NCAA Men's XC winners who competed in the Olympics

[DrJay]

How many NCAA XC champs have competed in the Olympics? Since Lindgren, I get 19 out of 34, giving Rono and Virgin credit for OG they would have competed in if not for boycotts. Correct me if I missed any.
The list:

1966 Gerry Lindgren, Washington State...........yes
1967 Gerry Lindgren, Washington State...........yes
1968 Michael Ryan, Air Force
1969 Gerry Lindgren, Washington State**........yes
1970 Steve Prefontaine, Oregon**...................yes
1971 Steve Prefontaine, Oregon......................yes
1972 Neil Cusack, East Tennessee State...........yes
1973 Steve Prefontaine, Oregon......................yes
1974 Nick Rose, Western Kentucky..................yes
1975 Craig Virgin, Illinois................................yes (1980 OT 10K winner)
1976 Henry Rono, Washington State...............would have but for boycotts
1977 Henry Rono, Washington State...............ditto
1978 Alberto Salazar, Oregon**.....................yes
1979 Henry Rono, Washington State**.............boycotts
1980 Suleiman Nyambui, UTEP........................yes
1981 Mathews Motschwarateu, UTEP
1982 Mark Scrutton, Colorado
1983 Zakarie Barie, UTEP...............................yes
1984 Ed Eyestone, Brigham Young...................yes
1985 Tim Hacker, Wisconsin **
1986 Aaron Ramirez, Arizona**.......................yes
1987 Joe Falcon, Arkansas
1988 Bob Kennedy, Indiana...........................yes
1989 John Nuttall, Iowa State.........................yes
1990 Jonah Koech, Iowa State
1991 Sean Dollman, Western Kentucky...........yes
1992 Bob Kennedy, Indiana...........................yes
1993 Josephat Kapkory, Washington State
1994 Martin Keino, Arizona**
1995 Godfrey Siamusiye, Arkansas.................yes
1996 Godfrey Siamusiye, Arkansas.................yes
1997 Mebrahtom Keflezighi, UCLA...................yes
1998 Adam Goucher, Colorado.......................yes
1999 David Kimani, South Alabama
2000 Keith Kelly, Providence
2001 Boaz Cheboiywo, Eastern Michigan
2002 Jorge Torres, Colorado............................yes
2003 Dathan Ritzenhein, Colorado...................yes
2004 Simon Bairu, Wisconsin
2005 Simon Bairu, Wisconsin
2006 Josh Rohatinsky, Brigham Young
2007 Josh McDougal, Liberty
2008 Galen Rupp, Oregon................................yes
2009 Sam Chelanga, Liberty
2010 Sam Chelanga, Liberty
2011 Lawi Lalang, Arizona

[mcgato]

John Nuttall competed in the 1996 5000m representing Great Britain. I'm pretty sure it's the same guy.

There is a Zakariah Barie representing Tanzania at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics in the 5 and 10. Probably the same guy.

Sean Dollman represented Ireland at the 1992 and 1996 games in the 10000.

[DrJay]

Thanks. Baire was 9th in both the 5K and 10K heats in 1980, then 7th in his 5K semi and 13th in the 10K final (right behind Rose) in 1984. Dollman was 16th in his 10K heat in 1992 but not listed (in TAFNEWS) in 1996, but at that point TAFNEWS was not listing every single heat competitor. Nutall was 9th in his 5K semi in 1996.

[Master Po]

Thanks for compiling this list.

No doubt I have forgotten someone, but am I correct that Keflezighi is the sole OG medalist in this group?

[DrJay]

Nyambui won 5K silver in 1980, behind Yifter.

[Dutra]

Thanks for compiling this list.

No doubt I have forgotten someone, but am I correct that Keflezighi is the sole OG medalist in this group?

Nyambui won the silver in the 5000m in 1980

[DrJay]

I should say I pulled the list from Wiki. If anyone wants to tackle the pre-1966 list, have at it. I don't think there are too many from that era, Max Truex and Tom O'Hara, but I don't know about any others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%2 ... ampionship

[dj]

