2016 XC Nationals: Men's Individual Preview
November 10th, 2016 (Updated: Nov 11th)
2015 national champ Rob Scanlon (Iowa State) looks to defend his title and repeat while a strong and diverse group of challengers hope to find their way to the top of the podium.
Is the defending champion poised to retain his title? Can the Pacific Region claim their first individual champion since 2007? How will the team battle impact multiple individual favorites who have aspirations to lead their teams to the podium as well? Fascinating storylines abound in the men’s field for the 2016 NIRCA Cross Country National Championships.
Iowa State’s Rob Scanlon heads to Hershey looking to make NIRCA history. No man has won multiple NIRCA Cross Country National Championship crowns, but Scanlon has the chance to do just that and defend his 2015 title. A win would also make him the only NIRCA athlete to win three races at Nationals, as he claimed the “B” race win as a freshman in 2012 on the same Hershey hills (Betsy Suda of Florida also has two wins to her name, topping the women’s podium in 2011 and 2013). A fellow Great Plains Regional runner is expected to be right with Scanlon - his teammate and regional champion Jason Thomas. The two, along with runner-up Matthew Kuik of Wisconsin (not running at Nationals) were the class of the field in Ames and each have the ability for top finishes in Hershey. Thomas finished 31st at 2015 Nationals, just missing out on All-American honors, but looks ready to change that.
The Mid Atlantic Region claimed the men’s individual crown from 2011-2013, including both years on the Hershey Parkview XC Course, and will again have a large group in the front pack. UPenn’s Geraint Davies is the top returner from 2015 (6th in Lexington) and while he was only 36th at the Regional Championship, he is a multi-time All-American and former half marathon national champion who has often come through when it counts. Similarly John Lacy of Penn State (12th at 2015 Nationals) took 22nd in the Region, but is always someone to watch. Lacy’s PSU teammates Andrew Sell, Maxwell Petrosky, and Daniel Wilcko, along with Luke Mazzu of Virginia Tech and Andrew Cerruzzi of Maryland, all figure to be in the mix as well. Notably, Mid Atlantic champ Ian Whittall of UPenn won’t be joining the battle in Hershey.
More men’s individual winners have come from the Great Lakes region than any other (4) but 2016 brings new names and no top 15 returners from Lexington. Michigan’s Lucas Peterson and Ross Pendergast went 1-2 in the region and look like podium threats, as does Jack Randall of Cincinnati (3rd). Few seasons pass without Indiana having All-Americans at Cross Country Nationals, and Stephen Gomez and Ethan Worthington look like they have that potential after placing 5-6 in the Great Lakes, leading IU to the regional title. Nate Veldt of Purdue (4th, Great Lakes) is another name to watch.
Josh Rees-Jones of North Carolina State took top honors at the Southeast Regional, followed closely by North Carolina’s Seth Proctor and Patrick Cardel of Duke. All three men will look to compete for high finishes in Hershey. In 2015, Rees-Jones took 4th in the Region and 60th at Nationals, so look for that improvement curve to continue into 2016 Nationals.
In the Northeast, Harvard’s Emmanuel D’Agostino took the Regional title and will carry that momentum into Hershey. Jigar Gosalia of Binghamton (2nd) and Patrick Briody of UConn (3rd) followed D’Agostino across the line and also figure to be in the lead pack at Nationals. Gosalia was the only one of the trio to compete in Lexington in 2015, narrowly missing All-American honors in 32nd place. All three runners will be among those vying for individual medals on Saturday.
After claiming his second straight Pacific Regional title on October 29, UC Davis’ Nathan Kwan will be in the running for the podium in Hershey. Kwan’s teammates finished with a 41 second spread, including Jake Dialesandro, Blake Zufall and Adam Cobert (13th at 2015 Nationals). UC Davis will no doubt impact the individual race as well as the team. Sam Nishi and Landon Woollard of Cal Poly also had strong showings in Crystal Springs (2nd & 4th, respectively) but won’t be making the trip to Nationals. Perhaps the Pacific’s best individual title hopes rest with Oregon’s Ryan Jones, 3rd overall in 2015 and the second highest returning finisher from Lexington. Jones did not compete at the Pacific Regional, but has run fast out West and looks ready to compete. Seth Berdahl, Andre Walker and Carter Christman of Oregon have also been running well this year and could make noise on the fabled Hershey hills.
PREDICTION: It won't be the first time he's won a national title and it won't be the first race he wins on the Hershey Parkview Course (see 2012 B race). Rob Scanlon from Iowa State repeats in another close one. Davis' Nathan Kwan gives his club a big boost towards the team title with a runner-up finish and Oregon's Ryan Jones takes third for a second straight year.
