes opting for doubles at NCAA's, which one do you have the most faith in and which one do you think might have the most trouble? Quenten: I have all the faith in Caroline Kurgat of Alaska Anchorage who is doubling in the 5000 and 10,000. She is the defending champion in these two events and Kurgat knows how to manage the two. She ran 20 seconds faster than the next individual in the 5000 and a whole two minutes faster in the 10,000. My main concern, however, lies with Alicja Konieczek who will attempt the steeplechase/1500 double. The steeplechase puts a pounding on the body from jumps and awkward water pits. It is truly a tough race to get through, especially when facing top-tier competition. Coming back to run a fast-paced 1500 might prove to be difficult for Konieczek. Matt: The obvious answer to which woman I have the most faith in is Caroline Kurgat of Alaska Anchorage. She is far and away the D2 leader in both the 5k and 10k and is the defending champion in both events. We saw her do this double last year and she won with ease in both events. I think we will see much of the same this time around. As for my concern, the decision to double from Liz Bloch is worrisome to me. She burst onto the scene this season with huge PR's in both the 800 and 1500 (the 800 coming just last week) which is super encouraging. Although I like Bloch's confidence, I am just not sure that the huge jumps in time will equate to her being able to compete against the best of the best in both events. John: Caroline Kurgat is the relatively easy answer here. She’s the clear-cut favorite in both of her events and there is no one really near her in terms of ability. She’ll have an easy 10k race and will come back for the 5k where she should win again. I am, however, somewhat concerned with Kate Lilly picking the 5000 to double back in. Like Matt said about Theisen, it’s the last distance event, but it’s a tough race to come back and run well in, especially after the 1500. Quenten: On the men’s side, the 5000 and 10,000 double by Grand Valley State's Zach Panning will be an easy task. Panning leads the NCAA in both events with times of 13:37.94 and 28:30.77. Two gold medals looks like a promising result. On the flip side, a major entry decision that stood out to me was Sydney Gidabuday doubling in the 1500 and 5000. Traditionally, Gidabuday attempts the 10k/5k double. Both of those events are straight finals, while there are prelims for the 1500. It will be interesting to see how he handles the 5000 final with the 1500 prelims added on. Matt: Just like with Kurgat, Zach Panning of Grand Valley State is a very obvious choice when it comes to the man who I have the most faith in when it comes to doubling. Panning is the favorite in both the 5k and 10k and is the defending 5k champ. We saw him do this double last year, and while he did not win both, finishing 2nd in the 10k and then walking away with the win in the 5k is the next best thing you can do. He has proven that this national meet should be a very successful one for him. On the other side of things, I know that the 5k is the last distance event of the meet, but Jonah Theisen of Black Hills State trying to double back after the steeplechase is going to be very difficult. The steeplechase just drains everything out of your legs and with him being one of the favorites to medal, it will probably require a hard effort as he attempts to hang with the lead pack. I am just not sure he will be able to recover in time to be competitive in the 5k. John: On the men’s side, I am very excited to see Daniel Wallis run this weekend. After his strong indoor performance, I’m convinced he can do the same during outdoors. He’s run strong races throughout the season and I think he’s going to see a lot of success at NCAA's. On the other end of the concern spectrum, I think Calahan Warren of Embry-Riddle might run into a little bit of trouble running the 1500/800 double. The issue at hand here is that if Warren doesn't make the final in the 1500, the odds of him making the 800 final are even slimmer. I was a little bit surprised to see his name on the entries twice, but he might be covering all of his bases to try and ensure an All-American bid. Which athletes do you think are a guarantee to walk away with a gold medal next weekend? Quenten: Obviously, the two biggest names that come to mind are Caroline Kurgat of Alaska Anchorage and Thomas Staines of CSU-Pueblo. Both individuals are D2 national record holders and defending national champions in their respective events. Kurgat has been on a tear this outdoor season and I don’t see her losing in any fashion. Staines' story is a bit different compared to Kugat. He has only run the 800 twice this year, but he most recently posted an NCAA leading time of 1:47.53. I don’t see any of these dominating superstars taking a loss at Nationals. Matt: There are two obvious names that I mentioned in an earlier section, but I’ll go a different route with the defending 800 champs: Skylyn Webb of UCCS and Thomas Staines of CSU-Pueblo. Webb comes in with the #2 fastest time in D2, but we have seen time and time again that when it comes to racing in the biggest moments against the best competition, she is always up to the task. Staines, on the other hand, does go into Nationals with the fastest 800 time in Division 2, even though he has only raced the event twice this season. He has won the last two indoor 800 meter titles and he will likely grab a second straight outdoor championship win at the upcoming national meet. John: No surprise here, Caroline Kurgat is an easy guarantee to take a gold medal. I think you could ask most of the spectators this and they’d give you the same answer that we are. She’s been virtually untouchable in Division 2 and will continue to make her bid as one of the greatest athletes we have ever seen in D2. As for the men, I’ll have to agree with my other two writers here and say Thomas Staines. The three-time 800 meter national champion just recently ran the fastest time in the NCAA this year. He’s fantastic in championship settings (i.e. DMR anchor leg) and can finish better than anyone else in the field. Give us your bold predictions for Nationals Quenten: HaLeigh Hunter-Galvan of Adams State will finish top three for the 3000 steeplechase. Hunter-Galvan recently ran the event for her very first time at the Oxy Invite a couple of weeks ago where she posted a provisional time of 10:35.58. For a first timer, this is a very impressive result. With a week more to touch up on things, I believe she will surprise a lot of people. Matt: Julia Howley will take down both Konieczek and Flanagan to win the steeplechase. In her first season ever running the steeplechase, Howley has looked super impressive and has not been tested in any steeplechase race all season. Despite the lack of elite competition, she is still running very quick times, including a 10:02.45 which sits at #3 in D2. In a race that has been dominated by one individual the past two years, I think we see a shakeup at Nationals. John: On the women’s side, I’m going to pick Danielle McCormick to win the 800. I think she is slightly under the radar because of where she goes to school, but she’s got the #3 fastest time in D2 and was the conference winner in the event. She’s also improved in the 1500 (an event I thought she would double in) over the course of the season which shows us that she has the strength to run faster than 2:05 if she needs to. I think Skylyn Webb of UCCS is somewhat vulnerable going into the NCAA meet and that this will be McCormick's best chance to dethrone her. Quenten: Very bold prediction: a freshman wins the men’s 1500. Luke Julian of Colorado Mines enters the race with the #2 fastest time in D2 with a mark of 3:42.98. Julian may not be as experienced as the Queens or Adams State men, but he absolutely has the fitness to win it all. Matt: Really bold prediction time: Victor Moreau finishes top three in both the 1500 and 5000. Moreau is constantly overlooked as one of the best competitors in D2 and has shown that he can compete at national meets as he ran extremely well during indoors earlier this year. After picking up PR's in the 800, 1500, and 5000 this season, I think Moreau is primed to surprise people and make a run at a couple of top three finishes. John: Taylor Stack wins the men’s steeplechase this year. After seeing him post a 13:58 in the 5000, I think he’s well-suited for a very good race in the steeple. I think he is in shape to run under 8:50 if the race went out hard. Despite being entered in a loaded field, I think he'll walk away victorious as he holds off the competition in the last 50 meters.

