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Recruiting for 2014 - General

sebastianc

Diaper Dandy
Apr 11, 2010
413
1
18
On the 2013 thread, Novahoop mentions that Regan Rome (PA) is leaning towards G'town and that VU is not in play. Ironically I think that is a good thing. It suggests VU has it priorities in order.

VU is trying to be competitive in XC as well as track & field. And track means the Penn Relays. VU is also a school with limited resources. That means the it should recruit athletes who can not only run XC, but can also run a leg on one of the relays - at least a mile. Sheila Reid was ideal. Rome will be a XC asset, but she will not run relays legs. Rome is a luxury VU cannot afford. I believe we went through this a couple of season ago when it was some distance runner from NJ who eventually went to Stanford. Note the young women coming out in 2014 are exemplary. There are at least a dozen (or more) who are more attractive than Rome. [See the 2013 recruiting thread.] One of these is Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner (IRL), but there are many others.

Siofra represents smart thinking by VU. She is Ireland's XC champion, but has wonderful track range - 55.6 (400), 2:03.8 (800), 4:22.4 (1500) - but she is not graduating until next year (although born July 1995). These are better times than Southerland. Thus, her last HS year will be like a redshirt year. Smart. And there are others - e.g., Josette Norris (NJ), Mary Cain (NY), ... And do not forget those coming put in 2015. These are the people VU should be focused on - not Regan Rome - unless there is some way of her coming that would not cost a track scholarship.
 
On the "Recruiting for 2013" thread, TFE mentions Alex Wasik's brother, Steele. Kid recently won AAU Junior Olympics Decathlon. Hurdles seems to be his specialty. Won Ohio hurdles championship. Being recruited by some name schools including Stanford, Oregon and Duke. Believe brother attends Stanford. Does VU have a chance - especially since sister is having some success?

Cannot recall an outstanding VU decathlon.performer ... Katherine Petruzzellis is presently having some success in the heptathlon. So the coaching is there.

Steele has run 49 (400). Think of Daley Thompson (GBR). Not only was he decathlon Olympic champion, but also ran leg on Britain's 4x400.

Be very nice if he came to VU. But will VU pursue? Marcus seems to be fixated on milers and XC .....

Wasik - Jr Olympics
 
One site has Kelsey Margey running in the PanAm games 1500 in Medellin, Colombia. I don't know if there's a prelim rd. to get to Sun's final? Julia Zrinyi may be her top competition for a medal.

The Can' 800/Jr champ has also been mentioned as a late addition -- unconfirmed-- to VU Conditions: I think it's at altitude so it should be a tactical race.

As for whether you would want her it's a question on how the initial recruiting is going for '14. If things look good maybe you don't take a soph transfer. If she has the racing makeup you like, you move now.
 
Orlon,

It was great to hear some news. Weisner is listed, but Smith
from Pa. is not. At this time I like them both.
 
I saw Weisner broke the course record at Kutztown this weekend before her visit to Nova.
 
I believe Weisner as a youngster chased Angel P.
for many races. I think Kennedy has both speed
and range.
 
"listed, but Smith
from Pa. is not
. "
------------------
Smith's #32. For some reason I missed it the first look too. Interesting Weisner visited first week.

The author left out some girls with stress fracture problems. The FL '13 winner Rohrer/In has already got hurt and is out for the season (shame).
Nova target Josette Norris visited UNC last weekend. I've heard Stanford is working the NE hard this year. Maybe they are out of it with Cain and the three top Ca girls?


This post was edited on 9/11 10:54 PM by Or1on
 
Or1on, Baxter says she will consider schools on the East coast, but is probably going to Oregon; Maxwell is apparently only considering Pac-12 schools and if not Stanford, then Berkeley (better college campus setting and views of the Bay are great). I like Cranny. VU should seriously consider her. She did come east for New Balance indoors at Armory in NYC. Says something. I s athletic. Is a swimmer and parents do triathlons. VU has had success in Colorado recently - Cook, Harris, Solis.

You listed some underclass(wo)men from New Balance outdoors on 2013 thread. Wilson is intriguing. Athletic - moving from volleyball to track (lots of upside. Parents went to VU. That carries some weight. Consider Julie Williams and Vince Thompson (football - will also run track). Both sets of parents went to VU. Attends Sidwell. That is expensive. Maybe she can "afford" VU. That means VU saves $.

See video of Blake Dodge. Do a Google search. Impressive. Same school as John Crossley (West Carteret, NC), who went from nobody to national champ in two years (1:48.01). Good coaching. May have something there?
 
Mickey Burke (Rush Henrietta HS, NY) has committed to Syracuse, purportedly on a full ride.

