TERRE HAUTE — The 2006 NCAA cross country season is only in its infancy, but coaches around the nation already have a clear idea of which teams are set to contend for the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute.
In other words, there weren’t any shocking outcomes in the preseason polls, with defending men’s champion Wisconsin takings its spot atop the rankings. Defending women’s champion Stanford was also chosen to repeat its team title.
Coach Jerry Schumacher’s Badgers received all 15 first-place votes. Wisconsin lost two-time defending champion Simon Bairu, but the Badgers return four runners who placed in the top 18 at LaVern Gibson Championship Course last November. Chris Solinsky — coming off national champion track seasons in the 3,000 meters (NCAA indoor) and 5,000 meters (NCAA outdoor) — was third, Matt Withrow ninth, Stuart Eagon 17th and Tim Nelson 18th.
Schumacher said Thursday he wasn’t even aware of the poll results, which were released Tuesday.
“I didn’t even know it was out,” Schumacher said. “Usually, I’ll hear the guys talk about it. No one has even mentioned it yet at practice.”
Perhaps the runners all anticipated expectations to be so high with so much depth returning from such a dominant victory in Terre Haute last fall.
No. 2-ranked Arkansas coach John McDonnell said he was surprised by his team’s high ranking, but he also said it’s Wisconsin’s championship to lose.
“Wisconsin is a very good team,” said McDonnell, who witnessed first hand Wisconsin’s supremacy when the Badgers beat his Razorbacks in the nationals by a staggering 68 points last year. “I don’t see anyone beating them. After them, I think it’s up for grabs, for second, third, fourth and fifth.”
Wisconsin was picked to win the national title in the preseason poll in 2005 as well, but on the women’s side defending champion Stanford was picked fourth last year.
Having also won a national title in 2004, the Cardinal have four runners with two national championships.
Stanford coach Peter Tegen has just one with Stanford, having taken over both the women’s and men’s programs just last season. The Cardinal men came in at fourth in the 2006 poll, behind Colorado. Texas, Iona, Portland, Arizona, Oklahoma State and Kansas round out the men’s top 10.
One newcomer to the men’s poll is Oregon at 15th. Under first-year head coach Vin Lananna, a resurgence is expected quickly in Eugene, Ore., which bills itself as “Tracktown, USA.”
Lananna is a four-time NCAA Cross Country Coach of the Year — once with Dartmouth and three times with Stanford — so a rise from not qualifying for nationals in 2005 to 15th may not be too much to ask.
“They’re young, but they could be another one that contends,” Arkansas’ McDonnell said of the Ducks. “Vin will do a good job with those kids.”
McDonnell is an 11-time NCAA champion cross country coach himself. The Razorbacks have senior Peter Kosgei, a Kenya native, as their top returnee. Kosgei finished 12th last year in Terre Haute. Fellow All-American Kenny Cormier took 28th at the NCAAs.
Behind Stanford in the women’s poll is last year’s runner-up Colorado, then Michigan, Oklahoma State, Brigham Young and Illinois make up the top six. The Fighting Illini are led by former North Putnam standout Cassie Hunt —also a two-time winner of the Fast-Track mile in Terre Haute.
Duke, Arkansas, Arizona State and Wisconsin round out the top10.
The Colorado Buffaloes will be without last year’s No. 6 finisher Christine Bolf, but return a talented young group under Coach Mark Wetmore. In addition to junior Liza Pasciuto, who was eighth as a sophomore at nationals last year, the Buffaloes return Jenny Barringer for her sophomore season. Barringer won the 2006 NCAA title this spring in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Third-ranked Michigan returns two fifth-year seniors, Katie Erdman and Jessie Stewart, from last year’s sixth-place team.
As a warmup to the national championships on Nov. 20, many of the nation’s top teams will be pouring into Terre Haute for the Pre-Nationals on Oct. 14.
College
Wisconsin men, Stanford women atop preseason cross country polls
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Indiana State connects on all 12 of its 3-point shots vs. SIU and sets three NCAA records in process
When you’re a shooter and you’re in a slump, the boilerplate cure is to summon amnesia, forget about your struggles and keep on shooting.
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ISU's Webb wins heptathlon
Indiana State’s Robert Webb captured the heptathlon Saturday at the Grand Valley State Big Meet as he totaled the second most points in ISU history while dominating the event. Webb scored 5,140 points, which is second only to former Sycamore Anthony Bertoli’s 5,189 points in 2008.
Webb, a senior, established three more personal best efforts enroute to the overall victory as he ran 8.45 in the 60 meter hurdles and 2 minutes, 50.73 seconds in the 1,000 meters while also clearing 13-1 1/2 in the pole vault. Webb entered the second day of the event in the lead with 2,893 points after winning three of the four Friday events and setting personal bests in the long jump and shot put. -
Perfect game: ISU shoots NCAA record 12-for-12 from 3-point range in win over SIU
Indiana State set an NCAA record for 3-point percentage and consecutive 3-pointers made Saturday afternoon in Hulman Center, connecting on all 12 attempts during a 78-68 win over Southern Illinois.
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‘Frustrated’ Sycamores regroup to face Southern Illinois
Indiana State’s men’s basketball struggles have hit one Sycamore senior hard.
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Thomas nets double-double as ISU women end losing streak
The halftime speech is one of the most time-worn clichés in sports, but once in a while, it’s meaningful. It certainly was for the Indiana State women’s basketball team on Friday against Bradley.
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Sycamore women looking to snap six-game losing streak
The Indiana State women’s basketball team is in dire need of a victory in Hulman Center this weekend.
Bradley visits Terre Haute tonight looking to sweep the season series from the Sycamores, who are in jeopardy of the program’s first seven-game losing streak since the 1995-96 season.
