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3. Arkansas Razorbacks Coach: Chris Bucknam Notable Departures:  Frankline Tonui, Kyle Hosting Notable Additions:  Matthew Young, Hayden Dressel, Ryan Murphy, Sam Schillinger Projected Scoring Five: Alex George (SR)  [TSR#4] , Jack Bruce (SR)  [TSR#13] , Andrew Ronoh (JR) [TSR#48] , Cameron Griffith (JR), Christian Heymsfield (Rs. SR) Analysis: I'll be honest, I went back and forth between Arkansas and Stanford when trying to figure out who should get the #3 spot in our rankings. It was a difficult decision to make, but on paper, Arkansas returns a better squad. The firepower they have up front along with a stable group throughout the rest of their roster makes this team a safe pick for our top three. 2016 was a big season for Arkansas and I had high expectations for them throughout the fall. The first meet of their season took place at the Battle In Beantown where the Razorbacks decided to not run a few of their key runners such as Jack Bruce, Andrew Ronoh, and Austen Dalquist. As a result, Arkansas finished 3rd overall behind Dartmouth and Providence (despite Alex George taking the win individually). It wouldn't be until the Chile Pepper XC Festival that we saw Arkansas' full lineup. Once there, Alex George and Frankline Tonui would place 2nd and 3rd overall behind Missouri Southern athlete (and now Alabama runner) Vincent Kiprop to lead their team to a score of 32 points. Sure enough, the Razorbacks would comfortably walk away from this meet with a win. 14 days after the Chile Pepper Festival was Pre-Nats, a meet that Arkansas was capable of winning. When the gun went off, the Razorbacks showed that they were running with a purpose. Frankline Tonui had a breakout race by finishing 2nd overall while Jack Bruce and Alex George finished 12th and 14th respectively.  Austen Dalquist and Kyle Hosting would round out the scoring with finishes of 29th and 53rd. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be enough as Oregon proved to be too deep of a squad with a team score of 85 points, 25 better than Arkansas. Still, the Razorbacks could smile to themselves knowing that they had yet to run Andrew Ronoh, their JUCO transfer who was set to be the difference maker later in the season. Fast forward to SEC's and the matchups weren't getting any easier as Ole Miss looked to pull off the upset over Arkansas and take the conference crown. Of course, Coach Bucknam's team had other ideas as they shut down the Rebels to defend their conference title with a score of 25 points. Once again, Alex Georgia led the Razorbacks with an individual victory. The South Central Region Championships was actually a bit less of a challenge as Arkansas handily beat Texas to take the win and secure themselves a spot to Nationals.  As they entered NCAA's, there was a lot to be excited about. Alex George was securing wins, Frankline Tonui and Jack Bruce were giving the Razorbacks low-stick value, and Andrew Ronoh was running consistently well throughout the postseason. Was Arkansas a lock for the podium? The answer to that was an unfortunate no. The Razorbacks still put together a tremendous performance as George and Bruce placed 12th and 16th in the team scoring while Cameron Griffith was 36th. However, the performances of Andrew Ronoh and Frankline Tonui were a bit off the mark which forced the men from Fayetteville to finish 5th overall, 10 points behind 4th place Mississippi. While I'm sure it was a heart-breaking finish, this squad positioned themselves incredibly well for another title/podium run in 2017. Alex George and Jack Bruce may be the most underrated duo in the NCAA. They have proven to be incredibly clutch in the postseason and will return as experienced low-sticks that can help mentor four talented incoming freshmen. Andrew Ronoh is another key scorer who has shown that he can have a significant scoring role with this team. His performances at SEC's and the South Central Region Championships were strong, although his execution at NCAA's was a bit lack-luster. Maybe that's because I imagined he would finish the season as an All-American. Yet, regardless of his finish at Nationals, another year with this Arkansas program should be tremendously beneficial to Ronoh who spent last fall adjusting to a different style of training and a new level of competition. At the 4th spot is Cameron Griffith, a very solid scorer that ran well throughout the 2016 season. Griffith was one of the pleasant surprises of last year's NCAA Championships after placing 48th individually and acting as Arkansas' 3rd scorer for the day. He has yet to place inside the top 10 of any meet, but his consistency and improvement indicates that he has a bright future ahead of him. Like many other teams we've ranked so far, Arkansas' 5th man is up in air as either Austen Dalquist or Christian Heymsfield (who redshirted in 2016) could take it by season's end. These two are excellent support pieces with great experience under their belt.  The great thing about these two is that they are essentially interchangeable. Heymsfield's 2015 performances and Dalquist's 2016 performances are very similar and that is a comforting sign if you're a program trying to solidify your depth.  Of course, all great teams like Arkansas are deeper than just five guys. Other impact runners like Aidan Swain and Kyle Levermore are talented individuals with the potential to breakout and have an impact on this squad. I'll be watching their performances to see how they progress throughout 2017. At this point in the article, I typically point out a concern or a weak area of the team. However, if we're being honest, I don't really see any achilles heel. Sure, the loss of Frankline Tonui isn't easy to overcome, but the Razorbacks showed at Nationals that they could still thrive and prosper without Tonui being a low-stick. In fact, the only reason this team isn't ranked higher is simply because I like the experience and front-runners of #1 and #2 better. I may have said it earlier in our rankings, but this time it surely does apply. There may not be a team in the NCAA that is more complete than the Razorbacks. With experience, consistency, low-sticks, depth, and a successful legacy on their side, Chris Bucknam's team could get back on the podium and maybe even win the NCAA title for the first time since 2000. #rankings #analysis #ncaa #gzatlin #Top25

4. Stanford Cardinal Coach: Chris Miltenberg Notable Departures: Sean McGorty, Garrett Sweatt Notable Additions: DJ Principe, Callum Bolger, Connor Lane, Michael Vernau Projected Scoring Five: Grant Fisher (JR) [TSR#2] , Thomas Ratcliffe (SO), Jack Keelan (Rs. SR), Sam Wharton (Rs. SR), Steven Fahy (Rs. JR) Analysis: So it turns out that Stanford's actual team name is the Cardinal. Not Cardinals. That's not really important in the grand scheme of this article, but I thought I might as well throw it out there to clarify that that isn't a typo. Anyways... What is there to say about Stanford that hasn't already been said? For years, the Cardinal have seemingly done everything well within their program. Whether it be establishing low sticks, building their depth, or grabbing the top recruits in the nation, Stanford is always ranked among the best. In 2017, the respect they've earned certainly won't fade as a new era of young talent seeks to sustain Stanford's reputation of excellence. Like most cross country seasons at Stanford, the 2016 season was an interesting one that kept fans and spectators unsure of what the Cardinal planned to do with their roster. The biggest uncertainty came from Thomas Ratcliffe who showed a lot of promise at the Stanford XC Invite by earning a win in his first cross country race ever. However, the idea of redshirting Ratcliffe and preserving his eligibility was very much in play for Coach Milt who is known for his unusual racing schedules and conservative long-term approach. After an early season rust-buster at the Stanford Invite and a controlled effort at San Francisco, the Cardinal entered Wisconsin looking to show off their "A" level squad. The results were encouraging as Grant Fisher and Sean