Skidmark
11-21-2011, 01:38 AM
Tomorrow the CU mens and womens Cross Country team line up to compete for the 2011 NCAA Cross Country National Championships. The Buffs have advanced both squads to nationals in 18 of the last 19 years. The women did not qualify in 2008.
Colorado has won three NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships (2001, 2004, and 2006) and two NCAA Women's Cross Country Championships (2000 and 2004). The men's team also has won three individual titles (Adam Goucher, Jorge Torres, and Dathan Ritzenhein), while the women's side has won one (Kara Goucher).
Next to skiing, Cross Country is CU's biggest dynasty.
But unlike skiing, cross country does not require a close proximity to skiing facilities. Any school with some open space nearby can field an XC team. The barriers to entry are incredibly low. Other than travel and access to a trainer, XC is an inexpensive sport. Almost any school can field an XC team. XC talent is developed in Oregon, Oklahoma State, Florida State, Georgetown, BYU; basically coast to coast. While high altitude helps attract runners to CU, Boulder does not have a monopoly on high elevation (CSU, AFA, Adams State, BYU, Utah, Northern Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, ext.)
In further contrast to skiing, the CU cross country team does not rely on foreign talent in the big race. CU's runners are homegrown. (See Crested Butte's Coburn and Bosshard) and Americans. Compare this with Iona, who fields a team packed with foreigners who are recruited specifically for running.
CU does't have many scholarships for the XC team. The fact that coach Wetmore gets his Buffs to the big race year in and year out is a testimate to him attracting and developing runners who are committed, durable, and talented. It's an amazing, and largely unheralded accomplishment. It's not something to take for granted.
I'm not expecting CU to come home with the title tomorrow. But a top 5 finish for both mens and womens team is not out of the question. Hopefully there will be atleast one runner in the top ten, maybe two. I am expecting that three or four of CU's runners will run personal bests. And I'm expecting CU's fifth place runner to be within 90 seconds to 120 seconds of CU's lead runner. And I'm expecting the Buffs to wait until the last 1000 meters to pass a bunch of their competitors. Wetmore teams are very disciplined and do their damage at the end of the race.
Here's a link to the Pac12 champions CU cross country roster. Check it out if you have the time.
http://www.cubuffs.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=600&SPID=260&SPSID=3960
Here's a link to the NCAA XC site with race information.
http://www.ncaa.com/championships/cross-country-men/d1
Division I schedule: Monday, November 21, Terre Haute, Ind. Men’s race starts at 10:08am. Women’s race at 10:58am. LIVE at 10AM - CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE
http://www.flotrack.org/article/9094-NCAA-Cross-Country-Championships-LIVE-Streaming-Video-Internet-Web-Link-Info
Go Buffs!
Colorado has won three NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships (2001, 2004, and 2006) and two NCAA Women's Cross Country Championships (2000 and 2004). The men's team also has won three individual titles (Adam Goucher, Jorge Torres, and Dathan Ritzenhein), while the women's side has won one (Kara Goucher).
Next to skiing, Cross Country is CU's biggest dynasty.
But unlike skiing, cross country does not require a close proximity to skiing facilities. Any school with some open space nearby can field an XC team. The barriers to entry are incredibly low. Other than travel and access to a trainer, XC is an inexpensive sport. Almost any school can field an XC team. XC talent is developed in Oregon, Oklahoma State, Florida State, Georgetown, BYU; basically coast to coast. While high altitude helps attract runners to CU, Boulder does not have a monopoly on high elevation (CSU, AFA, Adams State, BYU, Utah, Northern Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, ext.)
In further contrast to skiing, the CU cross country team does not rely on foreign talent in the big race. CU's runners are homegrown. (See Crested Butte's Coburn and Bosshard) and Americans. Compare this with Iona, who fields a team packed with foreigners who are recruited specifically for running.
CU does't have many scholarships for the XC team. The fact that coach Wetmore gets his Buffs to the big race year in and year out is a testimate to him attracting and developing runners who are committed, durable, and talented. It's an amazing, and largely unheralded accomplishment. It's not something to take for granted.
I'm not expecting CU to come home with the title tomorrow. But a top 5 finish for both mens and womens team is not out of the question. Hopefully there will be atleast one runner in the top ten, maybe two. I am expecting that three or four of CU's runners will run personal bests. And I'm expecting CU's fifth place runner to be within 90 seconds to 120 seconds of CU's lead runner. And I'm expecting the Buffs to wait until the last 1000 meters to pass a bunch of their competitors. Wetmore teams are very disciplined and do their damage at the end of the race.
Here's a link to the Pac12 champions CU cross country roster. Check it out if you have the time.
http://www.cubuffs.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=600&SPID=260&SPSID=3960
Here's a link to the NCAA XC site with race information.
http://www.ncaa.com/championships/cross-country-men/d1
Division I schedule: Monday, November 21, Terre Haute, Ind. Men’s race starts at 10:08am. Women’s race at 10:58am. LIVE at 10AM - CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE
http://www.flotrack.org/article/9094-NCAA-Cross-Country-Championships-LIVE-Streaming-Video-Internet-Web-Link-Info
Go Buffs!