“I think it should [add to motivation]. There’s no doubt that group in the locker room in there is very disappointed,” Coach Teri Moren said. “As I keep saying, we’re in a rough patch right now, and there’s no group of kids that wants to get right back on track more than they do.” -
Leonard dominates in first half, but IU, Zeller earn the victory
The first half belonged to Illinois’ Meyers Leonard.
The win belonged to Indiana and Cody Zeller.
The 23rd-ranked Hoosiers (19-6, 7-6 Big Ten) took advantage of a glaring free-throw discrepancy to defeat the Illini 84-71 on Thursday. -
Rose women roll; Dickerson becomes all-time assists leader
Rose-Hulman senior Alisa Dickerson became the college’s career leader in assists as the Engineers cruised past Defiance 60-33 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball Saturday afternoon in Hulbert Arena.
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MVC’s worst a tantalizing option for ISU
Even though the Indiana State men’s basketball team has played better of late, having won three of its last four games, there’s only one team with a worse record in the Missouri Valley Conference standings than the Sycamores.
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Sycamores can’t stop Stutz, Shockers
All or nothing. It was that kind of game for Wichita State center Garrett Stutz. Unfortunately for Indiana State’s men’s basketball team, the “all” came in the second half.
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McWhorter’s fortunes rise with ISU’s
More so than any other Sycamore, Steve McWhorter might embody the decline and the recent rise of the Indiana State men’s basketball team.
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Johnson dominates again for ISU track
Felisha Johnson continued to dominate women’s weight throw while two Indiana State hurdlers moved into today’s finals after solid performances in the preliminaries Friday at the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame.
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Indiana State women lose at Illinois State
Playing short-handed again, Indiana State’s women suffered their sixth straight Missouri Valley Conference basketball loss Friday night, falling 78-67 to host Illinois State.
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Indiana, Purdue meet with both looking to regain momentum
Indiana University’s stint in the Top 25 may be coming to an end. Purdue is just looking for a winning streak.
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ISU women looking to end five-game losing streak at Illinois State
Within a few points in the final minutes, Indiana State had chances to win women’s basketball games at Missouri State and Wichita State last weekend.
But the Sycamores lost for the fourth and fifth straight games, also losing freshman Jessica Valley for the season at Wichita State. The promising backcourt player tore the ACL in her right knee and began strengthening exercises this week in order to make plans for surgery. -
ISU Senior Day game to be televised on ESPN
The Missouri Valley Conference announced Thursday that Indiana State’s regular season finale against No. 12-ranked Creighton on Feb. 25 in Hulman Center has been chosen as the MVC’s “wild card” game that will be telecast on either ESPN or ESPN2.
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Hoosiers load up on in-state players
With a 1-11 record in his first season as IU football coach, Kevin Wilson knew there were a lot of holes to fill in terms of personnel.
- Wabash Valley verbal commitments
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It’s on: Sycamores, Bulldogs to play at Hinkle on Feb. 18
How badly did Indiana State want to get Butler as its BracketBusters opponent?
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METRO ROUNDUP: Four from Rose receive weekly honors
Four Rose-Hulman athletes earned Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference weekly honors, the HCAC announced Monday.
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Hoosiers reclaim needed offensive momentum
Indiana hadn’t allowed an opponent to shoot better than 40 percent in three straight games heading into Sunday’s home game against Iowa.
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Sycamores will have to match Aces’ toughness
Indiana State men’s basketball coach Greg Lansing has an enduring respect for the toughness Evansville coach Marty Simmons coaxes out of his Purple Aces.
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Rose, The Woods post weekend victories
Rose-Hulman relied on a balanced scoring attack and a strong defensive effort to earn a 55-44 women’s basketball victory Saturday over Mount St. Joseph.
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ISU's Stacia Weatherford sets school record in 60-meter hurdles
Indiana State junior Stacia Weatherford set the school record in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, while sophomore Greggmar Swift dominated the action in the men’s 60 hurdles during competition Saturday at the Indiana Relays.
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Rose takes first in Engineer Track and Field Invitational
Rose-Hulman relied on nine event victories, 13 top-two finishes and three school records for a strong performance at the ninth annual Engineer Track and Field Invitational on Saturday.
The men’s squad captured first place honors in a meet that featured two of the nation's top 20 NCAA Division III squads and 12 institutions from seven states. The day’s competition also included 10 meet records. -
Mattox’s 31 not enough for ISU women
Indiana State pulled within 63-57 with a 6-0 run with 8 minutes, 50 seconds remaining Friday night at JQH Arena, but the Sycamores lost 84-70 to host Missouri State in a Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball game.
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Mattox, Sycamores staying positive on road trip to Missouri State, Wichita State
Indiana State seniors Brittany Schoen and Deja Mattox are within striking distance of passing 1,000 points in their women’s basketball careers, and they would join classmate Shannon Thomas in that club. Schoen needs just 16 points, while Mattox is 89 points away.
But Mattox has been on a roll of late, scoring a team-high 15.1 points through ISU’s 4-3 start to Missouri Valley Conference play. -
IU triumphs
When Indiana’s Will Sheehey left the floor after receiving his second technical foul, the Hoosier fans cheered.
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ISU women nipped at buzzer
Creighton sophomore Carli Tritz — blanketed by Indiana State senior Brittany Schoen — had just two points at halftime Friday in Hulman Center.
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ISU needs to find chip on its shoulder
When one looks back at the totality of Indiana State’s 2010-11 men’s basketball season, there’s a recurrent theme that tied together the high points in a 20-14 campaign. A recurrent theme that might give ISU a lifeline in what has been a disappointing 2012 season.
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