McGorty finished 4th and 6th overall to lead the Cardinal in scoring. The trio of Sweatt, Keelan, and Wharton rounded out the top five with very respectable finishes of 32, 35, and 41. Stanford would place 2nd in the team standings with 118 points while NAU was the only team to finish ahead of them. And Thomas Ratcliffe? There was still no sign of him... Stanford's performance at Wisconsin was exciting and it put the Cardinal in position to take the PAC 12 title. Unfortunately for them, Colorado had other plans as they pulled off the upset and forced Stanford to settle for 2nd overall despite their finishes of 2nd, 7th, 8th, 14th, and 16th. However, that 8th place finish was taken by no other than Thomas Ratcliffe. Not too shabby for his second cross country race ever... Coach Milt and his squad shook off the PAC 12 defeat and entered the West Region Championships determined to take care of business. Sure enough, Stanford did just that by placing five in the top 25 (without Ratcliffe) and defeating Portland by 15 points to take the regional crown. It was a nice victory to rebuild their confidence, but the final task ahead was what truly mattered. At NCAA's, Fisher, McGorty, and Ratcliffe all toed the line together for only the second time all season. With a lethal top three and an experienced group behind them, it was very possible that Stanford could walk away with the national title. That said, NAU was simply too good and when the scores were tallied, that seemed to be the case. The Lumberjacks held off a slew of impressive performances from Stanford to take the title. Still, the Cardinal ran incredibly well with Grant Fisher placing 5th overall while McGorty finished 24th. In the team scoring, Stanford took spots 4, 19, 32, 45, and 58 to earn runner-up honors and fend off a hard-charging Syracuse squad that finished 3rd. Yet, there was one glaring miss that not many people noticed. Stanford only had six runners cross the line and Thomas Ratcliffe wasn't one of them. Why was that? It turns out that Ratcliffe had pulled out and finished the day as a DNF. Although we don't know why he didn't finish, it is probably safe to assume that if Ratcliffe performed like he did all season, then Stanford could have been the national champions. It just goes to show how important depth can be to even the best squads in the NCAA... Nonetheless, 2016 was an outstanding season from Stanford and this fall should be equally as exciting. Grant Fisher is a favorite to win the national XC title, Ratcliffe is no longer a secret weapon that Stanford needs to hide, and both Keelan and Wharton are using their final year of eligibility for one last title run. Up front, it's rather obvious that Grant Fisher will be leading this team. However, Thomas Ratcliffe will most likely be flanking him throughout the entire season. With another year of experience behind Ratcliffe, he should be able to get through the big races and give the Cardinal another low-stick at every meet they compete in. In retrospect, Ratcliffe probably got robbed of a Top 50 spot in our individual rankings. He is a legit contender and someone to watch out for. Behind Fisher and Ratcliffe are Jack Keelan and Sam Wharton, two experienced Stanford studs that have been crucial scorers on this squad for years now. Not only are they a consistent and proven duo capable of contending with the low-sticks of other programs, but they bring some much needed experience to a team that is set to have nine true underclassmen on their roster. Also, keep in mind that Sam Wharton is scary good in the postseason. He has finished 39th and 41st in two of his three NCAA Championship appearances. At the fifth scoring spot, I like Steven Fahy who found a scoring role with this team last season. He finished 16th at PAC 12's and was Stanford's #4 at NCAA's last year. It also helps that he owns a personal best of 8:46 in the steeplechase, a nice positive that I like to see out of cross country runners. Outside of that top five are plenty other individuals on this roster who could easily take that 5th spot. Blair Hurlock, Alex Ostberg, and Will Lauer are just a few of the names who are capable of having a role on this squad. Oh, and did I mention that Stanford may have the best American recruiting class ever ? There is almost always at least one star freshman who breaks out in his first year of competition and with the accolades that this incoming group has, I wouldn't be surprised if there was more than one breakout star this fall. First it was Sean McGorty, then it was Sam Wharton, then it was Grant Fisher, and finally Thomas Ratcliffe. I imagine that trend will continue in 2017. Of course, let's not pretend that Stanford didn't lose some crucial scorers. Sean McGorty and Garrett Sweatt are both out of eligibility and can no longer contribute to this Stanford program. That is a tough blow for the Cardinal who leaned on the low-stick scoring of McGorty as well as the consistency and experience that Sweatt brought to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th scoring spots throughout his career. Trying to replace the value of those two is a daunting task that may not be able to happen over just one season. Then again, I've been wrong about something like that before. Sure, they may have lost two established leaders, but the Cardinal is still very much in the team title conversation. Admittedly, they'll need a few names to step up and stay healthy in order for that to happen. However, if there is one thing that I've learned about Stanford over my years of following the sport, it's to never underestimate what they are capable of. This roster is stocked with firepower that will perform when called upon. Who knows? Maybe Grant Fisher will walk away with two gold medals in November... #Top25 #rankings #analysis #ncaa #gzatlin

5. Furman Paladins Coach:  Robert Gary Notable Departures:  Austin Sprague, Matt Lange Notable Additions:  Daniel Bernal, Trenton Mandato Projected Scoring Five: Aaron Templeton (Rs. JR), Tanner Hinkle (Rs. SR), Troy Reeder (Rs. SR), Frank Lara (SR), Josh Brickell (Rs. SR) Analysis: In 2013, Robert Gary entered the Furman program with the goal of replicating the same success he had during his 16 years with Ohio State. Of course, the scenario was now drastically different. Furman is a small school of approximately 3000 students who reside in the SoCon (Southern Conference). Furman didn't have the Power Five or big name appeal that Ohio State did and it certainly didn't get the recruits that the Buckeyes were receiving...until 2013. During Gary's four years with Furman, the Paladins have been on fire with many labelling them as the biggest up-and-coming program in the NCAA. Their influx of talent has drastically improved while their performances are beginning to match those of powerhouse programs. Could 2017 be the year that it all comes together? Much like Alabama, Furman's 2016 story is drastically different from what we can expect from them this fall. After redshirting five of their seven runners from their 2015 lineup (which placed 13th at NCAA's that year), the Paladins turned to Frank Lara and Josh Brickell to lead them through the 2016 season. At first, it was a tough adjustment as the men from Greenville, South Carolina finished 14th at Roy Griak and 11th at Pre-Nats. Yet, after cruising through their conference championships, Furman unleashed a monster performance at the Southeast Regional Championships to place 3rd overall behind NC State and UVA. Of course, there was more to that 3rd place finish. UVA only defeated Furman by one point to take the final automatic qualifier to NCAA's. If any individual in Furman's top five had placed one spot better, Furman would have tied UVA and won on a 6th man tie-breaker to qualify for Nationals and kick the Cavaliers out of qualifying. Although the Paladins didn't make it Nationals as a team, we have to keep in mind that this squad was one spot away from pulling off the biggest upset of 2016 without four of their five scorers from 2015 NCAA championships. I don't know if I could confidently name any team in the NCAA that could accomplish what Robert Gary's crew did in that regional meet. At this point, some of you may be asking why those individuals from NCAA's were redshirted for the 2016 season. For programs like Northern Arizona, the answer seems rather obvious.  