*Honorable mentions below* KEY (Unranked) Was not ranked during the last update. (#/#) First number indicates the change in a runner's ranking from the prior update. Second number indicates where the runner was ranked during the last update. 25. Nia Akins, Junior, Penn (Unranked) There were a handful of women that this spot could've gone to, but after such a successful indoor season where she nearly won the national title, I think Akins deserves to be mentioned. Of course, it's not just because of her performance from Indoor Nationals. Her 2:03.76 from the Tennessee Relays currently has her ranked at #8 in the NCAA and it doesn't hurt that she added a 4:16 PR for 1500 meters to her resume either. After helping Penn to their first ever Penn Relays wheel in the DMR and securing two Ivy League titles, it's safe to say that Akins has brought an immense amount of value to the Quaker's roster. 24. Makena Morley, Junior, Colorado (-6 / 18) 23. Fiona O'Keeffe, Junior, Stanford (Unranked) The PAC 12 rivals haven't been making as many headlines like they were during indoors, but their spring seasons have still been strong. O'Keeffe ran 15:38 at Payton Jordan while Morley ran 15:43 earlier in the season at the Stanford Invite. After finishing 2nd (O'Keeffe) and 3rd (Morley) in the PAC 12 Championship 5k last weekend, it's clear that these two women are capable of finding a podium spot once again in the next few weeks. 22. Alexis Fuller, Senior, Boise State (Unranked) Fuller began to show signs of being a national title contender this past winter, but she barely missed an All-American finish by one spot in the mile. However, this spring track season has been where she has really turned on the jets. After running 2:05 at the Sun Angel Classic, she went to the Portland Twilight meet and threw down an NCAA #3 time of 4:13 seemingly out of nowhere. After winning the Mountain West title last weekend, Fuller has established herself as a very real threat to finish on the podium come June. 21. Lauren Gregory, Rs. Freshman, Arkansas (-6 / 15) 20. Taylor Werner, Rs. Sophomore, Arkansas (-10 / 10) This pair of Arkansas women haven't been lighting up the track like they were during indoors, but they've quietly produced a handful of nice times and performances. Werner has marks of 15:38 (NCAA #7) and 32:26 (NCAA #6) while Gregory has run 4:15 (NCAA #17) and 15:42 (NCAA #14). It's clear that they are still some of the top talents in the country, but they've lacked the same consistency and tactical acumen (i.e. SEC Champs and Stanford Invite) that we saw from them in the winter. 19. Avi Tal Wilson-Perteete, Sophomore, UNLV (+3 / 22) I really liked the Mountain West title win we saw from Wilson-Perteete last weekend. A hard-charging Kristie Schoffield did not make things easy for the UNLV sophomore who was forced to run 2:03.56 in order to win. Wilson-Perteete didn't back down from the challenge and was rewarded by defeating a respectable middle distance talent in the process. 18. Brianna Ilarda, Senior, Providence (Unranked) The Providence senior has stolen the spotlight from teammate Millie Paladino with a total of four wins this season, three of which came in the steeplechase. Her personal best of 9:50 currently ranks #4 in the NCAA right now, and it's hard to imagine her not on the podium come NCAA's. We know she can be competitive, but how will she handle the elite competition from the West Region assuming that she makes it to Nationals? 17. Jessica Harris, Senior, Notre Dame (-3 / 14) The Notre Dame ace captured headlines with her 4:13 earlier this season, but her ACC Championship performances left something to be desired. A 4th place finish in the 800 and a 6th place finish in the 5000 meters isn't super exciting, but it's also clear that Harris was sharpening her speed and stamina in preparation for a postseason that will be dedicated to the 1500. 16. Isobel Batt-Doyle, Senior, Washington (Unranked) It took some time, but Batt-Doyle has finally secured a spot in our Top 25. The Washington veteran has played an underrated role in the 10k and 5k distances this spring. Her PAC 12 title in the 10,000 meters was an encouraging result and when you look at her season as a whole, she hasn't really had a bad race. Consistency and winning are two strong indicators of potential success in the postseason. 15. Sinclaire Johnson, Junior, Oklahoma State (+2 / 17) Fun fact: Johnson hasn't lost a race this season and that includes prelims as well as relays. The Oklahoma State ace popped off a monster 4:13 at the Cardinal Classic before she cruised through the Drake Relays en route to a BIG 12 title in the 800 in 2:04. I always thought Johnson was somewhat one dimensional when it came to her racing distances, but seeing her thrive in the 800 is a very encouraging sign for the postseason. 14. Dani Jones, Rs. Junior, Colorado (Unranked) The champ has returned! After battling injuries throughout the winter, Dani Jones made her outdoor debut at Colorado State where she quietly ran a converted 4:14. She later went on to run a 15:54 at the PAC 12 Championships to take home the conference crown. The fact that she was able to run so well after an extended period of recovery time leads me to believe that Jones is still regaining fitness and will be even better in the postseason. 13. Charlotte Prouse, Junior, New Mexico (+6 / 19) She struggled a bit in the Payton Jordan steeplechase, falling off of the pace set by the leaders and settled for a 9:55. Luckily, she was able to rebound at the Mountain West Championships to post a winning time of 9:47. Her first battle with Ostrander didn't go as planned, but she is still someone who is capable of pulling off the upset at Nationals. 12. Ednah Kurgat, Senior, New Mexico (-5 / 7) I've been pretty hard on Kurgat this season, but she just hasn't been the same national title contender that we've grown accustomed to seeing. Ostrander has had her number this season and I don't see any signs that say she can win gold come June. That said, she's still posting solid results. Just because she isn't racing at the level that she once was doesn't necessarily mean that she's racing poorly. 11. Martha Bissah, Junior, Norfolk State (+2 / 13) I don't think people realize just how good Bissah has been. She won the Virginia Grand Prix in a time of 2:04 before dominating the MEAC Championships with a pair of titles in the 800 and 1500. Her conference title in the 800 yielded a strong result of 2:03.13 (NCAA #3) further solidifying herself as a potential threat to Rivers at the national meet. 10. Josette Norris, Senior, Georgetown (+6 / 16) I was really surprised to see Norris pursue the 5000 meters over the 1500 when it came to declarations for the regional meet. Although I thought that she was better suited for the 1500 distance, that shouldn't take away from the fact that she continues to be one of the top distance running women in the country. Her 1500/4x800 double gold at the BIG East Championships proved that. 9. Adva Cohen, Sophomore, New Mexico (+3 / 12) Cohen has continued to put herself in the national title conversation for the steeplechase after narrowly losing to Ostrander at Payton Jordan with a 9:46. Her 15:31 from Bryan Clay isn't half bad either. The New Mexico sophomore has done more this season than most fans of the sport realize. 8. Allie Wilson, Senior, Monmouth (0 / 8) Three wins (800/1500/4x8) at the Metro Atlantic Championships isn't super surprising, but when you consider the awful racing conditions due to weather, it's an impressive triple. Wilson has seemingly become even stronger since indoors which is bad news for her competitors in the 800. 