Disclaimer: Previews and predictions are the opinion of one NIRCA board member who tracks race results from NIRCA member clubs throughout the Fall season. These previews and race predictions do not necessarily represent the view or stance of the Association’s Board or membership and should be viewed as educated guesses to generate excitement and conversation for the upcoming National Championship weekend! Please enjoy at your own risk.
Highest Returning Finishers from 2015:
Rob Scanlon, Iowa State, 1st
Ryan Jones, Oregon, 3rd
Geraint Davies, UPenn, 6th
Nathan Kwan, UC Davis, 10th
John Lacy, Penn State, 12th
Adam Cobert, UC Davis, 13th
NIRCA Men’s National Champions (2006-2015)
Year |
Champion |
College/University |
Time |
Course |
2015 |
Rob Scanlon |
Iowa State |
24:59 |
Masterson Station Park |
2014 |
Ryan Wells |
Indiana |
25:36 |
Forest Akers Course |
2013 |
Gregory Jantzen |
Virginia |
25:31 |
Parkview XC Course |
2012 |
Joey Murray |
Virginia Tech |
25:26 |
Parkview XC Course |
2011 |
Andy Weaver |
Delaware |
23:59 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2010 |
Duriel Hardy |
Michigan- |
25:24 |
IU XC Course |
2009 |
Andrew Coates |
Michigan-Dearborn |
24:55 |
Eagle Crest Golf Course |
2008 |
Matt Flaherty |
Indiana |
26:54* |
Penn State Golf Course |
2007 |
Keith Laverty |
Oregon |
26:02 |
IU XC Course |
2006 |
Brock Phillips |
North Carolina |
25:44 |
Lock Haven XC Course |
*2008 championship course was 5.2 miles long. Adjusted 8k winning time would be 25:39.
2016 NIRCA Men’s Regional Champions
Region |
Champion |
College/University |
Time |
Great Plain |
Jason Thomas |
Iowa State |
26:00.3 |
Great Lakes |
Lucas Peterson |
Michigan |
25:27.0 |
Mid Atlantic |
Ian Whittall |
Pennsylvania |
25:25.9 |
Southeast |
Josh Rees-Jones |
North Carolina St. |
26:29.5 |
Northeast |
Emmanuel D’Agostini |
Harvard |
27:14.7 |
Pacific |
Nathan Kwan |
UC Davis |
26:10.0 |
All-Time Top 25 8k Performances at NIRCA XC Nationals
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1 |
Andy Weaver |
Delaware |
23:59 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
2 |
Wallace Campbell |
Clemson |
24:12 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
3 |
Michael Frigo |
Illinois |
24:27 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
4 |
Janis Teopfer |
Texas |
24:30 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
5 |
Aaron Silver |
Illinois |
24:41 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
6 |
Mason Frank |
Iowa State |
24:44 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
7 |
Peter Hogenson |
Minnesota |
24:45 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
8 |
Grant Johnson |
Minnesota |
24:45 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
9 |
Robert McLaughlan |
Oregon |
24:47 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
10 |
Sean Sketch |
Princeton |
24:50 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
11 |
Greg Jantzen |
Virginia |
24:52 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
12 |
Brendan McDonnel |
Illinois |
24:53 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
13 |
Andrew Coates |
Michigan Dearborn |
24:55 |
Eagle Crest Golf Course |
2009 |
14 |
Casey Campbell |
Oregon |
24:57 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
15 |
Wallace Campbell |
Clemson |
24:59 |
Eagle Crest Golf Course |
2009 |
15 |
Rob Scanlon |
Iowa State |
24:59 |
Masterson Station Park |
2015 |
17 |
Ryan Wells |
Indiana |
25:05 |
McAlpine Creek Park |
2011 |
17 |
Chris Steenkamer |
Maryland |
25:05 |
Masterson Station Park |
2015 |
19 |
Ryan Jones |
Oregon |
25:06 |
Masterson Station Park |
2015 |
20 | Colin Zauner | Minnesota | 25:07 | McAlpine Creek Park | 2011 |
21 | Kelly Fermoyle | Penn State | 25:09 | Eagle Crest Golf Course | 2009 |
21 | Aidan Galasso | Delaware | 25:09 | McAlpine Creek Park | 2011 |
23 | Dan Fadgen | Purdue | 25:10 | McAlpine Creek Park | 2011 |
24 | Avi Bregman | Michigan | 25:11 | Masterson Station Park | 2015 |
25 | Zach Garcia | Virginia | 25:12 | McAlpine Creek Park | 2011 |
Greg Haapala, NIRCA