Earlier this summer, The Stride Report published an article titled  Trust The Process  which detailed how NAU redshirted a heavy portion of the top runners in 2015 and how that eventually led to a much stronger and more experienced squad in 2016. That team, of course, wound up winning the NCAA team title.  In 2017, Furman's plan is almost no different than NAU's as they bring back experienced and consistent talent like Tanner Hinkle, Aaron Templeton, and Troy Reeder to the scoring five with another year of hard training and improvement on their resume. With the return of these three individuals, 2016 leaders like Lara and Brickell will no longer be the lone Paladins leading the team scoring. This fall, we could see some of the best pack running and time-spreads that the NCAA has ever seen out of any squad. They flexed their depth and pack-mentality in 2015 and I can only imagine that they've made significant progress in the two years since then. In fact, their performances on the track this past spring were very impressive. Just take a look at some of their accomplishments from the 2017 outdoor track season below... - Troy Reeder: 3:44 (1500) / 8:38 (3kSt.) (All-American) - Tanner Hinkle: 14:04 (5k) / 29:15 (10k) (School Record) - Josh Brickell: 29:24 (10k) - Frank Lara: 14:05 (5k) / 29:32 (10k) (NCAA Qualifier) - Ryan Adams: 3:42 (1500) (NCAA Qualifier) - Mason Coppi: 14:10 (5k) In case you couldn't tell, Furman's depth is just as strong as any other top 10 team. Ryan Adams and Mason Coppi are young talents and great guys to have on the roster, even if they are projected to be outside of the top five. They'll give the Paladins a sense of security and insurance should someone have an off day. Then again, this is Furman we're talking about, a team that is considered to be (at least in my mind) one of the most consistent programs in the nation. Yet, maybe the biggest x-factor of this group is Daniel Bernal, an incoming freshman who was widely considered one of the top high school recruits of 2017. With personal bests of 8:54 and 14:29, we could see this young man have a huge role on this Furman team as they fight for the highest spot on the podium. It's tough to dislike the Paladins this year, especially when you see all of the guys they return and compare the scenario to NAU's national championship team. However, the lack of an established low-stick is a bit concerning. In cross country, we've always been told that you need a tight pack and low time-spread to be an effective team. And so far, that has absolutely been the case for Furman. Yet, it's the guys listed in our Top 50 who separate teams and push them to the next level. With so many different moving parts and a regrouping of the 2015 squad, I would be surprised if they weren't able to develop a legitimate ace by the end of this season. Still, until that individual emerges, I have to keep at the Paladins at 5th in our rankings. Is the Furman team perfect? No, not quite, but no team ever is. Just because Furman doesn't have a Grant Fisher or Justyn Knight on their squad, doesn't mean that they should be dismissed or underestimated. This team is very much the real deal. In 2017 the Paladins will show all of their critics that a small school from South Carolina can contend with the big dogs of the NCAA.  #Top25 #ncaa #rankings #gzatlin #analysis

6. Colorado Buffaloes Coach: Mark Wetmore Notable Departures: Ben Saarel Notable Additions: Mark Tedder Projected Scoring Five: Joe Klecker (Rs. SO) [TSR#15] , John Dressel (JR) [TSR#16] , Zach Perrin (Rs. SR), Ryan Forsyth (Rs. JR), Reilly Friedman (Rs. SO) Analysis: Are we surprised anymore? That Colorado is ranked this well? The Buffaloes are once again a team not to be messed with as they return a heavy portion of their 2016 squad this fall. With the Wetmore Factor on their side once again, the men from Boulder will continue to stay in the hunt for a top four All-American spot. Last year was an interesting season for the Colorado men as they kept fans and spectators on their toes as to what their plan was for 2016. Would Dressel and Saarel redshirt the season in order to save their eligibility for 2017? That was the biggest question mark I had for the Buffaloes last fall. Colorado began their season at the Rocky Mountain Shootout where they competed against other top programs in the state such as Air Force and Colorado State. Yet, even without Dressel and Saarel in the scoring (they ran unattached), the Buffs cruised through their early season rust-buster with a perfect score of 15 over the entire field. Sure, it was a strong start to the season, but the competition at Rocky Mountain was child's play in comparison to what the Buffs later faced at Pre-Nats. After another two weeks of training, Colorado sent their full squad to Terre Haute with both Dressel and Saarel on the starting line. It was an indication that the Buffaloes were all in for the 2016 season. Despite the assurance that their two low-sticks were racing in 2016, the Buffs weren't ready to put forth their best effort just yet. Ryan Forsyth led the way with a 15th place finish overall while the rest of the squad seemingly tried to practice their pack running by taking spots 24, 27, 28, and 30. Still, even with their conservative racing plan, Colorado would finish 3rd overall, only 14 points behind Arkansas. Was Pre-Nats just a workout or did Mark Wetmore's squad have something bigger in mind? That question would be answered at PAC 12's, a meet where Stanford and Oregon were favored to take the conference title. Of course, Colorado had something else in mind. Thanks to a breakout race by Zach Perrin who placed 4th overall, the Buffaloes pulled off a massive upset to defeat Stanford by seven points and take the PAC 12 crown. In that race, the Buffs finished 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th and 19th overall. No Ammar Moussa? No Connor Winter? No Morgan Pearson? No Pierce Murphy? No problem. That was just classic Colorado. Although their PAC 12 win was exciting, they still needed to get through a very deep Mountain Region Championship meet that held some of the hottest teams in the NCAA such as NAU and BYU. Naturally, the Buffs didn't flinch when faced with the challenge and wound up defeating BYU by three points to secure the 2nd automatic qualifier to Nationals (losing only to Northern Arizona). The men from Colorado were on fire as they entered NCAA's which is never a good sign if you're an opposing team trying to earn a spot on the podium. Unfortunately, the Buffaloes couldn't find their way into the top four All-American teams with finishes of 17, 22, 26, 59, and 99 (in the team scoring). Colorado would finish 6th in the team standings, and although they weren't in the top four, they still walked away with three individual All-Americans (Klecker, Saarel, Dressel). In 2017, Colorado is primed for another great season. Then again, when are they not? This program has been nearly unstoppable for almost two decades now and we have become accustomed to expecting big things from this squad every single year. This fall, the Buffaloes will be led by Klecker and Dressel, two up and coming stars who have established themselves as one of the best 1-2 punches in the NCAA. With another year of experience under their belt, I expect this duo to continue improving and mix it up with some of the best in the nation. I am eagerly awaiting PAC 12's to see how they'll matchup against other third-year stars like Matthew Maton and Grant Fisher. Joining that Buffalo tandem up front is Zach Perrin who, in retrospect, got robbed from a spot in our Top 50 individuals earlier this summer. Perrin will need to improve his performances at regionals and NCAA's, but his 4th place finish at PAC 12's indicates that he can help lead this team if Klecker or Dressel were to have an off day. In fact, the same thing goes for Ryan Forsyth who has shown that he can be a