7. Rachel Pocratsky, Senior, Virginia Tech (+4 / 11) Her regular season was a bit quiet, but she flipped on the switch at ACC's with a pair of wins in the 800 and 1500. The Virginia Tech veteran has opted to pursue the 1500 at the regional meet and I like the decision. She has a high racing IQ and has enough speed to keep things interesting with Hull in the final moments of an NCAA final. 6. Paige Stoner, Senior, Syracuse (+15 / 21) I was super impressed by Stoner's 32:07 from the Stanford Invite, but I wanted to see what else she could do. Maybe she was reading because she went on an absolute tear since we last discussed her in these rankings. The Syracuse ace went on to run 15:28 (NCAA #2) at Payton Jordan before winning double gold at ACC's in the steeplechase (9:51) and 5k (16:05). She is only running the 10,000 meters at Nationals, but her winning a national title in that event isn't totally out of the question. 5. Weini Kelati, Sophomore, New Mexico (0 / 5) The New Mexico sophomore dominated the Mountain West 10k, running a meet record of 32:09 en route to the #3 time in the NCAA. With Monson out for the season with a suspected (but unconfirmed) injury, and Ostrander running the steeplechase before she doubles back in the 5k, Kelati has a chance to not only win her first national title, but to win two gold medals at the national meet. 4. Erica Birk, Rs. Junior, BYU (0 / 4) It was a bit of a surprising decision to see Birk drop the 1500 and 5k in favor of the steeplechase at Nationals, but there is no doubt that she'll be an All-American contender. She's had one of the best regular seasons of any woman in the NCAA and has earned her spot in the top five. 3. Danae Rivers, Junior, Penn State (0 / 3) She secured double gold at BIG 10's, defeating the indoor mile champ at 1500 meters in the process. Rivers has phenomenal middle distance range and that strength should be extremely beneficial come NCAA's where she'll face a loaded 800 meter field. 2. Allie Ostrander, Rs. Junior, Boise State (0 / 2) You could make an argument that the Boise State superstar has the been the best distance runner of the 2019 spring track season. She's has finally found a way to earn wins over her rivals from New Mexico and the times that Ostrander is producing are top notch. It will be interesting to see how she handles the steeplechase/5k double at NCAA's 1. Jessica Hull, Rs. Junior, Oregon (0 / 1) She just won the PAC 12 title in a blistering kick that left the competition in the dust. She hasn't shown the same level of versatility that Ostrander has, but Hull has simply been more dominant on a more consistent basis. She'll be the easy favorite to win the 1500 national title. Honorable Mentions (no order) Lauren Ellsworth (BYU) Whittni Orton (BYU) Cailie Logue (Iowa State) Susan Aneno (UCONN) Susan Ejore (Oregon) Jazmine Fray (Texas A&M) Jessica Drop (Georgia) Hannah Steelman (Wofford) Sarah Feeny (Utah) Cierra Simmons (Utah State) Rachel King (South Dakota State)

KEY (Unranked) Was not ranked the week before (#/#) First number indicates the change in a runner's ranking from week prior Second number indicates where the runner was ranked last week 20. Shane Bracken, Saint Leo (0 / 20) Bracken was idle this weekend. 19. Jake Mitchem, Colorado Mines (0 / 19) Mitchem was idle this weekend. 18. Jacob Kernell, Walsh (0 / 18) Kernell was idle this weekend. 17. Christian Noble, Lee (Tenn.) (-1 / 16) Noble was idle this weekend. 16. Devundrick Walker, CSU-Pueblo (-1 / 15) Walker was a part of the 4x4 team that the Thunderwolves sent to the Azusa Twilight Pacific meet. While they were there, he helped them run an automatic qualifying mark of 3:08. That time is also good enough for the #6 fastest time in the country. 15. Ayman Zahafi, TAMU-Kingsville (-1 / 14) Zahafi was also on a 4x4 team this past weekend. He helped TAMU-Kingsville run 3:11 at the ACU Last Chance Meet. Unfortunately, the time was not fast enough to sneak into the national meet. 14. Victor Moreau, Academy of Art (-1 / 13) Moreau ran the 800 at the Oxy Invitational. It was the last of his PR's that he was chasing and, much like the rest of the season, he bettered that mark too. His previous best was 1:53.38 and after Oxy he now owns a personal best of 1:52.79. Moreau has continued to be successful in every event all year long. 13. Luke Julian, Colorado Mines (+4 / 17) The Oredigger freshman had the best weekend of his young career. He set two personal bests and did so in impressive fashion. The first personal best came in the 1500 where he ran 3:44. Sure, his altitude conversion says he can run 3:42, but the 3:44 is a four second improvement. He came back later in the day and ran 14:10 for 5000 meters. He had only run one other 5000 and it was during the indoor season which produced a time of 14:56. He was already a strong contender for the top spot in the 1500, but he only solidified that this past weekend while also jumping into the All-American conversation for 5000 meters. 12. Brett Meyer, Fort Hays State (0 / 12) Meyer was idle this weekend. 11. Leakey Kipkosgei, American International (-1 / 10) Kipkosegi was idle this weekend. 10. Josh Hoskinson, Colorado Mines (-1 / 9) Hoskinson was idle this weekend. 9. Marcelo Laguera, CSU-Pueblo (-1 / 8) Laguera was idle this weekend. 8. Dennis Mbuta, Grand Valley State (-1 / 7) Mbuta was idle this weekend. 7. Taylor Stack, Western Colorado (+4 / 11) Stack threw down the biggest time of the weekend as he took home the victory at the Oxy Invitational. He ran 13:58 and bettered his previous best by eight seconds. Stack is one of four men to break the 14:00 barrier this season and immediately enters the conversation of competing for a top three podium spot. 6. Felix Wammetsberger, Queens (N.C.) (0 / 6) Wammetsberger was idle this weekend. 5. Daniel Wallis, Queens (N.C.) (0 / 5) Wallis was idle this weekend. 4. Elias Gedyon, Adams State (0 / 4) Gedyon was idle this weekend. 3. Thomas Staines, CSU-Pueblo (0 / 3) Staines reclaimed the top of the leaderboard over the weekend. His time of 1:47.53 was nearly a second faster than that of 2nd place. I don’t think there was ever any worry about Staines’ ability to win his fourth straight title and after this performance, he ahs reminded us all that he’s the man to beat and that the 800 field will have to race on on his terms. Staines also helped his 4x4 team run 3:08 and clinch a spot to the NCAA meet. 2. Sydney Gidabuday, Adams State (0 / 2) Gidabuday was idle this weekend. 1. Zach Panning, Grand Valley State (0 / 1) Panning was idle this weekend. 800 1. Thomas Staines (CSU-Pueblo) 2. Dennis Mbuta (Grand Valley State) 3. Ayman Zahafi (TAMU-Kingsville) 4. Devundrick Walker (CSU-Pueblo) 5. Shaquille Dill (St. Augustines) 1500 1. Daniel Wallis (Queens (N.C.)) 2. Felix Wammetsberger (Queens (N.C.)) 3. Elias Gedyon (Adams State) 4. Brett Meyer (Fort Hays State) 5. Victor Moreau (Academy of Art) 3000 Steeplechase 1. Leakey Kipkosgei (American International) 2. Taylor Stack (Western Colorado) 3. Christian Noble (Lee (Tenn.)) 4. Jacob Kernell (Walsh) 5. Jake Mitchem (Colorado Mines) 5000 1. Zach Panning (Grand Valley State) 2. Sydney Gidabuday (Adams State) 3. Elias Gedyon (Adams State) 4. Taylor Stack (Western Colorado) 5. Josh Hoskinson (Colorado Mines) 10,000 1. Zach Panning (Grand Valley State) 2. Marcelo Laguera (CSU-Pueblo) 3. Tom Goforth (Saginaw Valley State) 4. Stetson Rayas (Dallas Baptist) 5. Jack Mastandrea (Charleston (W.V.))

