Statement races by Augustana, Central Mizzou, Minn.-Duluth

A few teams showed why they might be factors in (or getting to) Louisville.
Women: No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth won at the Griak, but No. 21 University of Mary (N.D.) was right behind. UMD is led by national title challenger Morgan Place. Place appears to have an adequate supporting cast. Will they upend Adams State?
U of Mary is more experienced and should move up in the rankings and improve on their 18th-place finish in Evansville. Freshman Nocona Frame is the major new face on the squad. Their No. 2 runner is Dakota Wolf. Awesome name.
The Abilene Christian women are making progress. The team was a solid eighth at the Cowboy Jamboree, led by Anais Belledant of Lyon, France.
The No. 5 Chico State women faced about every D1 program in California at the Stanford invite, finishing a respectable ninth.
Men: No. 9 Augustana handled D2ers and NAIAers at the Roy Griak meet in the Twin Cities. Augie has the unenviable (or perhaps eargerly anticipated?) task of breaking up the RMAC triplets at regionals.
Unranked Central Missouri was a hard-fought fourth at the Cowboy Jamboree. Last year, the Mules had one guy (Laban Sialo) at nationals. He was their No. 2 man last weekend. That meet almost served as a dress rehearsal for the South Central region -- Pittsburg State at eighth (the previously mentioned Adam Volkert was 22nd), No. 22 East Central at ninth, No. 18 Abilene Christian (minus a few pieces) at 10th. I believe only two nationals spots are up for grabs this year. It’ll be fierce.
Brent Handa led No. 5 Chico State to a sixth-place finish at No. 1 (d1) Stanford, dipping under 24 minutes over 8 kilometers. Three of the top 15 D1 teams ran that race.

Women run fast at Northern Sun champs

The Northern Sun wasn't a typical, pedestrian conference championship.

A solid 1,500 (4:32) was followed by Morgan Place's (Minnesota-Duluth) distance double. Place took the 5k and the 10k, running 17:02 and (an auto qualifying) 35:27. And Kyle Blakeslee (Augustana, S.D.) nabbed an auto qualifier in the steeple (10:43).

In fact, Place and Blakeslee were the only notable times this last weekend. It'll be more conference championships this weekend, selection Monday, and on to Charlotte.