7 ways the Nuttycombe results could impact the championship race

The 2024 Nuttycombe Invitational is over, but it won't be the last time that the eyes of the cross country world are in Wisconsin. With the national championship returning to Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course in November, the Nuttycombe was a potential preview of what could come in a few months. Here are some takeaways from the Nutty — and how it could impact the championship — as the BYU men and Washington women won the event.

BYU confirmed its status as a title contender

Four runners finished in the top 10, led by fourth-place Casey Clinger adding his name back among the elite. James Corrigan came in as the fifth runner in 17th after a long offseason that featured a trip to Paris. A sixth runner finished 21st. The BYU men's squad won the Nuttycombe by 66 points.

Any questions about BYU's ability to push defending champions Oklahoma State to its limit in two months were answered at Friday's Nuttycombe. The Cougars have what it takes to win the title.

GOING LOW: 's 44 points is the third fewest scored by a men's winning team in the history of the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

— USTFCCCA (@USTFCCCA)

Parker Wolfe has to be the individual favorite, right?

Parker Wolfe just set a course record at the same course the national championship will be run at in November. That alone should make him the individual favorite now, but when adding his recent success, his claim to fame is even stronger.

Just look at his recent success:

Parker Wolfe's running recently

🥇 NCAA outdoor 5K
🥉 USA 5K
🥇 Nuttycombe XC course record

— Stan Becton (@stan_becton)

Wolfe has been on a roll and isn't showing any signs of slowing down, literally and figuratively. However, defending champion Graham Blanks, 2023 runner-up Habtom Samuel and Arkansas' Patrick Kiprop are still out there — not to mention Oklahoma State's crew. Nonetheless, Wolfe's performance at the Nuttycombe should make him the frontrunner.

Parker Wolfe ate over the last 2 km of Friday morning.

⏱️ 23:04.0
Men’s km A race 🏆

— RunnerSpace (@runnerspace)

A healthy Rocky Hansen could shake up the title race

While Wolfe may be the title favorite, Wake Forest's Rocky Hansen — if healthy — could finish in an impactful position. Hansen finished second at this year's Nuttycombe after finishing sixth last year. Hansen dealt with injuries after last year's Nutty, but if he remains injury-free, he proved he has top-10 individual potential in Wisconsin.

Hansen finishing low could be the difference between a team title contender like Oklahoma State, NAU, Arkansas or BYU making the podium and not — because every point matters.

The next freshman sensation might be in Ames

Two freshmen, Habtom Samuel (New Mexico) and Denis Kipngetich (Oklahoma State), finished in the top four at the 2023 men's cross country championships. We could see freshmen in the top five again this year — and it looks like Iowa State's Robin Kwemoi Bera could be the popular choice after today.

Bera finished fifth in the Nuttycombe, ahead of veterans like Joey Nokes and Ethan Strand. Bera led the race after 2000 and 6000 meters and the race didn't appear out of reach for him until the very end. Bera showed that he can hang with the elite.

Washington's stock is up

No. 5 Washington should see a rise in this week's rankings after winning the Nuttycombe. The Huskies had all runners finish in the top 34, led by Maeve Stiles and Julia David-Smith finishing eighth and 12th. Stiles, a Penn transfer, and Amina Maatoug, a Duke transfer who finished 27th, were as advertised for Washington in one of the biggest invites of the year. It looks like Washington added the right pieces to transform into a podium contender in Wisconsin in a few months.

Oregon's stock is down

No. 4 Oregon entered the Nuttycombe as the top-ranked team running. The Ducks finished ninth overall at the Invitational. Oregon's lead finisher crossed the line 18th and didn't have another runner in the top 34. While Oregon may debut more runners later in the season, the team performance surely damped the national title hopes.

Villanova has someone that could end the drought

Villanova won seven out of nine individual women's cross country titles from 1989 to 1997. The Wildcats waited 13 years before Sheila Reid brought Villanova another individual title, going back-to-back in 2010 and 2011. Guess how many years it has been since then? Thirteen and counting.

Can Sadie Sigfstead follow in Reid's footsteps, winning an individual women's cross country title 13 years after Villanova's most recent trophy? If the Nuttycombe is evidence, then the answer is yes. 

Sigfstead won the 2024 women's Nuttycombe by 7.5 seconds, thanks to a strong final 2K meters. Sigfstead is no stranger to championship running; she took home the Mid-Atlantic region title last year. If she can use this year's Nuttycombe as a building block, she could win the 10th individual women's cross country title in Villanova history.

Sadie Sigfstead is her. champ.

⏱️ 19:55.7
Women’s 6 km A race 🏆

— RunnerSpace (@runnerspace)