KEY (Unranked) Was not ranked the week before (#/#) First number indicates the change in a runner's ranking from week prior Second number indicates where the runner was ranked last week 20. Olivia Woods | Western Oregon (SR) (-1 / 19) It was not a fantastic weekend for Woods as she finished 5th in the 800 at the GNAC Championships. She was also a part of the Western Oregon 4x4 which finished 3rd. Now, granted, all four women who finished ahead of her in the 800 will be appearing in the same race at Nationals, but she needs to be in peak form to be able to be a true contender in what is going to be a stacked 800. Entered in 800 at Nationals 19. HaLeigh Hunter-Galvan | Adams State (JR) (Unranked) In her first ever steeplechase this weekend at Oxy, Hunter-Galvan ran a 10:35.58 to finish 3rd (as the top D2 athlete) and punch her ticket to NCAA's. It has been a fantastic season for Hunter-Galvan as she has picked up four PR's in her last four races. She will make her first individual appearance at a track and field national meet later next week... Entered in steeplechase and 5k at Nationals 18. Liz Bloch | Michigan Tech (SR) (0 / 18) In her last race before Nationals, Bloch took home a 2nd place finish at North Central behind fellow Top 20 woman Danielle McCormick. She picked up a PR of 2:09.57, which may have been the deciding factor as to why she is deciding to double at Nationals. We will season what kind of finish she will have to what has been a breakout season for Bloch. Entered in 800 and 1500 at Nationals 17. Alana Mussatto | Simon Fraser (SR) (0 / 17) Mussatto had a solid showing this weekend, finishing 3rd in the 800 at the GNAC Championships, only behind Danielle McCormick and teammate Sophie Dodd. She also hopped on the Simon Fraser 4x4 to help them to a 2nd place finish. Mussatto has been running well as the season has started to wind down, so hopefully she carries that to Nationals. Entered in 800 at Nationals 16. Gina Patterson | Grand Valley State (JR) (0 / 16) Idle Entered in 5k and 10k at Nationals 15. Sophie Dodd | Simon Fraser (SR) (0 / 15) Despite being bested by fellow 800 meter contender Danielle McCormick, Dodd captured a 2nd place finish in the 800 this past weekend at the GNAC Championships. She was also on the Simon Fraser 4x4 that grabbed a 2nd place finish. She has still not bested her PR from her first 800 earlier in March, so it will be interesting to see what kind of form she is in at NCAA's. Entered in 800 at Nationals 14. Andra Lehotay | Walsh (JR) (0 / 14) Idle Entered in 1500 at Nationals 13. Kristen Metcalfe | Embry-Riddle (SR) (0 / 13) This is now the fourth straight week that Metcalfe has raced, which is extremely unusual this late in the season. With that said, she looked as good as she has all season, as she picked up easy wins in both the 800 and 1500, running a season best of 2:08.15 in the 800, to move up to #8 in D2. If she can get sharp in the next couple of weeks, she can be a real contender in both the 800 and 1500 at Nationals. Entered in the 800 and 1500 at Nationals 12. Allie Ludge | Grand Valley State (JR) (0 / 12) Idle Entered in 1500 and 5k at Nationals 11. Carsyn Koch-Johnson | Cedarville (SR) (0 / 11) Koch-Johnson continued her very consistent season this past weekend at North Central as she picked up the win, running a 2:08.03 to take down fellow Top 20 woman Liz Bloch. She has carried over her momentum from the indoor season and has shown that after a two-year layoff, she is a real contender to win another national title Entered in 800 at Nationals 10. Danielle McCormick | Alaska Anchorage (SR) (-1 / 9) McCormick had a busy schedule at the GNAC Championships last weekend. She took home the win in the 800, taking down four fellow Top 20 women and running a solid time of 2:08.67. She also picked up a PR in the 1500 (running a 4:27.74) to place 3rd in the race. McCorrmick finished up by helping the Alaska Anchorage 4x4 to a 4th place finish. It was an extremely successful weekend for McCormick, which is a good sign going into Nationals. Entered in 800 and 4x4 at Nationals 9. Julia Howley | Simon Fraser (SR) (+1 / 10) Another steeplechase, another race where Howley was not tested. She took home the easy win at the GNAC Championships, winning by more than 30 seconds. Yet, more impressively, she picked up a PR in the process, running a 10:02.45. She also picked up a 6th place finish in the 1500. Howley has now run four steeplechases this season and has picked up four wins, none by less than 15 seconds. It is going to be very interesting to see how fast she can run with the likes of Konieczek and Flanagan at NCAA's. Entered in steeplechase and 5k at Nationals 8. Stephanie Cotter | Adams State (FR) (0 / 8) Idle Entered in 1500 at Nationals 7. Leah Hanle | Mount Olive (JR) (0 / 7) Idle Entered in 5k and 10k at Nationals 6. Roisin Flanagan | Adams State (JR) (0 / 6) Idle Entered in 1500 at Nationals 5. Rachael Walters | Grand Valley State (SR) (0 / 5) Idle Entered in 800 and 4x4 at Nationals 4. Skylyn Webb | UC Colorado-Springs (SR) (0 / 4) Idle Entered in 800 at Nationals 3. Alicja Konieczek | Western Colorado (SR) (0 / 3) Idle Entered in 1500 and steeplechase at Nationals 2. Eilish Flanagan | Adams State (JR) (0 / 2) Idle Entered in steeplechase and 5k at Nationals 1. Caroline Kurgat | Alaska Anchorage (SR) (0 / 1) Three races, three wins! It was no surprise to see Kurgat dominate the GNAC Championships last weekend as she coasted to easy wins in the 1500, 5k, and 10k. I would have loved to see her try the triple at Nationals, but she will go in as the favorite to repeat in both the 5k and 10k. Entered in 5k and 10k at Nationals 800 1. Skylyn Webb (UC Colorado Springs) 2. Rachael Walters (Grand Valley State) 3. Danielle McCormick (Alaska Anchorage) 4. Carsyn Koch-Johnson (Cedarville) 5. Kristen Metcalfe (Embry-Riddle) 1500 1. Roisin Flanagan (Adams State) 2. Stephanie Cotter (Adams State) 3. Alijca Konieczek (Western Colorado) 4. Allie Ludge (Grand Valley State) 5. Kristen Metcalfe (Embry-Riddle) 3000 Steeplechase 1. Alijca Konieczek (Western Colorado) 2. Eilish Flanagan (Adams State) 3. Julia Howley (Simon Fraser) 4. Hanna Groeber (Grand Valley State) 5. Allysen Eads (Hillsdale) 5000 1. Caroline Kurgat (Alaska Anchorage) 2. Eilish Flanagan (Adams State) 3. Leah Hanle (Mount Olive) 4. Julia Howley (Simon Fraser) 5. Allie Ludge (Grand Valley State) 10,000 1. Caroline Kurgat (Alaska Anchorage) 2. Leah Hanle (Mount Olive) 3. Gina Patterson (Grand Valley State) 4. Alexa Shindruk (Central Washington) 5. Eileen Stressling (Azusa Pacific)

We were told that the Regional Championship declarations and scratches were going to be posted on Thursday. We were lied to. The early release of the Regional Championship scratches takes out any predicting and analysis that we had in yesterday's article for the East Region. However, it does allow us to react to some of the key event decisions. Let's dive in... FIND REGIONAL ENTRIES HERE Dani Jones (Colorado): 5000 > 1500 The absence of Dani Jones during the indoor track season essentially allowed Oregon's Jessica Hull to dominate the NCAA distance events. However, the return of the Colorado ace stirred up plenty of conversation and it may have potentially influenced the decisions of others in regards to event choice. After running a converted 4:14 at Colorado State, all signs pointed to Jones pursuing the 1500 in the postseason. However, her ability to defeat O'Keffee and Morley en route to a PAC 12 title in the 5000 meters changed that narrative. With Jessica Hull likely entering the 1500 (which is what happened), the 5k suddenly made the most sense for Jones who may have been looking for lesser roadblocks towards a national title. She correctly guessed that Hull would enter the 1500 and got the added the benefit of having Erica Birk drop