key scorer on this squad after placing 15th at Pre-Nats and 9th at PAC 12's. Like Perrin, his regional and NCAA performances could use some improvement, but results outside of those meets have been very encouraging. As for the fifth and final spot on this squad, it could go to almost anyone on this roster. Four Buffaloes who could potentially grab that final spot are Reilly Friedman, Christian Martin, Ethan Gonzales, and Adam Peterman. Although these four vary in age and eligibility, they all gained the experience of racing in Colorado's top seven at least once last year. Although they may be able to provide some solid and consistent support in the 6th and 7th spots, the real challenge will be how much of an impact can they have as a top five runner. Obviously, this is Colorado we're talking about. There is always young talent patiently waiting for their moment to race among the best. Three redshirt freshmen I have my eye on are Phillip Rocha, Eduardo Herrera, and Connor Dunne: high school stars who redshirted the 2016 season to prep for a breakout fall in 2017. Wetmore has always thought about the long term success of this program and it hasn't failed him yet. It is very likely that we see one of these young men breach the top seven (or even top five) in the next three months. The only question is, who? The final potential scorer to mention is Mark Tedder, a Cornell distance star who is finishing his final year of eligibility with the Buffaloes while going to grad school. Although Tedder is more of a track-oriented athlete, Wetmore could very well transform his cross country fitness and make him yet another weapon on this powerhouse squad. While I may have ranked BYU and Colorado in the same spots that they finished at NCAA's, it's only because I truly believe that these are the appropriate spots for both teams at the moment. However, that then begs the question of "Why isn't Colorado ranked in the top five?" With Ben Saarel out of cross country eligibility, the Buffaloes have one less consistent ace who guarantees them a low-stick spot in every cross country they race in. The loss of an experienced superstar mixed without knowing who the fifth scorer will be has left me cautious of ranking Colorado too high. Yet, at this point in our Top 25, I'm just being picky. Let's remind ourselves that this is Mark Wetmore and the Colorado Buffaloes we're talking about. How could anyone argue that this team isn't in contention to make the podium? Actually, scratch that. How could anyone argue that this team isn't in contention for the national title? Plenty of teams have good and bad years while others go through rebuilding stages. But for Colorado, that narrative is different. Never underestimate what they can bring to the table. Plenty of people (including ourselves) did that last year at PAC 12's and look how that worked out... #Top25 #analysis #ncaa #rankings #gzatlin

7. BYU Cougars Coach: Ed Eyestone Notable Departures: Nicolas Montanez, Mitchell Briggs Notable Additions: Casey Clinger, Patrick Parker, Mckay Johns Projected Scoring Five: Rory Linkletter (JR) [TSR#23] , Jonathan Harper (SR), Brayden McLelland (SO), Spencer Hanson (SR), Clayton Young (JR) Analysis: I'll be honest, that projected scoring five we have listed above is probably not going to be accurate. There is simply so much talent on this squad that it's impossible to say for sure who is going to end up as a scorer for the Cougars. Remember when I said that UVA was the deepest squad in the nation? I lied. BYU is. The 2016 season was an exciting one if you were a BYU fan. The Cougars started their season at Panorama Farms where they faced off against programs like Syracuse and UVA. Although the Orangemen were favored to take the win, the men from Utah had other plans. The Cougars placed four scorers in the top 10 with their final scorer taking the 13th spot. When the dust settled and the points were tallied, BYU had pulled off the upset and defeated Syracuse, 39 to 44. Sure, their win over Syracuse and UVA was impressive, but was it just a fluke? Could they really pull off a performance like that again? Those questions were answered at the Wisconsin Invite where BYU once again asserted themselves as one of the best programs in the nation by placing 3rd in the team standings and taking down Syracuse once again. Montanez, Harper, and Linkletter all placed in the top 25 while freshman Brayden McLelland and junior Spencer Hanson finished 40th and 55th overall. With results like that, no one could argue that the Cougars weren't the real deal. The NCAA continued to throw different challenges at BYU throughout the postseason. At the West Coast Conference Championships, Brigham Young flexed their depth and out-ran a very deep Portland squad to take the conference title. They later took to the Mountain Region Championships where they would have to battle NAU and Colorado among others. Unfortunately, the Cougars fell to third as Colorado barely edged out BYU for the second auto-lock spot, 76 to 79. That, of course, didn't matter as BYU still had plenty of Kolas points to earn them a spot to NCAA's. BYU may not have secured an auto-lock spot, but they were still favorites to crack the top four teams and become All-Americans. Naturally, NCAA's proved to their toughest challenge of the season as their bottom three scorers couldn't quite hang on to their top two. Still, it was a strong all-around performance from everyone as Montanez and Linkletter walked away with All-American honors and their fifth scorer placed a respectable 80th in the team scoring. BYU wouldn't make the podium with their 7th place finish, but they certainly set the stage for a monster 2017 season. There are many aspects of this BYU team that make them so dangerous. Between their consistent production of front-runners, unfathomable depth, five-star recruits, and legendary coaching, this squad is the complete package. In 2017, Rory Linkletter will lead this team towards another run at the podium. The rising junior is coming off a spring track season where he earned silver in the NCAA 10k while also throwing down PR's of 7:58, 13:49, and 28:58. His improvements throughout the entirety of his sophomore year has set him up to be an absolute stud this fall. Behind Linkletter will most likely be Jonathan Harper who had a series of exceptional performances throughout last fall. Add on the fact that Harper owns personal best times of 7:59 and 13:54, and you have the possibility of a Top 50 individual. Brayden McLelland, a rising sophomore, could potentially be a huge low-stick for this squad in 2017 after putting together a very solid and respectable 2016 season. He was probably one of the most underrated freshmen throughout last fall and should only improve as he continues to learn how to navigate the collegiate system. Others like Spencer Hanson and Clayton Young are strong options at the four and five spots. Some programs struggle to find a reliable bottom two scorers, but that won't be a concern for BYU when you have two experienced upperclassmen like them. Yet, as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, I'm not convinced that this will end up being the scoring five. There are so many individuals with untapped potential that they could have a role on this squad by season's end. For those who have read my articles during the track season, you know that I'm a fan of steeplechasers and how their fitness translates to cross country. Luckily for BYU, they had three steeplechasers (all underclassmen) qualify for NCAA's this past spring with personal bests all under 8:50 (Heslington, Carney, Shumway). Any one of those three individuals could have a breakout fall. At the same time, let's not forget about 2015 stars Dallins Farnsworth and Connor McMillan. Both individuals put together some great performances two years ago, but rarely saw the grass in 2016. They are the x-factors on a team that already has an arsenal of talent. We could even see the incoming freshmen have a role at some point this season. Prior to college, Clinger, Parker, and Johns had trained next to each other for four years. Their familiarity with