1938, Greg Rice, Notre Dame..................NO
1939, Walter Mehl, Wisconsin..................NO
1940, Gilbert Dodds, Ashland..................NO
1941, Fred Wilt, Indiana.........................YES
1942, Oliver Hunter, Notre Dame..................NO
1943, No meet
1944, Fred Feiler, Drake..................NO
1945, Fred Feiler, Drake..................NO
1946, Quentin Brelsford, Ohio Wesleyan..................NO
1947, Jack Milne, North Carolina..................NO
1948, Robert Black, Rhode Island..................NO
1949, Robert Black, Rhode Island..................NO
1950, Herb Semper, Kansas..................NO
1951, Herb Semper, Kansas..................NO
1952, Charles Capozzoli, Georgetown..................YES
1953, Wes Santee, Kansas..................YES
1954, Allen Frame, Kansas..................NO
1955, Charles Jones, Iowa..................YES
1956, Walter McNew, Texas..................NO
1957, Max Truex, Southern California..................YES
1958, Crawford Kennedy, Michigan State..................NO
1959, Al Lawrence, Houston..................YES
1960, Al Lawrence, Houston..................YES
1961, Dale Story, Oregon State..................NO
1962, Tom O'Hara, Loyola (Ill.)..................YES
1963, Victor Zwolak, Villanova..................YES
1964, Elmore Banton, Ohio..................NO
1965, John Lawson, Kansas..................NO

Of these, Rice and Mehl would have been virtual locks to compete in a 1940 OG, and Dodds would have appeared in 1944.

[EastBayprepoftheweek67]

Of the pre- '65 winners, Al Lawrence was an Olympic Bronze medalist for Australia in '56.

[malmo]

How many NCAA XC champs have competed in the Olympics? Since Lindgren, I get 19 out of 34, giving Rono and Virgin credit for OG they would have competed in if not for boycotts.

Your magnanimity is noble, but you don't have to give Virgin credit for anything. He competed in Montreal and Los Angeles

1995, 1996 Godfrey Malumo Siamusiye, Arkansas

[26mi235]

I think Bairu has run afoul of Canada's extra requirements.

[ed gee]

Not having ever run under the 'A' standard probably did not help Bairu in the selection process.

[DrJay]

How many NCAA XC champs have competed in the Olympics? Since Lindgren, I get 19 out of 34, giving Rono and Virgin credit for OG they would have competed in if not for boycotts.

Your magnanimity is noble, but you don't have to give Virgin credit for anything. He competed in Montreal and Los Angeles

Yes indeed, forgot those. Too bad about 1980, when he was at or near the top of his game.

[slowcat]

May have missed it, but didn't Aaron Ramirez represent the U.S in the 10,000 meters in 1992?

[mcgato]

Yes, Ramirez did run the 10000 in 1992.

[26mi235]

Not having ever run under the 'A' standard probably did not help Bairu in the selection process.

Yes he did, but then they found out that they only raced 9600m.

He was the consummate XC runner who seemed to float over the course and not be as affected by the terrain as others.

[DrJay]

Yes, Ramirez did run the 10000 in 1992.

Thanks. The list grows longer. Falcon certainly had the wheels to make the OG, ranked 3rd in the US in the 1500 in 1992 but fell a half lap into the OT 1500 final.

[DrJay]

Didn't know about Keith Kelly, figured him for Irish (Providence) and indeed he is Irish. His Providence team was third when he won in 2000. I found an Oct 2009 interview with him on Flotrack and it's really worth a look (9 1/2 minutes). A lot of post-collegiate injuries and never as good on the track as in XC (so never to the OG). Very enthusiastic about running, good perspective on things. The kind of guy you'd like to share a pint with. Watch the whole interview.

[DrJay]

Think we'll be able to add Chelanga to this list in three or seven years??

[Bruce Kritzler]

Chelanga? only if he switches citizenship to US.

[26mi235]

Chelanga? only if he switches citizenship to US.

Which is what he has been saying for the last several years that he would like to do.

[malmo]

Didn't know about Keith Kelly, figured him for Irish (Providence) Very enthusiastic about running, good perspective on things. The kind of guy you'd like to share a pint with. Watch the whole interview.

Don't get him started on Radiohead, fer fookssake.

[gh]

Yes, Ramirez did run the 10000 in 1992.

Thanks. The list grows longer. Falcon certainly had the wheels to make the OG, ranked 3rd in the US in the 1500 in 1992 but fell a half lap into the OT 1500 final.

And that wasn't the only final he fell in.

[DrJay]

bump and updated

[no one]

And that wasn't the only final he fell in.

NCAA champs ... ?

[TN1965]

Thanks for compiling this list.

No doubt I have forgotten someone, but am I correct that Keflezighi is the sole OG medalist in this group?

Nyambui won the silver in the 5000m in 1980

Three year after those posts, now we have another one.

Who predicted Galen's medal when he lost to McDougal?