the event as well (but more on her later). The 5000 meters won't be easy, especially with women like Weini Kelati and Allie Ostrander headlining the field. Still, I couldn't agree more with this decision to move up in distance. Jones' middle distance speed could become incredibly useful in a championship setting and I think she recognizes that. She may not be the favorite for the national title, but she'll have a better shot at winning it all than if she had to face Jessica Hull in the 1500 who is firing on all cylinders right now. Geordie Beamish + Luis Grijalva (NAU): 5000 > 1500 This was another outstanding decision as the NAU men have opted to favor the 5000 meters over the 1500. Yes, I'm well aware that Beamish just won the national title in the mile this past winter and I know that he has the #8 fastest 1500 in the country right now (3:39.15). Still, the top men in the 1500 are not a group that I would want to face this season. It's the deepest group of 1500 runners we've ever seen and the top of the rankings make the idea of a repeat title look less and less likely. Instead, Beamish opted to move up to 5000 meters. His 13:31 from Payton Jordan is a mind-boggling time that was kept in the shadows thanks to performances from Tyler Day and BYU's Conner Mantz. With top distance runners like Joe Klecker and Rory Linkletter no longer entered in the 5000 meters, Beamish will have even more All-American opportunities available to him. Plus, his lethal finishing speed that we saw during indoors could put him in contention with McDonald and Fisher at the end of a tactical 5000 meter race. Believe it or not, the best event for the 2019 mile national champion is the 5000 meters. As for Luis Grijlava, I'm a bit indifferent. He is one of the few men in the NCAA who is just as good in the 1500 as he is in the 5000. Grijalva's move up in distance might have been influenced by Theo Quax's entry in the 1500. The true freshman has been lighting up the track this season, but inexperience in a championship setting isn't super comforting. With so much talent crowding the 1500, Quax will need as much room as possible in order to earn a national qualifying spot. Moving both Beamish and Grijalva up to the 5000 meters makes Quax's life just a little bit easier. Erica Birk (BYU): 3000 Steeple > 1500 & 5000 Gosh, I just don't agree with this decision at all. Don't get me wrong, Birk is super talented and she was likely going to be an All-American in whichever event she chose. The problem with this choice is that unlike the 1500 and 5000, nearly none of the top women scratched out of the steeplechase. Paige Stoner is the only top ranked steeplechaser who opted out of the event to pursue other races. Elite women like Ostrander, Cohen, and Prouse are still crowding the top tier of this event which makes it extremely difficult to imagine a scenario where Birk walks away with a national title. I'm not necessarily saying that Birk was going to win a national title in a different event, but I liked her chances far more in the 5000 meters which has shown a lot of vulnerability among it's top runners. As for the 1500, she's run 4:13 on two different occasions this season. Outside of Hull, I'm not sure how many women you could convince me would beat Birk in a 1500. Rory Linkletter + Conner McMillan (BYU): 10,000 > 5000 Earlier this season, Rory Linkletter was able to chat with TSR's Sam Ivanecky to discuss a variety of topics. In their conversation, Rory mentioned that he wanted to focus on only one event at NCAA's - preferably the 10,000 meters. I'll be honest, the decision to scratch out of the 5k in favor of the 10k always confused me a bit. At the regional and national meets, the 10k comes before the 5k. The gap between the two events is two nights of rest. If the 10k is your priority, why would it hurt to add the 5000 meters to your racing schedule? If anything, the 5k acts as a sort of insurance if something goes wrong in the 10k. If you need an example, let's go back to the 2016 West Regional Championships where Houston's Brian Barraza could've entered himself in both the 10k and 5k. However, he decided to focus on just the 10,000 meters. The end result was a 13th place finish, one spot outside of qualifying for Nationals. If he was entered in the 5000 meters, Barraza could have rallied for another race that could have potentially put him on the starting line at NCAA's. Instead, he ended his season early. I'm not going to sit behind my laptop and act like I know what the right decision is in these kind of scenarios. The 10k/5k double is doable, but the mental and physical strain of the double is likely not easy. I'm just someone who likes having options and a Plan B. Other Notable Decisions Allie Ostrander (Boise State): 3000 Steeple + 5000 > 10,000 I felt pretty confident that Ostrander was going to run a double at NCAA's and one of those events was going to be the steeplechase. The only thing I was unsure about was whether her second race would be the 10k or the 5k. As it turns out, she chose the latter. I like this decision to run the steeplechase/5k double. Unlike the steeplechase/10k double, the scheduling with the 5000 meters allows Ostrander to run the steeplechase completely fresh. The 10k would require Ostrander to put six miles of racing under her legs between rounds. Alex Rogers (Texas): 3000 Steeple + 5000 This is a great decision by Rogers. The steeplechase in the West Region is super deep, but it's also the best event for Rogers who has a ton of experience in that race. By the time he's finished with the prelims and finals of the steeplechase, Rogers will have the luxury of having the 5000 meters as a backup plan if he's unable to qualify for NCAA's in his primary event. Jessica Hull (Oregon): 1500 > 5000 With each passing week, it became more and more clear that this was the decision we were going to see. Hull is simply unmatched in the 1500 and with Dani Jones opting for the 5000 meters, I'm not sure there is really anyone capable of taking down the Oregon superstar. Michael Wilson (New Mexico): 1500 > 800 This was a really interesting choice. I always viewed Wilson as an 800 guy, but he may have some new-found confidence after he upset Cole Rockhold in the 1500 at the Mountain West Championships last weekend. I don't entirely dislike this decision as I think his middle speed will bode well for him in tactical rounds. East Region: Quick Thoughts (since they already got an entire article yesterday) Josette Norris (Georgetown): 5000 > 1500 Whoa! I would've bet everything I had on Norris running the 1500 over the 5000 meters. This is a surprising decision and I just can't find a way to justify it. She's only run the 5k once this season and although she posted a nice time (15:45), her 1500 PR of 4:13 is far superior in my eyes. Her performance at the BIG East Championships showed off a lot of impressive speed which left me thinking that the 1500 was going to be her main event for the next three to four weeks. Looks like I was wrong... Cade Bethmann (Ole Miss): 1500 > 800 Not a bad decision. Tactically, it'll favor him at the regional meet. However, he might end up stealing a national qualifying spot from one of his teammates. Rachel Pocratsky (Virginia Tech): 1500 > 800 This was another surprising choice, but I don't dislike it. The 800 is super deep this year and trying to battle through so many top-tier women is going to be exhausting. After seeing how tactical the mile was at the indoor national meet, you can't blame Pocratsky for wanting to see how she could manage this 1500 field. Kyle Mau (Indiana): 5000 > 1500 Yes! Such a great choice. Mau could have very easily chosen the 1500, but he made the right decision to move up to 5000 meters which is missing a few of the top men in the country this season. Paige Stoner (Syracuse): 10,000 > 3000 Steeple + 5000 Yep, no idea why. Pursuing the 10k over the steeplechase is completely understandable, but simply choosing not to run the 5000 meters is always a decision that will leave me scratching my head. Daniel Nixon (Mississippi State): Nothing > 800 Not sure why the #3 ranked 800 runner in the East Region is scratching out of the 800. Is he on the Mississippi State 4x400? Even if he is, the decision wouldn't make a ton of sense. I imagine an injury is likely the reason for his absence. Anyone who could have run 10k/5k double, but is just running the 10k and nothing else *see Linketter & McMillan section above*