4th at 2013 NY state outdoor championship meet at 3200 meters (9:02.13)
3rd at 2013 NY state indoor championship meet at 3200 meters (9:20.93)
4th at New Balance Outdoor Nationals at 2 miles (9:00.30)
13th at 2012 Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, OR (5K in 17:37)



Personal Bests

1,000 Meter Run 2:33.691,500 Meter Run 4:04.231,600 Meter Run 4:22.042500 Meter Run 8:32.00Two Mile Run 9:00.303,000 Steeple 10:44.573,200 Meter Run 9:02.13Three Mile Run 14:56.004000 Meter Run 12:31.60400 Meter Dash 52.345,000 Meter Run 15:29.70600 Meter Dash 1:26.14800 Meter Run 1:56.18Long Jump 14-1.5One Mile Run 4:20.38


Burke's MileSplit page
 
Piaa has two sections at state meet and no unified meet. AA and AAA are the two classes. AAA are the big schools. Piccirillo was AA state champ in XC her senior year.
 
I believe that last year the PIAA introduced for the first time a class A for cross country, and Kennedy Weisner won it (as a junior). IIRC, Weisner ran against Piccirillo in the previous years at the state championship race because (as Nova Class of 90 states) there was no separate class A and she had to compete at the class AA race.
 
"Piaa has two sections at state meet "
-----------------------------------------------------

According to Pa/Milesplit Of the three girls who have a shot at the CC Championships:

Kennedy Weisner has visited VU and no others yet.
Courtney Smith is down to Harv,Prince,Duke.
Tessa Barrett has visited VU,Cornell,PSU.
 
In Kennedy Weisner's interview, after her win at Manhattan Invitational, Saturday, she said she was only taking one more college visit. I do not know which schools were on her list. I have to imagine G'town is one, but I really do not know. Either way it suggests that she was favorably impressed with her VU visit - enough so that she only feels the need for another visit for comparison. Advantage: Villanova

Remember, this is a crucial recruiting year for VU women. This is basically a five person squad. After Akande and Lipari graduate, VU is left with just three - Piccirillo, Margey & Schappert. They need a lot and whomever they get has to come ready to perform immediately. Weisner is going to be a good one, but they still need a whole lot more. The rest of the schools in the East keep getting stronger. VU has done a very poor job in recruiting over the past three years - and it shows.
 
Found this article rather disheartening. Somehow figured that Marcus could persuade White to come to VU. Kid has lots of promise. Has not been running that long. G'towm scores again - at Villanova's expense. VU needs another quality 800 man. Ellison graduates; Fitzsimons has not developed. It is early in the recruiting process and there are other quality 800 men out there - e.g., Kyle Langford (GB), Charles Jones (MO), Matt Murray (NY), Jeffrey Wiseman (PA), Joseph Logue (PA), ... Just thought that White was a better bet and in VU's prime recruiting territory.

Behind the above statement is an observation that most nationally ranked runners include G'town - along with Stanford or Oregon or say Princeton - amongst the schools they are considering. One rarely finds anyone saying they are considering Villanova. I believe Blake Haney (CA) is considering G'town amongst his top five.

Again, this is early in the recruiting process. So maybe my concerns are a little premature.

One option: develop freshman Ayo Obadare into an 800 man. He doesn't have the speed to be a premier 400 man. Has run decent 600s and did run 1000, last season. Remember Eckman?
.
This post was edited on 10/14 12:40 PM by sebastianc

Joe White
 
We don't know enough about Obadare's foot speed. At the Penn Relays, I had him pegged for a 47-low split, which was one of the faster ones of anybody.
 
Milesplit reporting that Erin Jaskot (Tappan Zee,NY) has committed. She's a 2:09 800 specialist without much of a distance base. A good CC season should help her set new pr's in/out in '14.
This post was edited on 10/15 10:14 PM by Or1on

ERIN
 
This is Jaskot's first XC season. In the past, she did soccer during the XC season. Hopes to get stronger. Speed is there.
 
Girls like Jaskot are the ones who wind up being big scorers. She's not from a school with a big cross country tradition/well known high school coach, and she ran very fast on what seems like talent alone.
 
Tessa Barrett would have been a nice addition to distance and XC, but there are others that better fit VU mold - e.g., Weisner, Norris, ... In other words, it would have been a poor "investment."

Note: This was an example of recruiting disadvantages for VU. Barrett is going to a state institution - probably on a partial. Thus, PSU is more "affordable."

Over on Let's Run, there is a thread on 2014 commitments. There is a lot of sophomoric stuff over there, so one has be wary of what is posted. One post has Sean Kelly (NY) going to Duke. He is a good one. Figured VU had a real good shot since he attends a Catholic hs in VU recruiting territory. Again, if true, that is too bad. However, there are others of similar talent still out there. I have to believe VU is looking at Joe Logue (Pennridge, PA). Ran 1:51.6 ('12) and 51 ('11) and doing well in XC, this season.

There are others still out there who sort of fit the VU mold. Jaskot was hopefully just a beginning.
 
Over on Villanova Running, there is a piece on the Aussie Pipeline. There has been a new Australian every year for the past three. Will there be one in 2014? And I would pay attention to some of the kids from the British Isles - including some surprises in Ireland.
 
It's the women who need a really successful recruiting year. Hopefully there are some recruits from Australia/New Zealand or Europe who are being recruited and who enroll.

If recruiting is limited to just Americans this year, Nova needs to get very lucky that they develop like Marino, Smith, and the rest of that class did.
 
