Indoor finished Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas where Oregon men and Arkansas women won, so many traditional XCountry teams didn't go the NCs. Oregon didn't send either it's men or women's team to XCountry as both teams ran the DMR (which ND men and Oregon women were defending champs) as well as had runners in the 800k, mile, 3k, and 5k. They ended up winning 4 of those distance championships (including replacing ND as DMR champ with a new meet record) as well as placed and got lots of points in those distance events. Those runners would have run cross country last fall, but missed the meet. I am sure they were not the only school who had to make a tough call.
Obviously ND chose not to defend it's DMR and those runners helped us get 2nd place. It didn't shock me given the focus. By the way ND women had 13 points and men 5 in the indoor chmapionship so did send some athletes. I watched the replay of the indoors on ESPN app and plan to watch the xcrountry when I get a chance. Great result for ND.
Strange, but, also, makes some sense. Thanks for the info.
Move to bump up Matt Sparks to oversee entire Track/Cross Country program and promoting Sean Carlson to Men's CC coach was something Jack should be given a pat on the back for.
Sparks still is in touch with his best Irish female runner, the great Molly Seidel, who will hopefully get to represent in the Olympics in the marathon this summer.
(Yeah, add XC to the strange concoction of ND sports that I follow).
stated they would not force team members to requalify. She should keep her spot unless she's injured or there's a drastic falloff.
She was back in Atlanta running a 1/2 marathon "tune-up" and kicked some serious butt. She's training in altitude out west and is feeling good (knock on wood).
One of my favorite ND athletes of the last decade. Her XC and distance track championships were just awesome displays of her abilities. According to my son (a good runner in his own right), Molly and her sister have a very amusing and funny social media presence, to boot.
(Athlete of the Year) she should be one of our favorites. The other is Arike, which Baba will be happy, gives us another basketball tie-in for keeping this on the bench.
5K,10K, Cross Country?
When I was on the track team 100 years ago, Coach Piane gave all the scholarships to the long distance runners because he could use them for both cross country and track. I'm guessing it's still done that way.
For instance, the Irish picked up first-team All Americans in Hammer Throw and the pentathalon (women) and also got a 4th place in the Men's 800 meter.
A few years ago, we had a few excellent sprinters, hurdlers and a pole vaulter.
However, Matt Sparks -- a runner at IU as an undergrad -- coached at Southern Illinois before coming here to oversee the XC program and Track distance runners. He, along with Sean Carlson (now Men's XC Head coach) have done a great job developing, recruiting and developing middle- and distance runners, as the men's XC showing demonstrates.
Doing this in the un-friendly weather confines of South Bend is no small deal. All power to them and the guys/gals who make up the team.
I used to love seeing them when they were in the Big East and came to Van Cortlandt park in the Bronx. If the ACC championships are in Boston sometime soon, I'll head north to see them again. They're really good.
the cost of a private education and how schollies are split up.
Recruiting middle and distance runners enables ND to get
2 for 1, xcc and track runners. Joe Piane did a great job and
looks like Sparks taking it to another level.
Actually at the table with the DMR team - Jacobs and Nuguse were on that team and CC team. All I can say is great representatives of Notre Dame - perfect gentlemen, interesting and engaging. Talked with coaches later and was impressed as well. Hope they get continued results.
I guess you have to give Swarbrick some credit, but 3 main winter sports not even making the NCAA tournament takes most away
My point - if he gets credit for good hires or promotions, he gets blame for the ones not working out so well.