Conference championships have finally finished up and regional rankings are now locked. However, there are some notable names who must make a decision as to which events they want to pursue at the National Championships. Below, we highlighted some of those names and gave our thoughts on what they will (and should) run at the regional meets... Cade Bethman (Ole Miss) Let's start with Cade Bethmann, the Ole Miss sophomore who has had a breakout spring track season. Much like teammate Waleed Suliman last year, Bethmann has the convenient conflict of being highly ranked in both the 1500 and 800. His 3:41 currently ranks him #5 in the East Region 1500 while his 1:47 ranks him at #7 in the East Region 800. This is a unique debate as there doesn't seem to be a clear-cut answer in regards to which event he should choose. At the national level, the men's 1500 is absolutely stacked with a total of 15 men having run under the 3:40 barrier this season. If Bethmann were to run that event at NCAA's, he would likely have to face one of the most talented 1500 fields that the NCAA has ever seen. However, only three of those 15 sub-3:40 runners can be found in the East Region. In other words, if Bethmann is more worried about qualifying, the 1500 may be the better choice. However, if he's more focused on a potential All-American finish, he may want to look into the 800, an event where experience plays less of a role on the national stage. The other factor that we need to consider is that Bethmann has a ton of other teammates who are expected to toe the line in the 1500 at Regionals. Suliman, Hengst, Garcia Romo, Smulders, and Gutierrez have all ended the regular season inside the East Region's top 48 spots for the 1500 (and none of them are qualified in any other event). With so many teammates crowding one event, the Ole Miss coaching staff may be incentivized to move Bethmann down in distance to the 800 in order to improve the national qualifying odds of their other athletes. In the end, there is no "right" answer for Bethmann. While most of our logic points to him running the 800, the 1500 seems like his sweet spot. What He Should Run: 800 meters What We Think He Will Run: 1500 meters Lotte Black (Rhode Island) One of the top middle distance runners in the East Region this year hasn't captured much attention despite running personal bests of 2:04 ad 4:17. The sophomore from Rhode Island has had a fantastic breakout season, but has an interesting dilemma on her hands as she is currently ranked #10 in the 800 and #15 in the 1500 (in the East Region). Deciding on which event she is going to run will be a delicate balance. Most would agree that Black is a better 800 runner, but the East Region field for the half-mile is absolutely stacked. Let's not forget that the top seven women in the 800 at Indoor Nationals this past winter were all from the East Region. Does Black really want to enter a field that is stacked with recent All-Americans who are still dominating the leaderboard? Although the 1500 may be a slight move up in distance, I don't think it's a terrible idea for Black to consider the event. Her 4:17 PR doesn't necessarily jump off the page, but in tactical racing, her 800 speed is huge. You can also make the assumption that top women like Rivers, Wilson, and Akins will be scratching the 1500 in favor of the 800. That could open up even more qualifying opportunities for Black. Much like Bethmann, I don't think there is a "wrong" answer here and it all depends on what Black and her coaches want to accomplish. The 1500 may not yield an All-American finish, but I don't totally dislike her chances of qualifying for the national meet in this event. Most may not agree with that and instead suggest that her strength in the 800 outweighs anything in the 1500. Still, I would take a second look at her options. What She Should Run: 1500 meters What We Think She Will Run: 800 meters Kyle Mau (Indiana) The Indiana star has a difficult decision on his hands. Should he run the 1500 or 5000 at the East Regional Championships? I think you could (maybe) make the argument that the 1500/mile distance is his best event, but his long distance accolades are still incredibly strong. With the 1500 being so stacked this year, I can't help but think that Mau should pursue the 5000 at the National Championships. Mau has the turnover and middle distance finishing speed that most distance-oriented athletes do not. In a championship race that often becomes tactical, that speed becomes immensely more valuable and it could very easily put him in an All-American spot. With a 13:44 personal best (which was run earlier this season at the Stanford Invite), I struggle to believe that Mau couldn't make it out of an East Region where only nine other men have broken 13:50. In fact, that number actually dwindles down to eight if you take out Aidan Tooker who was seen on crutches at the ACC Championships. From a qualifying standpoint, the 1500 may be the better option, but it isn't better by much. In the grand scheme of things, Mau is likely more concerned with finishing as an All-American than he is qualifying for another national meet. That said, Mau has only run the 5k a total of five times throughout his college career. One of those of times was during indoors. Will the Indiana ace enter the event that he is the most comfortable with? Or will he enter the 5000 which is best suited for his racing style? What He Should Run: 5000 meters What We Think He Will Run: 1500 meters Paige Stoner (Syracuse) In the East Region, Paige Stoner is currently ranked #1 in the 5000, #1 in the 10,000, and #2 in the 3000 steeplechase. Wow. The Syracuse star has dominated the East Region this year, throwing down performances that put her among the elites in the NCAA. Not knowing what you're going to run at Regionals because you're qualified in so many events is a good problem to have, but it's still a problem. I think it's fair to suggest that Stoner should attempt some sort of double. The combination of events, however, is where the uncertainty lies. To make matters even more complicated, each event combination between the 5k, 10k, and steeplechase are all somewhat realistic doubles so the scenarios are endless. The most common and reasonable double is the 10k/5k double due to the spacing between the events and the lack of prelims. However, if Stoner were to attempt that double, she would have to scratch out of the steeplechase - an event that she's had tons of success in. If we assume that Stoner decides to run the steeplechase, then we must now consider the fact that she will have to battle through prelims and finals at the national meet. That makes things tricky for the steeplechase/10k double. On the first day of competition for the women, Stoner would have to run the steeplechase prelims and then come back to run the 10k two hours later. In other words, Stoner wouldn't be fresh for the 10k and would have six extra miles of racing under her legs for the steeplechase final. From a scheduling perspective, it's not an ideal double. However, the steeplechase/5k double seems entirely more realistic and it actually seems to suit Stoner's strengths. If