My sense is that the coaches on the men's are looking for Penn Relays talent (meaning 400 & 800 meter guys). If they have any scholarship money to spend this year, I'd bet it would be on those distances. Sam Ellison will soon be gone, with Ben Malone as the heir apparent at 800 (?). The team is stacked at 1500 for the time being, and Tiernan shores up the 5000. Team could use some good fast-twitch 400/800 newcomers.
 
Totally agree on the need for a serious 800 man with 400 speed. Not that many around. That is why I suggested grooming Obadare. VU did it with Eckman. Ellison was already running 800s in HS. Whitecat's guy, Matt Murray, is intriguing. Looks like he is still a kid as opposed to a grown man, which means there is lots of room for development.

Of greater interest is the recent piece on Villanova Running about Sheila Reid. Nice times coming out of HS, but nothing great. However, the 2:08 (800) stands out. It suggests a modicum of speed. She was never going to be an 800 champion, but she could be a mile champion. Give credit to Reid for developing her potential. But also give some credit to the coach, Gina Procaccio.

We have beaten her up about the poor recruiting the past three years, but she did develop Reid and Akande and she may be able to salvage something from the junior class with Shappert and Leanne Tucker. Tucker ran 2:09 in her junior year. She was hurt during her senior year. Can Gina develop Tucker and Brislin? Can she find another Reid? There is no immediate XC hope, but there may be something on the track for Penn Relays.

Key recruit for VU is Olivia Baker (NJ). That is VU's best chance at sterling U.S. talent. Columbia is a good HS. And she is in VU's prime recruiting territory. So I have to assume VU is talking to her.

I really like Maddy Berkson (RI), but I have to agree with Or1on: she is probably going to Harvard. Kailee Sawyer (CAN) is a year away.

VU is looking at least two outstanding foreign girls that I really like. One I have mentioned before is Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner (IRL). The other is just as impressive and has an interesting story. If they come through, it is a great recruiting class. Jaskot is a good beginning.
 
I would have to peg the chances of Villanova getting Olivia Baker at precisely zero. Judging by where she goes to school, I'm going to say she winds up at Florida, Tennessee (if JJ is still there), or somewhere that fits that mold.
 
sebastianic,

I think people up here have been somewhat
disappointed with Murray. After winning the Nationals
in the 600 at the Armory last winter, he hasn't shown
much imrovement. And grades are still an issue.
 
According to Tennessee's website, JJ is director of T&F. And I believe the Clark family went to Columbia. But JJ went to VU. Says something. The father was a fairly smart guy. But then there seems to be this love affair of Afro American kids from the north going south. That I don't understand. Besides the slowest kids in the country are in the southeast. Why go there? But, TFE, you may have a point. Still Baker is one of the premium U.S. talents so VU should make the effort. She is in VU's recruiting territory.

Surprised Murray is not better regarded. He did win the state's indoor 600 at Cornell with a slightly faster time than he had run earlier at the Armory. His times have come down every year, which is a good thing. The thing that stands out is 22.5 (200) as a soph. That's speed. Poor grades could kill it. Marcus is a real stickler for academics.
 
Regan Rome has committed to William and Mary. Tessa Barrett has an immune system disorder and is more juiced than Lance Armstrong, making her times suspect if not invalid.
 
Piaa state meet today. 2 boys performers to keep an eye on. Colin Abert from Easton. 11th grade, 2nd in AAA meet in 15:54 to tony Russell from WC Henderson. My brother saw him run in district 11 meet and thinks he has potential to get a lot better.

Another 11th grader tofollow is Griffin Molino from south Williamsport. Won the small school single A title is same 15:54 time as Abert ran in big school race.

Like the Molino kid for several reasons. Ran that time on his own, won the race by 90 seconds. Kid appears to be a late bloomer. Didn't start running until 9th grade. Was 8th in small school meet last year even though he didn't train for XC. Was playing on the soccer team at same time and would pretty much just run in meets. Looks like kid is now devoting his full time to running and would not be surprised if times drop more in future.. He was 4th this past spring in AA 3200 state meet in 9:14.
 
"making her times suspect "
---------------------------------------------
May be a valid point. Though given her physical and illness problems I don't know what choice Barrett has and there's no question anyone that talented should be out there if she wants. To run a 17:30 on that course yesterday was remarkable.
 
Kiski Area (PA) high school's Brent Kennedy just committed to Notre Dame over the weekend. See link for background. he considered Villanova, Virginia, and Syracuse as well.





This post was edited on 11/4 1:33 PM by LSU-Nit

Brent Kennedy
 
Freehold Township HS (NJ) senior Dylan Tarpey just committed to Columbia this afternoon. He chose Columbia over Villanova and Florida. He's a 14:48.19 5K XC guy. He's gone 4:13.35 (1600 meters) and 9:12.17 (3200 meters) on the track.



This post was edited on 11/4 9:42 PM by LSU-Nit

Dylan Tarpey picks Columbia
 
Georgetown just got a commitment from Nick Golebiowski (St. Cloud, MN).

PRs are:
800: 1:55.11
1600: 4:17.52
3200: 9:34.24
5K XC: 15:36
 
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