[olldflame]

All indications are that Sam is going to compete in CC this year, which from my meager knowledge of NCAA transfer rules doesn't seem to make sense (since he ran for F-D last year). Anyone have any insight into this; first will he be eligible, and if so HOW?

[Fumblerooskies]

One-time transfer rule. You do not have to sit out like in hoops and FBL (and baseball starting next year).

[olldflame]

Thank you professor fumble. I didn't know the rules weren't the same for all sports.

Is anyone else crazy enough to think these guys could actually win a national championship?

[01LUGrad]

There has certainly been some speculation in that direction. Now, that might be a bit ambitious, but hey, why not aim high? If Sammy is eligible (I would love to see that in writing), it is not out of the question to think about LU runners going 1-2 at NCAA's. After that, it is up in the air, but 3 points out of a possible 3 in a meet like that would go a long way towards a high placing for sure.

I do find it interesting that the guys have been pretty quiet on the board for the last month +. I wonder if they have been given a gag order after I accidently lowered the boom on the Chelanga story on here (once again, sorry about that). I would still like to be in the loop...so if anyone on the team wants to drop a few bits of info (off the record, of course) to a former Flames runner, drop me a PM! Or, they could simply track me down at the football game on Saturday. I will be wearing red.

[PeterParker]

To echo above, you've got two top five possibilities (reasonable expectation if they stay healthy and train smart and avoid what Cox self-deprecatingly called running "moron-athons"), then you have spots 3-5 which look like Jarvis, Jordan and Edmonds...if they have stepped up, can stay healthy and can crack top 40, the national championship projection becomes more believable and attainable.

I wonder what happened with the other runner that McDougal dropped a hint may have come (pending eligibility) in addition to the Chelanga. There is also a new runner on the roster who seems to have transferred from Air Force...not sure of his pedigree in the flats though.


BTW, are the SID's planning on a fall preview featurette on the Men's XC Team?



For Reference here are the results from the last two years at the National Meet:

2006


J.McDougal 2006 Time/Place: 31:34 (27th Place...off day)
S.Chelanga 2006 Time/Place: 31:20 (16th Place...top freshman)



2005



J.McDougal Time/Place: 29:32 (4th Place)

[olldflame]

It may or may not be significant that Chelangas name is on the roster on the SID site. Unless I'm mistaken though, they don't list athletes who aren't eligible.

Looking at those results from 05 and 06, I'd say our second tier of runners will really need to improve to achieve such a lofty goal. I thought having 2 elite runners alone might do it, but then you see that the 05 Badgers had 6 runners finish in the top 15! I'd guess juggernauts like that don't come along often though.

[PeterParker]

Some interesting stats as you leaf through the personnel for this season. The Air Force guy has raced in the national meet twice as a member of the Air Force squad according to his entry.


Interesting tidbit on the ladies side, they seem to have a bunch of freshman recruits and a couple of homeschoolers who have some comparable PR times to top LU runners from last year. (I had to wonder if Josh McDougal's story was picked up in any homeschool publications in addition to the major running outlets that may have impacted these athletes decision to come to the LU...)


http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... D=8&g=male

Of note on the men's side from a quick persual of the incoming bios: (other than Chelanga)

1.

Khalib Wilkinson

Previous School: Ran for Air Force for three years (2002-04), where he twice (2003-04) ran at the NCAA National Cross Country Championships … in 2003, the Air Force cross country team won its first-ever Mountain West Conference title and finished eighth in the nation … a year later, the Falcons placed 14th at the national meet … posted a 5K personal best of 14:18.

Currently enrolled at Liberty Theological Seminary.

[If he is still in this shape and not injured that bodes well for another potential individual higher finisher, along with the net points, at these national level meets.]


2.

Cory Reed

Prep: New York Class B state cross country champion as a senior at James I. O’Neill High School … also Division IV and Section 9 Class B cross country titlist as a senior … four-time cross country state qualifier … eight-time Section 9 indoor champion, between the 1,000-meter, 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter events … took 10th in the 3,200 at the 2007 Nike Indoor Nationals … placed third at the outdoor state track meet in the 1,600 and fifth in the 3,200 in 2007 … sixth at the state meet in the steeplechase as a junior … posted personal bests of 4:18 (1,600 meters), 9:17 (3,200 meters) and 15:02 (cross country 5K) … also an honor roll student.

Personal: Plans to major in kinesiology.

Cross Country Best: 5K - 15:02

[Not Bad...not bad at all]


http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 8&g=female

On the ladies side:

1.

Kati Albright

Hometown: Wake Forest, N.C.


Prep: Home schooled … posted personal-best times of 4:39 for 1,500 meters and 17:51 for the 5K … won the freshman/sophomore race at the 2002 Foot Locker South Regional Cross Country Championships by more than 40 seconds … placed eighth in the two-mile at the 2003 Nike Indoor Championships, in 11:09.

Personal: Plans to major in teaching English as a second language (TESL)

Cross Country Best: 5K - 17:51

[Very close to personal best of a top LU runner last year...Piper Newby (Senior) 5K Best - 17:55]



2.

Dacia Bushman


Prep: Home schooled … led Valley Community team to 1A state cross country titles in 2003, 2004 and 2006 … individually, placed second at the Iowa state cross country meet in 2003 and 2006 and third in both 2004 and 2005 … received Elite All-State recognition, as her time at the 2006 state cross country meet (14:42.85 for 4K) ranked fourth in all divisions in Iowa … finished third at 1,500 meters at the state track & field championships in 2006 and 2007.

Personal: One of nine children…intends to major in nursing

Cross Country Best: 4K - 14:43

[Stevewalt]

maybe he won't be running this year afterall from the Libertyflames website:

Sophomore Sam Chelanga, a native of Nairobi, Kenya, has transferred to Liberty from Fairleigh Dickinson, but must complete a year in residence at his new institution prior to running for the Flames. If he were able to compete, Chelanga would challenge Josh McDougal as Liberty’s top runner. Even though he has only been running for two years, Chelanga won a pair of All-America honors a year ago, including a 16th-place finish at the NCAA National Cross Country Championships.

http://libertyflames.com/index.cfm?PID= ... 44&TeamID=

[Sly Fox]

That's disappointing but he'll have a big infouence on the team this year no matter what. Its great to have someone pushing Josh and the guys everyday in training. And in essence it extends our period of elite runner participation if my reading of the statement is correct.

[krh44]

Yeah it will be nice to have an extended period of elite runners but they could have a great team to compete at NCAAS if Sam could run this year

[01LUGrad]

I didn't see how this extends his time at LU. Maybe I missed something, but I read that he has to sit out a year.

By the way, this stinks.

[Sly Fox]

While he has to sit out a year, it is my understanding that he will still have two years of eligibility left (although he may have to ask for a waiver for the final one).