she were to qualify for both events, Stoner would finish the prelims and finals of her primary event (the steeplechase) and end her weekend with the 5000 meters which would come a little under two hours after her steeplechase final. The problem with all of these scenarios is that Stoner had the same opportunity to double last year, but opted to focus on just the steeplechase. Personally, I don't see a problem with tacking on the 5000 meters to her racing schedule since it comes after her preferred event. If anything, it would be another great opportunity to secure an All-American finish in addition to wherever she finishes in the steeplechase. What She Should Run: 3000 Steeple + 5000 meters What We Think She Will Run: 3000 Steeple Not Super Clear, But Still Relatively Predictable Zach Long (Tennessee) The Volunteer long distance star has had most of his success at the national level in the 5000 meters. However, his recent success in the 1500 this season (where he produced a personal best of 3:43) has me thinking that he could drop down in distance this year. The 1500 would be far stronger at the national meet, but Long can matchup very well at the regional level in this event. Still, I think he'll end up choosing the 5000 meters given his experience at that distance in championship settings. What He Should Run: 5000 What We Think He Will Run: 5000 Josette Norris (Georgetown) The breakout star of the year has been Josette Norris. The Georgetown stud has produced top times in both the 5000 meters (15:45) and 1500 meters (4:13). While some may see this as a difficult decision, it seems pretty clear that the 1500 is her best choice. Norris recently walked away from the BIG East Championships with a pair of titles in the 1500 and the 4x800, two middle distance events that suggest she will stay on the lower end of racing distance. Plus, inexperience in a long distance event where tactical racing is expected is not a great combination. What She Should Run: 1500 What We Think She Will Run: 1500 Torpy Twins (Miami (Ohio)) The Torpy twins did not make our lives easy when predicting regional qualifiers. Sean is qualified for the East Regional Championships in the 800 with a 1:48 (East #15), the 1500 with a 3:44 (East #16), and the 5k with a 14:01 (East #30). Teammate and brother Chris Torpy is qualified for the 1500 with a 3:44 (East #22) and the steeplechase with an 8:56 (East #28). It feels like Chris has a relatively easy decision. He qualified for Nationals in the 1500 last year, so it's fair to suggest that he may gravitate back towards the event that he is the most familiar and comfortable with. With Chris likely entered in the 1500, Sean may opt to stay away from that event to avoid taking up a qualifying spot from his brother. Instead, I could see Sean going all-in on the 800 meters. He barely missed qualifying for the indoor national meet in the 800 this past winter and has shown that he can consistently be a top performer at the half-mile distance. I like his chances in the two-lap affair where top seeds like Bethmann and Nuguse could scratch. What Chris Should Run: 1500 What We Think Chris Will Run: 1500 What Sean Should Run: 800 What We Think Sean Will Run: 800 Jessica Harris (Notre Dame) + Rachel Pocratsky (Virginia Tech) Harris really made a splash this outdoor season with seasonal bests of 2:04 (East #11) and 4:13 (East #1). Meanwhile, Pocratsky is coming off of double gold at ACC's and owns seasonal bests of 2:04 (East #8) and 4:18 (East #18). Either woman could enter either event and qualify for Nationals without too much trouble. Still, I think it's relatively clear that Harris will drop the 800 for the 1500 and that Pocratsky will opt out of the 1500 for the 800. However, if either of them were to pursue a potential double, I truly believe that Pocratsky could do it (don't worry, she probably won't). The Virginia Tech ace has shown time and time again that she can double better than any other woman in the country. The turnaround time between events isn't easy (roughly three hours for the prelims and a full day for the finals), but I think she could pull it off. I'm not saying she will do the double, I just think it's something to keep in the back of your mind. What Harris Should Run: 1500 What We Think Harris Will Run: 1500 What Pocratsky Should Run: 800 What We Think Pocratsky Will Run: 800 Other Quick Thoughts Euan Makepeace (Butler): 1500 vs 5000 What He Should Run: 5000 What We Think He Will Run: 1500 Savannah Carnahan (Furman): 1500 vs 5000 vs 10,000 What She Should Run: 5000 + 10,000 What We Think She Will Run: 5000 + 10,000 Bashir Mosavel-Lo (Virginia Tech): 800 vs 1500 What He Should Run: 800 What We Think He Will Run: 800 Hannah Steelman (Wofford): 1500 vs 5000 vs 3000 Steeple What She Should Run: 3000 Steeple + 5000 What We Think She Will Run: 3000 Steeple Kigen Chemadi (Middle Tennessee State): 5000 vs 3000 Steeple What He Should Run: 3000 Steeple What We Think He Will Run: 3000 Steeple Egle Morenaite (Iona): 1500 vs 5000 What She Should Run: 5000 What We Think She Will Run: 5000

Oxy Invitational Provides Deeper Fields, Fast Times Luke Julian of Colorado Mines already had the #2 fastest time in the country due to his conversion from the Colorado Invite. After his weekend at Oxy, it’s safe to say that he’s become one of the biggest threats for a potential national title. He ran 3:44 in the 1500 which is one of the four fastest raw times in the country this year. He then came back and doubled in the 5000 where he posted a time of 14:10. That’s good enough for #14 on the national leaderboard and it seem to indicate that he’ll be doubling at NCAA's. Paddy Robb of Adams State also went on over to the Oxy Invitational where he produced a personal best by two seconds in the 1500 meters. He ran 3:47.93 which is good enough to place him at the #19 position on the NCAA leaderboard. It would be Robb’s first appearance at a national track meet if he makes it in. The Oxy Invitational gave us six top 20 marks in the 5000 this past weekend. It began with Taylor Stack running the #3 fastest mark in the country. Stack won the race in a time of 13:58 (and took down some big names in the process). It’s the first time he’s broken 14:00 and it's also an eight second personal best. Sitting two spots behind him on the TFRRS list is his teammate Charlie Sweeney who ran 14:00. It’s a 12 second improvement upon his previous best and it also makes him the fastest freshman in the country this year. Jonah Theisen ran the #14 fastest time in the NCAA this year with a time of 14:11. For him, it’s a 47 second improvement from his previous personal best. The former NCAA champion looks to be back in the shape he needs to be in order to compete for a second title in the steeplechase. With this performance, it wouldn't be crazy to consider that Theisen may attempt a double at the National Championships... The last two names from the men’s side are Ross Husch (Western Colorado) and Stetson Rayas (Dallas Baptist). Husch dropped four seconds off his personal best of 14:16 down to 14:12. It’s good enough for #17 on the TFRRS list. Right underneath him sitting at #18 is Rayas who ran 14:15. For Rayas, it’s a 13 second improvement. Chloe Cook from Colorado Mines had a strong performance in the 5k with a time of 16:38. That’s a huge 48 second improvement for her in this event and it leaves you wondering whether she'll run the 5000 (NCAA #10) or 1500 (NCAA #9) at Nationals. Malena Grover (Adams State) ran 16:44 which is good enough for #15 on TFRRS. Meanwhile, Cook’s teammate Madeline Geesen ran 16:48 which is just inside the top 20 at #19. For Geesen, it’s a 10 second improvement. Trent Phelps helped his stock this weekend by running 8:56 at the Oxy Invitational. For Phelps, it’s only a second improvement, but it's his fastest time