each other will help their transition to the collegiate level. Any of those three (especially Clinger) will have the potential to make the lineup this fall. The final name to mention is Connor Mantz, a high school distance running star who took time off to complete a mission trip before beginning his career at BYU. The redshirt freshman clocked personal bests of 4:07, 8:52, and 14:32 in high school and was one of the biggest recruiting targets for coaches in 2015. The return of Mantz back to BYU's roster makes him a secret weapon that many people have forgotten about. See what I mean? There are over 14 legitimate guys fighting for a spot in BYU's top seven this fall. With a healthy dose of team competition, don't be surprised if the Cougars are able to find another low-stick to pair up with Rory Linkletter. They did it once with Nico Montanez and they can surely do it again. If I'm being fair to all of the other teams, I do need to find some potential weaknesses with the Cougars. One of those weaknesses will be the fact that they lost their ace, Nico Montanez. Although Linkletter will be a reliable low-stick, there's no guarantee that BYU can produce another 1-2 punch like they did a year ago. At the same time, we don't know for sure who will be taking time off to carry out their mission trips. BYU has always accommodated athlete's requests to take mission trips which typically leaves fans like myself curious as to who will actually be returning in the fall. This mix of speculation and uncertainty has forced me to keep the Cougars no higher than #7 for now. With that in mind, we saw what happens when you set expectations for BYU: they break them. If everything goes right and this team begins to click, Brigham Young could find themselves on the podium with three other teams. And who knows? Maybe they'll be the ones standing the highest... #Top25 #analysis #gzatlin #rankings #ncaa

8. Oklahoma State Cowboys Coach: Dave Smith Notable Departures: Josh Thompson Notable Additions: Kyler True, Bryce Quigley, Zac Miller Projected Scoring Five: Hassan Abdi (SR) [TSR#11] , Cerake Geberkidane (Rs. SR) [TSR#43] , Sylvester Barus (SR), Luis Martinez (Rs. SR), Christian Liddell (JR) Analysis: Oklahoma State is an interesting team to rank, mainly because of their low-profile approach to racing during the cross country season. Rarely do we see the Cowboys entering huge invites like Wisconsin, Pre-Nats, Notre Dame, or Roy Griak. Instead, they opt for smaller meets like the Cowboy Jamboree and the Penn State Open. Of course, when you're a program as good as Oklahoma State, it's tough to stay "under the radar". Oklahoma State was an entertaining team to watch in 2016. With so many different moving parts and new competition to face, the Cowboys were always making headlines. The first meet of their season would take place in their own backyard at the Cowboy Jamboree. There, JUCO transfer Sylvester Barus took the individual title while the rest of the squad followed by taking places 3, 5, 6, and 9. Oklahoma State would easily cruise past a respectable Tulsa squad and take the team title all without Cerake Geberkidane. Unfortunately, Coach Dave Smith mentioned in an interview that Geberkidane had been dealing with injury problems and would be making his debut at BIG 12's (at the latest). The Cowboys would have to thrive without him until then. The next stop on the schedule was the Penn State Open, a new meet that gave teams the option to race in a smaller invite rather than at Wisconsin or Pre-Nats. For many teams, it was an attractive opportunity as Oklahoma State, Mississippi, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Texas all entered their top squads. The race would essentially become a matchup between Oklahoma State and Ole Miss as Hassan Abdi and Josh Thompson led the way by taking spots 2 and 3 while the rest of their scorers finished 11th, 14th, and 17th. The Cowboys emerged victorious over a very good Ole Miss team that was only 2 points behind them. It was a huge confidence booster heading into the postseason. Two weeks later was BIG 12's and Geberkidane was still not in the lineup. As it turns out, his injury required much more attention than initially thought and he was forced to call it quits for the year. For most teams, that would be a devastating blow. For Oklahoma State, it wasn't. Despite the race turning tactical, Oklahoma State handled it with grace as they placed five in the top 11 to gut out the win over an up-and-coming Iowa State program. At Mid-West regionals, the results didn't look all that different. Oklahoma State once again got the best of Tulsa as they placed their top five in spots 2, 4, 15, 20, and 23. The Cowboys walked away with the regional team title and entered Nationals with the comfort of knowing that they could consistently defeat some of the best programs in the nation. Although they entered NCAA's undefeated, they left with the impression that they could've done more. Hassan Abdi and Josh Thompson came up big with two huge All-American finishes, but no other Cowboy broke into the top 100 as an individual. In the team scoring, Oklahoma State finished 13th, 28th, 97th, 111th, and 114th to place 12th overall. Ironically, Tulsa was 23 points ahead of them in 11th. While their finish at Nationals left something to be desired, 2016 was still a very strong year for the Cowboys. They displayed absolute dominance even without Geberkidane and were able to consistently finish ahead of top-tier teams. Entering NCAA's undefeated is no easy feat. In 2017, Oklahoma State is looking just as formidable as last year as they return six of their top seven. The loss of All-American Josh Thompson would typically be difficult to overcome, but the return of Geberkidane into their lineup acts as the perfect replacement. Joining Geberkidane at the front will be Hassan Abdi, who found himself in the top three of every race leading up to NCAA's last year. With huge personal bests of 13:43 and 28:54 this past spring, Abdi should be considered one of the top runners in the NCAA this fall. The 3rd spot will most likely go to Sylvester Barus, the 2016 Cowboy Jamboree champion. Barus will be a huge x-factor for Oklahoma State this fall as he has the potential to finish near Abdi and Geberkidane. He will, however, need to improve his consistency and give his teammates a scorer they can rely on. The final two scoring spots will be taken by the duo of Christian Liddell and Luis Martinez. These two were pivotal to the success Oklahoma State had in 2016 as they consistently gave the Cowboys a reliable final two scorers who rarely gave them a poor performance. Unlike other teams in our Top 25, I'm not concerned with the consistency that these two will provide for their team. That said, I am curious to see if they can improve on their finishes from last year. The Cowboys could do more than just make the podium if these two are able to step up and find a new level of fitness... Oklahoma State has always been a team known for it's depth and that won't change in 2017 with guys like Anthoney Armstrong, Matthew Fayers, Brigham Hedges, Noah Gade, and a slew of underclassmen still on the roster. Having insurance and a talented supporting cast outside of the top five is what makes teams like Oklahoma State great. The Cowboys have all of the pieces they need for a potential podium run in 2017 and that's not an exaggeration. However, there are still a few question marks that need to be addressed. Can Sylvester Barus be a consistent scorer and become a legitimate low-stick? Will Cerake Geberkidane be able to bounce back from his injury and perform like he did in 2015? How much improvement will we see from guys like Liddell, Martinez, and Armstrong? I feel like these are all fair questions as we enter the 2017 season. Regardless of the uncertainties, Oklahoma State is a team that is capable exposing weak spots in their opponents and catching fire in the postseason. With their entire top five all listed as upperclassmen, Dave Smith's squad may be one of the most experienced teams in the nation and that is not a good thing for the teams who have to face the Cowboys this season. #rankings #Top25 #analysis #ncaa #gzatlin

