WOMEN’S TEAM

Picking the team champion seemed so easy 2 months ago. Penn State retuned everyone from their dominant championship squad a year ago and had an infusion of talented freshmen. But injuries have hit the Nittany Lions and at least two NIRCA All-Americans from 2006 will not be racing Saturday. Meanwhile, Michigan and North Carolina have only been getting better and prove they belong in the Championship mix. The key to the title in this race will be grouping. With these three clubs all having runners capable of challenging for the individual title, scoring the “low points” with a solid #1 and #2 will not give any club a big edge. The club with the best 4 and 5 will make the difference and take home the hardware.
In a tight one: North Carolina, with better grouping, upsets defending champion Penn State with Michigan a very close third. Oregon and Indiana ride the strength of their front-runners to take fourth and fifth respectively.

WOMENS INDIVIDUAL

Unlike last year, no one will run away from the pack. There’s lots of quality coming out of every region. Last years champ Ruth Mick (Penn State) hasn’t raced many 6k’s this fall and that may play a factor; then again she also ran faster in the season opener at Lock Haven than she did when she won Nationals in 2006 (on the same course) so that makes a statement of her ability. Indiana freshman Jen Laser was phenomenal in winning the Midwest Regional and is going to be a tough out on the rolling hills of her home course. Oregon brings a 1-2 punch in Kristen Mohror and Liisa Heinonen and North Carolina’s Ali Cupito and Amanda Gutierrez also should challenge for top honors. Don’t count out last years runner-up Athena Eyster (Michigan) either and Penn State’s Carly Petrarca (3rd in ’06), who didn’t run the East Regional, already has one NIRCA win to her credit this year (JMU Invite).
Best bets: The experienced grad student Mick, in her final collegiate race, proves she’s the still the champ and gets the better of upstart freshmen Laser and Cupito in a fight to the finish.

Top 20 Women - 6k

MEN’S TEAM

Domination. Oregon, Michigan, and North Carolina have experienced it all season long and finally get a chance to go at it head-to-head. But don’t expect this one to be all that close. Oregon has 5 guys capable of going under 26:30 where most clubs don’t have one. If the Ducks are on their game, this could be a runaway. But then again, Illinois came out of nowhere last year to nearly knock off heavily-favored UNC. What Michigan and Carolina lack in the time category they make up for in their ability to win big NIRCA races. Neither club has been seriously tested and expect the best to be brought out in the Tarheels and Wolverines.
The pick: Oregon proves the West is best, Michigan in second, and North Carolina third. Illinois solid for fourth, Indiana strong on their home course in fifth and Penn State checks in at sixth.

MENS INDIVIDUAL

Michigan’s Ricky Reusser and Bruce Kazmarik were convincing at Mid West Regionals. Brock Phillips (North Carolina) is the defending National champ and has been leading a strong Tarheel squad all season. But Oregon’s heavily-favored team is packed with individual talent starting with Keith Laverty who leads NIRCA in 8k times this year with a 24:48. Oregon’s David Reid and Anthony Broom are also among the class of the men’s fields. Ball State’s Andrew Fritz, one of the favorites in ’06, is also a serious contender and Indiana’s Andy Krack, despite only finishing 12th at the Mid-West Regional, will be better than expected on his home turf. Keep an eye out on East Regional champ Kyle Lewis from Penn State too.
The call: The Oregon phenom, Laverty, gives the Ducks title run a 1-point start. Reuseer leads the rest of the field with a runner-up finish and last years champ Phillips steps it up for third against stiff competition from the top fifteen in a talented men’s race.

Top 20 Men - 8k

See the rest of the season's rankings