Tech cross country has started the year with some very low-key meets, one in Ruidoso and one in Lubbock against D-II, NAIA, JC competition. Nice, smooth way to ease into the season. NOW, the fun really begins, as Tech goes to Stillwater on Friday and will see several nationally ranked teams, particularly the Cowboys men's team, which is justifiably ranked #2 in the nation.
I looked on the OSU site and found the entries for the meet, but that doesn't tell me much because everyone on the Red Raider roster is listed. That doesn't mean they all will run, but most coaches submit their entire roster and then make the decision on who runs just prior to the meet. If the Jamboree does allow everyone entered to compete, then all the better - there could be 12 women and 14 men running in the race.
Let's look at who will run if Tech is allowed 7, 9 or unlimited runners (the numbers in parentheses after each runner is their place among TTU runners at the first 2 meets):
WOMEN
Top 7:
Lillian Badaru (DNR/1st)
Purity Biwott (2nd/2nd)
Gladys Kipsang (1st/3rd)
Caroline Karunde (3rd/4th)
Michelle Guzman (4th/6th)
Winrose Karunde (DNR/5th)
Kaci Westervelt (5th/7th)
If 2 more can go, these are my top candidates for those 2 spots:
Meagan Willingham (6th/8th)
Katherine Priebe (7th/9th)
And, if everyone gets to run, these additional kids get some experience:
Shannon Jackson (8th/10th)
Michelle Edman (9th/11th)
Amanda McKeehan (10th/12th)
MEN
Top 7
Gilbert Limo (1st/1st)
Cory Higgins (2nd/2nd)
Silas Kemboi (3rd/3rd)
Zach Quinones (4th/4th)
Logan Culotta (5th/5th)
Nathan Milles (6th/13th) - apparently he was sick, but ran this past meet, which is what I suspected
Jeremy Kight (7th/7th)
If 9 run, the 2 extra will most likely be:
David Boston (9th/6th)
Zach Dawson (8th/9th) - apparently did not come to school in shape at all and is having to work into it
If everyone getst to run, these additional kids get more experience:
Valentino Julien (10th/8th) - he could actually slip into the top 9
Sam Bushong (12th/10th)
Chase Wade (11th/11th)
Andrew Goldstein (13th/12th)
And, I know you think he is figment of my imagination, since he does not yet appear on the Tech XC roster, but the Frenchman Thomas Cattin-Masson DOES appear on the entry list for Tech. My guess is that he is still caught in that huge monolithic chasm that is the NCAA Clearinghouse and is waiting eligibility clarification and won't appear on the roster until his eligibility is confirmed. I am eager to see this kid and his appearance probably shakes up the top 7 and top 9 quite a bit.
This time next week, we will know a lot more about these teams. The men's team has the chance to be quite a bit better than last year and the women's team has the potential to be as good as last year and 2008 was the BEST year in Tech cross country history.
This post was edited on 10/1 6:53 AM by RRTracklover
This post was edited on 10/1 6:54 AM by RRTracklover
I looked on the OSU site and found the entries for the meet, but that doesn't tell me much because everyone on the Red Raider roster is listed. That doesn't mean they all will run, but most coaches submit their entire roster and then make the decision on who runs just prior to the meet. If the Jamboree does allow everyone entered to compete, then all the better - there could be 12 women and 14 men running in the race.
Let's look at who will run if Tech is allowed 7, 9 or unlimited runners (the numbers in parentheses after each runner is their place among TTU runners at the first 2 meets):
WOMEN
Top 7:
Lillian Badaru (DNR/1st)
Purity Biwott (2nd/2nd)
Gladys Kipsang (1st/3rd)
Caroline Karunde (3rd/4th)
Michelle Guzman (4th/6th)
Winrose Karunde (DNR/5th)
Kaci Westervelt (5th/7th)
If 2 more can go, these are my top candidates for those 2 spots:
Meagan Willingham (6th/8th)
Katherine Priebe (7th/9th)
And, if everyone gets to run, these additional kids get some experience:
Shannon Jackson (8th/10th)
Michelle Edman (9th/11th)
Amanda McKeehan (10th/12th)
MEN
Top 7
Gilbert Limo (1st/1st)
Cory Higgins (2nd/2nd)
Silas Kemboi (3rd/3rd)
Zach Quinones (4th/4th)
Logan Culotta (5th/5th)
Nathan Milles (6th/13th) - apparently he was sick, but ran this past meet, which is what I suspected
Jeremy Kight (7th/7th)
If 9 run, the 2 extra will most likely be:
David Boston (9th/6th)
Zach Dawson (8th/9th) - apparently did not come to school in shape at all and is having to work into it
If everyone getst to run, these additional kids get more experience:
Valentino Julien (10th/8th) - he could actually slip into the top 9
Sam Bushong (12th/10th)
Chase Wade (11th/11th)
Andrew Goldstein (13th/12th)
And, I know you think he is figment of my imagination, since he does not yet appear on the Tech XC roster, but the Frenchman Thomas Cattin-Masson DOES appear on the entry list for Tech. My guess is that he is still caught in that huge monolithic chasm that is the NCAA Clearinghouse and is waiting eligibility clarification and won't appear on the roster until his eligibility is confirmed. I am eager to see this kid and his appearance probably shakes up the top 7 and top 9 quite a bit.
This time next week, we will know a lot more about these teams. The men's team has the chance to be quite a bit better than last year and the women's team has the potential to be as good as last year and 2008 was the BEST year in Tech cross country history.
This post was edited on 10/1 6:53 AM by RRTracklover
This post was edited on 10/1 6:54 AM by RRTracklover