9. Oregon Ducks Coach: Andy Powell Notable Departures: Edward Cheserek, Jake Leingang, Tim Gorman Notable Additions: Reed Brown, Cooper Teare, Connor Clark, James West Projected Scoring Five: Matthew Maton (JR) [TSR#17], Tanner Anderson (JR), James West (Rs. SR), Sam Prakel (Rs. SR), Reed Brown (FR) Analysis: Isn't it weird? Not seeing Edward Cheserek on Oregon's roster? The King has ingrained himself with the identity of Oregon distance running maybe just as much as Steve Prefontaine and the void he has left is certainly a big one. With Cheserek out of NCAA eligibility, fans of the sport have begun to ask themselves a very simple question..."Now what?" Although losing the best distance runner in the NCAA is difficult to overcome, the Ducks are still poised to be a very strong and challenging squad in 2017. After all, this is Oregon we're talking about. How could they not be competitive? After shaking off the summer rust at the Bill Dellinger Invite, the men of Oregon began their 2016 season at the Washington Invite to face off against programs like Colorado State and Washington. Despite strong competition from Colorado State, the Ducks handled the meet well and walked away with the win, 13 points ahead of CSU. Edward Cheserek was unsurprisingly the victor while Prakel, Maton, and Anderson placed 3rd, 4th and 6th. Blake Haney would round out the top five with a 12 place finish overall. The Washington Invite was a good start to the season, but Pre-Nats would only get harder as powerhouse programs like Arkansas, Colorado, and Michigan waited to battle the Ducks. Even so, Oregon navigated the Pre-Nats field rather well. Cheserek did his job by grabbing the win while Matthew Maton had a breakout performance by finishing 4th overall. Tanner Anderson, Levi Thomet, and Sam Prakel rounded out Oregon's top five with finishes of 18th, 26th, and 36th. That should've been the end of the meet, but faulty equipment at the finish line failed to pick up Levi Thomet's 26th place finish. Instead, Prakel was awarded the 4th scoring spot and Oregon's 6th man, who placed 151st, was erroneously assigned as Oregon's 5th scorer. That technical failure allowed Arkansas to initially win the team title. Naturally, the score was corrected and the Ducks walked away with a team title score of 85 points, 25 points better than runner-up Arkansas. Although the equipment failure was a simple mistake, it did leave a few people questioning Oregon's depth. Were the Ducks vulnerable to an upset? Two weeks after Pre-Nats marked the beginning of the postseason where the competition at PAC 12's would only get more difficult for Oregon. Colorado pulled off a shocking upset to take the conference crown while Stanford settled for second. The third place team was also a surprise as UCLA comfortably pulled ahead of Oregon with all five of their scorers in the top 20 while the Ducks finished a disappointing 4th place overall. Despite Cheserek taking the individual title, Maton and Anderson had off days that their teammates simply couldn't make up for. Oregon's final four scorers placed 13th, 22nd, 28th, and 30th. It was a similar scene at the West Regional Championships as Oregon once again placed 4th overall behind Stanford, Portland, and UCLA. Cheserek and Maton both had monster races by taking the top two spots in the race. Unfortunately, no other Duck finished in the top 30 as the next three scorers finished 32nd, 42nd, and 45th. Luckily, Oregon still had plenty of Kolas points to get into NCAA's. Up until NCAA's, it had been a rough postseason for the Ducks who were beginning to see the impact their youth was having on their depth. That, however, didn't phase the Ducks on the big stage as they put together one of their better performances of the season. Even though Cheserek didn't win the individual title, he still placed 2nd in the team scoring while Matthew Maton was 23rd and became an All-American. The final three scorers finished 54th, 82nd, and 121st in the team scoring to give the Ducks 282 points and a 9th place finish overall. It was certainly an up and down season for the Ducks in 2016, but the good sign is that 2017 has the potential to be better, even without Cheserek. With four major additions, established low-sticks, experienced veterans, and a deep pack, this squad looks nearly unstoppable. Let's start with Matthew Maton who will most likely take over Cheserek's low-stick role this upcoming fall. He had some monster performances last year and it looks like he'll be "the guy" with the King now gone. There may not be a better replacement for Cheserek than his protege. Stepping into Maton's spot from last year will be Tanner Anderson who has shown plenty of progression and growth over the past year. He has learned how to race and compete with other talented individuals around the NCAA and was even able to qualify for Nationals this past spring in the 10k. Don't underestimate the low-stick he could become in October and November. Behind those two is where things get interesting. Andy Powell and the coaching staff did an excellent job of preparing for Cheserek's departure by bringing in some elite recruits, two freshmen and two transfers. The two transfers who will be key are James West and Connor Clark. West, an English native, boasts personal bests of 3:39, 7:58, and 14:04. His cross country fitness may be unknown, but it's clear that this is a prospective ace that will be welcomed by a team who needs to make up for the loss of Cheserek. As for Connor Clark, the Dartmouth transfer seems to be following in the steps of Tim Gorman, a former teammate of his who finished who went on to have a successful 2016-2017 campaign as a graduate student at Oregon. Having run at the NCAA Championships in 2016 as well as owning personal bests of 8:09 and 14:10, Clark will bring some much needed experience to Oregon's depth that is still very young. Speaking of experience, one of the more seasoned veterans on his this squad is Sam Prakel. The rising redshirt senior had a great start to his 2016 season and continued to be a reliable 4th and 5th man during Pre-Nats and the rest of the postseason. He'll need to find some consistency in the later portion of the season, but for a guy who just ran a personal best mile of 3:55 earlier this summer, I think that's more than possible. Like many other programs, the 5th scorer is up in the air, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Reed Brown and Cooper Teare may have been the two best recruits in the nation and the Ducks got both of them. The addition of them on this squad is a huge boost for Oregon's depth as well as their future success. With college-level times and accomplishments, I would be shocked if neither of these individuals had a scoring role on this squad during their freshman year. Yes, they're that good. Others like Blake Haney, Travis Neuman, Levi Thomet, Austin Tamagno, Bryan Fernandez, and many more will give Oregon an arsenal of top-tier distance talents to choose from at any point in the season. Their mix of youth and experience is what makes this group so dangerous. Although there is a lot to like about the Oregon Ducks, there are a few minor imperfections. The loss of Edward Cheserek can not be overlooked and even with the addition of five-star recruits and transfers, his absence will be very noticeable. At the same time, no one is exactly sure how well James West and Connor Clark will adjust to a new environment and training program that is hundreds of miles away from home. Because of that uncertainty, I have to keep the Ducks at #9, but I will happily better their spot throughout the season. Oregon is bound for success in 2017. Part of that is because of their impressive roster and the other part is simply because of their legacy. For a team that has made Nationals 10 out of the past 11 years, I'm not ready to start betting against them now. If everything goes right this fall (which it usually does for Oregon) the Ducks could find themselves on the podium once again. #Top25 #ncaa #gzatlin #rankings #analysis

