Queens’ Crouch already in late-season form

Except for a hard-fought second place finish in the outdoors 5,000 at Charlotte (nationals), the last academic year wasn’t a banner one for Micheal Crouch (Queens). He appears to be making up for lost time, winning Appalachian State’s Mountaineer Open by nearly 40 seconds over the closest collegiate competitor. Ohio State won the seven-team race, but interestingly No. 8 Southern Indiana tied No. 7 Queens for second. I have both pencilled in for nationals in Louisville.
Coach Mike Hillyard of Southern Indiana appears to have found a way to cope with the loss of David Goodman, who left for Western State. On the women’s side, No. 13 Southern Indiana was second.
When Daniel Kirwa (Harding) is a distant second, you know the winner must be quite a stud. Kennedy Kithuka (Wayland Baptist) scorched the field at the Missouri Southern Stampede. No. 9 Harding and No. 18 Drury were third- and fifth-place teams. (NAIA got the better of D2, as Wayland won the men’s race.)
Remember this name: Adam Volkert of Pittsburg State. His 24:36 on the fast Stampede course was good enough for 10th -- and makes him a likely participant at nationals in Louisville. Amy Pierson (Southwestern)Tabbitha Ashford (Dallas Baptist) was the top D2 women’s finisher (in 9th), but unranked Midwestern State had a better pack and were D2’s best (in second) at the 36-team event. This team won't be unranked when the new poll comes out this week.