this year. It’s now the #9 fastest time in the NCAA this year. Haleigh Hunter-Galvan of Adams State ran the #11 best time this season as she ran 10:35 at the Oxy Invitational this past weekend. It was Hunter-Galvan’s first time ever running the event which means there is likely room to improve. How about Thomas Staines? After running 1:46 during indoors, the CSU-Pueblo superstar has been relatively quiet with numerous men nearing his seasonal best of 1:48 this spring. That, however, all changed at the Oxy Invite where Staines posted a time of 1:47 to regain the NCAA lead. It's a nice sign that he is peaking at the right time of the season. Last Chance Weekend Gives Hope In typical fashion, the weekend before declarations are due usually sees the most movement among the TFRRS board. With the qualifying positions already determined, moving into the top 20 is what every athlete is looking to do. 800 meters At the West Texas A&M Last Chance meet, we saw two marks enter the top 10 in the 800. Butare Rugenerwa (West Texas A&M) and Timon Kemboi (TAMU-Commerce) both ran under the 1:50 mark on the day. Rugenwerwa’s 1:49.78 converts down to 1:49.41 and now is the #5 fastest time in the country. Kemboi’s mark of 1:49.99 converted down to 1:49.62 and is now the #7 fastest time. The freshmen both jumped the 1:50 mark and have put themselves in the middle of the national conversation. Kristen Metcalfe has made up for lost time as she raced in her fourth meet since her conference championships. While there wasn’t an immediate concern about her making the national meet, she went to the Mount Olive Final Qualifier where she ran 2:08.15 to move up to the #8 spot on the performance list. At the NCC Dr. Keeler Track & Field meet, Michigan Tech’s Liz Bloch also improved her stock with a personal best of 2:09.57. The senior now sits at #15 on the performance list and will likely be attending her second national meet on the track. At the Hillsdale “Last Chance” Classic w/ Multi Hillsdale’s own Abbie Porter moved up to #17 on the TFRRS list with a strong performance of 2:10.00. That mark is also an improvement in the 800 by two-tenths of a second. 10,000 meters We saw only a few marks in the 10,000 this past weekend as most of the nation's best long are typically done running this event outside of the national meet this late in the season. At the NCC Dr. Keller Track and Field meet, Luke Greer from Carson Newman and Anthony Raftis of Queens (N.C.) ran to the #17 and #18 fastest times in the country. Greer ran 29:49 while Raftis ran 29:52. These two clutch performances should be good enough to get them into the national meet. On the women’s side, Kathryn Etemalki from Ferris State ran the #18 fastest time this year in 35:43. With declarations coming out this week, that mark should be good enough to get her into the national meet. 3000 steeple Wesley Kirui of Alaska Anchorage ran the fourth automatic qualifying time of the season with his time of 8:52 at the West Coast Invitational. For Kirui, it’s a 10 second improvement and is only the third time he’s raced all season. He’s now been inserted as a national contender in the steeplechase along with his teammate Edwin Kangogo. Nathan Hall of Southern Indiana ran the #15 fastest time this season and broke 9:00 for the first time in his career. His time of 8:59 came at the NCC Dr. Keeler Track and Field meet and is a 17 second improvement from his previous personal best. Nicole McMillen of Tusculum ran the #5 fastest time in the women’s steeplechase this year as she ran 10:25 at the NCC Dr. Keeler Track and Field meet. For McMillen, it’s a 24 second improvement and it cements her going to her first-ever national meet. Who knows? Some might see her as an All-American threat now... Holly McKinney of Grand Valley State ran 10:36 at the NCC Dr. Keeler Track and Field meet which is good enough for #14 on TFRRS. The senior ran a seven second personal best and gives Grand Valley another name as they look for a team title. GNAC Championships Recap We mentioned in our preview that we would see a rematch of Danielle McCormick of Alaska Anchorage and Alanna Mussatto of Simon Fraser. Sure enough, we saw that rematch, but it wasn’t just Mussatto that was trying to dethrone McCormick. McCormick fended off three Simon Fraser women to keep her crown as the GNAC’s best. She ran 2:08.67 and held off Sophie Dodd (2:09), Mussatto (2:10), and Paige Nock (2:10) in the process. All four times were provisional marks and it saw Nock move up on the TFRRS list to #20, which gives her a chance to make the national meet. McCormick came back and finished 3rd in the 1500 behind Kate Lilly of Seattle Pacific and winner Caroline Kurgat. Kurgat won by four seconds in a time of 4:23 while Lilly ran 4:27.13 and McCormick ran 4:27.74. Right behind her was Miryam Bassett of Simon Fraser who ran 4:27.85. For Lilly and McCormick, it’s the #17 and #18 fastest times and it likely gets them into the national meet (it would be Lilly’s only event while it’d be McCormick's second). We mentioned Kurgat winning the 1500, but that was only one of her three titles on the weekend. Kurgat won the 10,000 in a very slow time of 38:03 (record heat). She also won the 5000 meters in a time of 16:35 which was 12 seconds ahead of 2nd place finisher Alexa Shindruk. In the 3000 steeple, Julia Howley improved upon her previous best of 10:03 by running 10:02 and solidifying that it’s likely a three-woman race when it comes to the NCAA steeplechase meet in just a few weeks. On the men’s side, Carlos Vargas and Rowan Doherty of Simon Fraser went 1-2 in the 1500 with times of 3:54. Doherty must have been confident that his time of 3:48 will make the NCAA meet as there wasn’t an attempt to run faster. In the 5000, Sean Miller of Simon Fraser upset Edwin Kangogo with a time of 14:46 to 14:51. Kangogo, however, did take home the 10,000 title the day before so he didn’t leave the meet without any hardware. In the 3000 steeplechase, we saw Wesley Kirui make his season debut in the steeple to a tune of 9:03 and a fivemsecond victory over Dylan Hayes of Western Washington. Interestingly enough, we only saw Aaron Ahl of Simon Fraser, but no Pierre-Louis Detourbe. Underappreciated Performances Hugo Arlabosse (Franklin Pierce) + Stephen Vercollone (Stonehill) Both men participated in their conference meet this weekend. The New England Outdoor Championship (also known as NEICAAA’s) saw Arlabosse take home the title in a time of 1:50.10 which is now good enough for #9 on the NCAA list. Behind him was Vercollone who ran 1:50.28. Both men were qualifiers during the indoor season so it’s good to see them back on the list during outdoors. Nancy Jeptoo (Alaska Anchorage) The sophomore Seawolf ran three personal bests this weekend (800, 1500, 5000). The event we’re talking about here though is the 1500. She ran 4:29 which was good enough for a 4th place finish in the 1500 at the GNAC Championships. It’s a seven second improvement for her and it now puts her on the outskirts (#23 on TFRRS) of making the national meet. Alexa Shindruk (Central Washington) Shindruk ran the #17 fastest time this season with her 2nd place finish at the GNAC Championships. Her time of 16:47.08 is the exact same time that she posted at the GNAC Indoor Championships earlier this season. Shindruk will be making another appearance at the NCAA meet and will be looking for All-American honors in the 5000 this time around. Hanna Groeber (Grand Valley State) Groeber ran at the NCC Dr. Keller Track and Field meet this past weekend and in doing so, ran the #14 fastest time in the NCAA. While her time of 16:44 is almost 20 seconds away from her personal best, it’s the fastest she has ever run during the outdoor season. It’s just another name for the Lakers to have at the national meet while chasing a team title.