10. Virginia Cavaliers Coach: Pete Watson Notable Departures: Henry Wynne, Zach Herriott, Mike Marsella Notable Additions: Spencer Dodds, Rohann Asfaw, Harry Monroe, Saurav Velleleth Projected Scoring Five: Brent Demarest (Rs. JR) [TSR#30] , Lachlan Cook (SO), Chase Weaverling (SR), Thomas Madden (Rs. SR), Matthew Novak (Rs. SO) Analysis: As a Virginia Tech student, it pains me to put the Cavaliers in the top 10. That said, I have to give credit where credit is due. UVA is primed for grand success in 2017 as their squad matures and becomes much more experienced. Their combination of established front-runners and impeccable depth makes this team a podium threat. UVA's 2016 season began at the Adidas XC Invite in North Carolina where they would face the likes of Florida State and NC State. Surprisingly, the Cavaliers faltered to 3rd overall (losing on a 6th man tie-break for 2nd) as their pack simply struggled to close the gaps. It was certainly not the start that many people expected. One week later, Virginia hosted the Panorama Farms Invite in own their backyard where they attracted elite programs like BYU and Syracuse. The Cavaliers finished third overall, but their pack was starting to come together with finishes of 11, 14, 15, 20, and 22. Of the 8 individuals that UVA ran, their bottom four were all freshmen. We would have to wait another three weeks until we saw Virginia race again, this time at the Penn State Open. Despite the small(ish) sized field, UVA would still have to face programs like Oklahoma State, Mississippi, and arch rivals Virginia Tech. However, this time they were led by Brent Demarest and Lachlan Cook with finishes of 6th and 7th overall. The Cavaliers placed 3rd the team standings behind Oklahoma State and Mississippi with the biggest weakness coming at the 5th spot with a finish of 41st overall. The regular season had ended and there was still no sign of Henry Wynne. What had happened to the 2016 NCAA indoor mile champion? It turns out that Wynne suffered an early season injury that caused him to shut down his racing for the entirety of cross country. UVA put their regular season behind them and shifted their focus to ACC's which was arguably their best race of the season. For a majority of the race, they gave Syracuse a tough time by packing their top five into the top group. Although they weren't able to hold off the Orangemen, UVA still finished a respectable second place overall while also getting revenge on Florida State and NC State from the Adidas XC Invite. The next stop would be the Southeast Regional Championships which proved to be a bit more challenging than expected. NC State once again got the best of Virginia and Furman was only one point away from taking UVA's auto-lock spot to Nationals. Then again, the Cavs could take solace in the fact that their #1 man (Brent Demarest) didn't race to his full potential after finishing 38th overall. In the final race of the season, Virginia would finish 18th overall in the team scoring as Demarest and Herriott led the way with finishes of 33 and 40 (in the team scoring). The rest of the squad finished 81, 149, and 173 to close out the scoring. While I am sure that the Cavaliers were looking for a better finish, they couldn't be too upset with the result. Five of their top seven were either sophomores or freshmen... Admittedly, UVA struggled during a few points throughout the season. Still, you have to give the Cavaliers a lot respect for battling through the difficulties they had last fall. A majority of their squad were underclassmen, they had some inconsistencies with their bottom two scorers, and they relied on a redshirt sophomore to lead their team after their superstar low-stick was ruled out for the season with an injury. In 2017, Virginia is looking like one of the more complete teams in the NCAA. With Demarest and Cook at the front, UVA may have the best 1-2 punch in the Southeast region. They'll need to work on their consistency, but that is something that comes with age. At the 3rd and 4th spots, we will most likely see veterans Chase Weaverling and Thomas Madden. Last year, Weaverling had a string of great performances in the last few meets of the season where he finished 15th at Penn State, 13th at ACC's, and 14th at regionals. He will be flanked by Thomas Madden who is returning to the lineup after redshirting the 2016 season. UVA should feel very comfortable about having two seniors giving them support and consistency at the 3rd and 4th spots. It's also important to note that Madden's reappearance on the roster will help make up for the graduation of Zach Herriott. As for the 5th man, it seems like anyone on this squad could find themselves at that spot at some point during the season. Matthew Novak, Ari Klau, Johnny Pace, Alex Corbett, and AJ Ernst all had at least one opportunity to race in UVA's lineup last fall. And the best part? All five of these individuals will have the eligibility of sophomores in 2017. We could very well see a significant improvement from all of these guys in the next few months. Adding to that depth will be Texas transfer Spencer Dodds who had a very respectable freshman year with the Longhorns. In case you couldn't tell, UVA is locked and loaded this fall. This program is incredibly deep and they have already shown that they can at least stay competitive without Henry Wynne. It's tough to only put them at #10 in the rankings, but until the season action begins, there are just too many other teams with too much firepower. However, I fully expect UVA to put themselves in a position to take the Southeast regional title while also pulling off some upsets. If they can do that, don't be surprised if the Cavaliers are one of the four teams on the podium in November. #Top25 #gzatlin #rankings #analysis #ncaa

11. Alabama Crimson Tide Coach: Dan Waters Notable Departures: Antibahs Kosgei, Robbie Farnham-Rose Notable Additions: Alfred Chelanga, Vincent Kiprop, Gilbert Kigen Projected Scoring Five: Alfred Chelanga (SR) [TSR#18] , Vincent Kiprop (JR) [TSR#21] , Gilbert Kigen (JR) [TSR#24] , Josh Short (SO), Evan Prizy (SR), Analysis: I've been waiting for a while now to post #11 mainly because of how new and exciting this team is. The Alabama Crimson Tide have entered the upper echelon of elite teams since last cross country season after securing three major transfers (Chelanga, Kiprop, and Kigen). Much like when LeBron James joined the Miami Heat in 2010, Alabama has created a "super team" with their "Big Three" as the focal point of this squad. We could go back and review Alabama's 2016 cross country season, but when you consider how much has changed since then, it may not be worth it to do so. In 2016, Antibahs Kosgei & Robbie Farnham-Rose led the Crimson Tide throughout the entirety of the cross country season as they helped Alabama to a 5th place finish at SEC's and a 4th place finish at the South Region Championships. Although the team would end their season at regionals, Kosgei and Rose both qualified for NCAA's. Unfortunately, neither individual has any NCAA eligibility left for 2017. In 2017, the Tide will return only their #4 and #5 men from last year's squad. However, it's the transfers that make this team so dangerous. Alabama's top three are lethal and they have a long list of accomplishments that we detailed in our Top 50 rankings ( which you can find here ). Aside from their countless victories and mind-blowing times, there are a lot of other aspects of this top three that I really like. Chelanga actually joined the Crimson Tide this past winter and saw plenty of success during both indoor and outdoor track. He became an All-American in the 5k during indoor season and ended the outdoor season with the fastest 10k time in the country (28:04). What's important about Chelanga's success is that he has proven that he can race and compete against some of the best D1 talent in the nation. That transition is not always easy and he has handled it incredibly well. Chelanga's ability to adjust is a great sign for Vincent Kiprop who has a very similar resume and background. It also helps that this duo often raced each other during their time at the Division 2 