EP401 — Snow College XC with Coach Chase Englestead: Building a Top-10 NJCAA Program, Utah Distance Culture, Lydiard Roots & JUCO Pathways

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1M ago 1:03:51

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Howdy & aloha! Airey Bros Radio laces up with Coach Chase Englestead, Head Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Coach at Snow College (Richfield/Ephraim, UT). Hired in 2024 to launch the Badgers’ program, Chase already has the men ranked #6 and women #7 in the NJCAA national poll. We dig into Utah’s deep distance culture, JUCO recruiting, elevation training (5,300–10,000 ft), Lydiard-inspired aerobic development (with selective double-threshold), the benefits of a tight small-campus setup, LDS mission maturity, and why Snow wants to make D1s nervous at invites—then points to Fort Dodge in November and the NJCAA Half Marathon.What you’ll learn

How to build a brand-new JUCO XC program into a national Top-10 in two years
Why Snow College’s elevation, trails, housing, and price are a recruiting cheat code
Training philosophy: big aerobic base, thresholds, strength, and when double-thresholds make sense
Culture > times: selecting athletes who raise the standard and stick with the process
How roster caps + Utah’s pipeline are reshaping the JUCO → D1 pathway

Links

Snow College XC/Track: https://snowbadgers.com/sports/mens-cross-country
Snow XC: @snowcrosscountry
Airey Bros Radio (YouTube): https://youtube.com/aireybrosradio
Airey Bros Radio @aireybrosradio
Fueled by Black Sheep Endurance Coaching: https://www.blacksheependurance.com

Show notes & timestamps:

0:00 Howdy & aloha + ABR mission (shine light on JUCO/NAIA/D2/D3)
2:36 Guest intro: Coach Chase Englestead — hired 2024; Men #6 / Women #7 NJCAA
5:08 Origin story: small-town Utah → discovering running → ownership & accountability
8:12 JUCO roots at UVSC/UVU: mileage jump, All-American, steeple/1500 records; D1 transition & probation
11:01 Choosing coaching: family of coaches; HS first to build & learn
12:26 Riverton HS culture build; Nike Cross regionals rise
15:25 Why Snow College: home state, elevation & trails, giving back; late hire & Year-1 scramble
20:50 Year-2 jump: full recruiting cycle; Top-10 expectations in Utah’s distance scene
22:31 Stigma shift: JUCO in Utah post-Isaac Wood; roster-cap effects
24:44 “Diamonds in the rough” development stories
25:54 Roster size realities; culture-first recruiting
28:05 A week in the chair: early mornings, Tue/Thu recruit calls, summer team runs
30:01 One year vs two years at Snow? Athlete-first pathways to four-year programs
31:06 Form check: confidence high; “make D1s nervous when Snow shows up”
32:07 Long run workout (pace toggles) + pack fitness
33:14 Training philosophy: Lydiard base, aerobic strength; when double threshold fits
37:05 Individualization; safe volumes before doubles
37:58 Campus fit: two campuses, on-campus housing, track ~200m, pool ~600m, bike path & mountain singletrack
39:58 Why a small campus helps serious runners (sleep, routine, fewer distractions)
41:25 Roster mix: Utah core + out-of-state; Americans-only pride vs international budget realities
44:30 Value case: ~$2k tuition/semester + ~$2.5k housing
46:09 Athletes to watch (W: Rhys Moss, Brighton Gold; M: Made, Tim, Carter Day, David Barlo, Brett Bailey, Von Wallace)
48:35 Slick transfers; NJCAA Half Marathon plans
49:36 Weather & Fort Dodge readiness; altitude advantage
50:35 Elevation menu: dorms ~5,300 ft; quick access to 8k–12k ft
52:00 Fall schedule: SUU (10/4), Utah State (10/10), hosting SWAC at Palisade State Park
53:48 LDS mission benefits: discipline, perspective, adversity skills
56:45 Final Four: no soda since 2000, routines, 60 mpw streak, books/pods, spikeball

1:03:37 Wrap: Badgers links; ABR back Wed with Ranger College

456 episodes

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