level. That familiarity will certainly help Kiprop's transition as they train and race together. As for Gilbert Kigen, he will be making a much larger jump as he moves from JUCO to D1. Yet, for someone that who has been described as the "Edward Cheserek of the NJCCA", that shouldn't be too difficult. Kigen has the times and titles to back up his Top 50 ranking as well as the hype that comes with it. I could go on for days talking about how strong this top three is going to be, but if there's one thing you need to take away from this, it's that no other NCAA program has a trio as good as Alabama. Although those three transfers may be exciting to talk about, the real success of this team will depend on how Josh Short and Evan Prizy perform throughout the season. Admittedly, Short and Prizy need to boost their fitness by a significant margin if Alabama wants to defeat Arkansas and contend for the SEC title this year. Placing 43rd and 53rd at the conference championships isn't going to win a team title, even if the Tide take the top three spots. Of course, I'm sure that this something that the Tide have acknowledged and are working on. Luckily, with added motivation and an extra year of experience, an improvement from Prizy and Short is not only possible, it's probable. It's tough to leave Alabama out of the top 10 teams when you have three guys in the Top 50. Still, with Kiprop and Kigen entering a new program as well as a large gap at the 4 and 5 spots, there is too much uncertainty and potential vulnerability to say that they are going to be better than those in the top 10 (at the moment). Regardless of the weak spots, the men from Tuscaloosa are going to be incredibly exciting to watch this year. Their drastic upgrade in talent will certainly make the SEC much more competitive and give the conference the respect it deserves. Things are not getting any easier in the south... While some may be skeptical and unsure, this team is set to prosper. If everything goes well and this team begins to click, we could potentially see this squad on the podium in late November. #gzatlin #ncaa #Top25 #analysis #rankings

12. Iona Gaels Coach: Ricardo Santos Notable Departures:  Kieran Clements Notable Additions:  Jordan Brannan, Graham Baird Projected Scoring Five: Gilbert Kirui (SR) [TSR#25] , Chartt Miller (Rs. SR)  [TSR#26] , Johannes Motschmann (SR), Liam Dee (JR), Jac Hopkins (JR) Analysis: For years now, big-name schools like Oregon, Colorado, Stanford, and Wisconsin have dominated the powerhouse program discussion. Their constant success and strong legacies have made them the focal point of NCAA distance running. Yet, one team that typically doesn't get the love it deserves is Iona. Despite their small school status, the Gaels have created a legacy of their own with a mix of effective recruiting and a development of depth. In 2017, there is no reason that this team can't continue to find success. The Gaels began their 2016 cross country season at the Paul Short Invite where they would have to battle with a dangerous Georgetown squad to claim the team title. However, despite the firepower other teams in the field held, Iona routed the competition and walked away with a team score of 34 points, 81 points better than the 2nd place Hoyas. The best part in all of this was that the Gaels didn't even run their ace Chartt Miller! It was arguably the best season opener of any team in the NCAA. The Wisconsin Invite was the next stop on their 2016 schedule and the competition there would be a bit more intense than what they found at Paul Short. Still, the Gaels were up to the challenge as Kieran Clements and Gilbert Kirui put together a monster performance where they finished 7th and 12th overall. Johannes Motschmann and Liam Dee would follow with 47th and 66th place finishes. However, the one weak area came at the 5th man spot as Andrew Tario fell to 108th overall. Nonetheless, Iona would end up finishing a very impressive 5th place in the team standings as they defeated rising programs like UCLA, Portland, and Iowa State. You also have to consider that they didn't run Chartt Miller either... Championship season eventually approached and the Gaels were ready to handle business. After an easy sweep of their conference meet (where Chartt Miller returned to action), Iona stepped into the Northeast Regional Championships which held the 2015 NCAA champions (Syracuse). Although they would end up in 2nd overall, the goal was to cement themselves in a top two spot and comfortably qualify for Nationals. Sure enough, the Gaels did just that. Their final test of the season would take place at the NCAA Championships, a meet that has historically not always been friendly to Iona's postseason aspirations of making the team podium. Luckily, Chartt Miller was back on the squad and would most likely give the Gaels a boost from their finish at Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the race didn't play out exactly as expected. Not a single Iona individual finished the day as an All-American and it seemed like Chartt Miller still had some rust to shake off from his late season start. Iona's finishes in the team scoring would be 34 (Clements), 50 (Miller), 68 (Kirui), 74 (Motschmann), and 93 (Dee) which was good enough for a 10th place finish in the team standings. While it may not have been a perfect race, 10th place was still a very solid and respectable finish. Iona was also one of only 8 teams that had all five of their scorers in the top 100. With 2016 behind them and the 2017 season ahead, the Gaels are looking strong as they return all but one individual from last year (Kieran Clements). Chartt Miller and Gilbert Kirui will look to lead a hungry Iona team that is ready to prove that they can fight for a spot on the podium. The great thing about Iona is that although they lose Clements, they have plenty of experience of racing without an ace. Chartt Miller was absent for the entire 2016 regular season and they still performed incredibly well. With a strong 1-2 punch up front, Iona is plenty fine on firepower and low-sticks. The following scorers don't change that much either as Johannaes Motschmann and Liam Dee seem to be talented individuals who continue to learn and grow. In fact, Liam Dee just became a sub-four minute miler this past winter and also tagged on personal bests of 8:02 in the 3k and 14:04 in the 5k. While track times may not always translate to success during cross country, his performances is enough indication that he'll enter 2017 in great fitness.  Admittedly, this duo will need to be a bit more consistent while also being able to close the gap between their finishes in the big meets like Wisconsin and NCAA's. Sometimes, that just comes with being another year older. Like so many other teams, the 5th spot is a bit of a question mark as there are multiple individuals who could step up to have a role with this team. Jac Hopkins, Andrew Tario, and Brandon Allen are all guys that made appearances in Iona's top five last year. If I had to choose, I'm taking Hopkins who worked his way into the starting seven during 2016 and is now an upperclassman with a lot more room to grow.  Outside of those seven individuals, this team is still incredibly deep. Two incoming recruits, Jordan Brannan and Graham Baird, are cross country stars in their own right. While in high school, Brannan ran under 15 minutes for the 5k and also became an All-American on the track. As for Baird, he represented Canada at the Junior World Cross Country Championships where he finished 7th overall.  The weapons on this team are endless which should give the Gaels some comfort knowing that they have support at the back end of their top seven.  It's tough to keep this team out of the top 10, but their inconsistency at NCAA's and the loss of Kieran Clements is just a bit too much for me to consider otherwise. That said, I am more than willing to move the Gaels into the top 10 if they can duplicate their 2016 results. With two established aces, a crowd of experienced depth, and a legacy to uphold, Iona is not a team to underestimate in 2017. #gzatlin #ncaa #Top25 #analysis #rankings