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Women's Pre-Season Cross Country Top 20 - NCAA D1 Cross Country 2015Published by
New Mexico and Iowa State Mitigate Losses With Top Transfers Published by Adam Schneider on September 2, 2015
The season starts in earnest with rosters being revealed at the start of school. In addition to European cross country star Rhona Auckland (announced in December), New Mexico (third in 2014) has added 2014 NCAA cross country all-american Courtney Frerichs (13th) and Harvard graduate student Whitney Thornburg (42nd at the Mid-Atlantic region and 16:37 5000m track pr). Iowa State (2nd in 2014) was also crippled by graduation but add one of the top European distance runners, Becky Stefan. New Mexico is a solid number one but 2-9 are very tight and will fight for trophies.
1. New Mexico surprised everyone last year with a third place finish (188 points) at the NCAA meet. They have two of their top three and three of their top five (and top seven) returning including two outdoor track all-americans, sophomore Alice Wright (20th in 2014 NCAA cross country) was 8th in NCAA 10,000m and senior Calli Thackery (43rd in cross country) was sixth in the 5000m. The Lobos may be better this year with the addition of 2014 European cross country champion Rhona Auckland, Frerichs and depth from Thornburg.
2. Michigan State dominated last season and returns their top two from the NCAA meet, junior Rachele Schulist (fourth) and senior Lindsay Clark (eleventh). Senior Katie Landwehr was battling injury last year (119th for seventh on the team) after finishing 51st in 2013. Junior Alexis Wiersma was the Spartans’ 6th runner (69th). Michigan State had a very deep roster last year - senior Sara Stassen was 24th at regionals, three freshmen (two redshirts) were in the top 10 at the EMU Fall Classic, and junior Shelby Jackson was 168th at the 2013 NCAA meet and senior Angela Swain was 154th.
3. Iowa State also brings in a top European with the addition of freshman Becky Straw, seventh in the U-23 10,000m and 8th at the European cross country championships. It is still likely that senior Crystal Nelson, seventh in 2014, will lead the group. Juniors Bethanie Brown (53rd) and Perez Rotich (65th) join Nelson among the three returning in the top five for Iowa State’s second place (147) finish last year. Redshirt freshman Evelyne Guay was third at the Pan Am junior 800m and sophomore Erin Hooker (8th Big 12 5000m and 10,000m) will help with a solid top five for the Cyclones.
4. Colorado brings back six of their top seven and two from 2013 that did not run in 2014. Junior Erin Clark (31st), senior Maddie Alm (51st), sophomore Kaitlyn Brenner (81st), junior Jenny Deshouchet (95th), and junior Annie Kelly (98th) return from last year and junior Carrie Verdon (132nd) and sophomore Melanie Nun (68th) return from 2013’s NCAA cross country championship.
5. Oregon leads two teams that indicated on the track last year that they could make significant progress and potentially win this year’s meet. The Ducks return six of their top seven from last year and three others from 2013. They also add redshirt freshman and two-time NXN cross country champion Sarah Baxter. At last year’s NCAA 10,000m championship race senior Molly Grabill was fourth and Waverly Neer was fifth. Neer didn’t get on the track until May and should run significantly better this year.
6. Stanford was 14th last year as they were developing a very young roster (they return their top six). Elise Cranny was twelfth in her freshman campaign at the NCAA cross country meet and she was second in the 3000m indoors. Graduate Aisling Cuffe redshirted the entire season and then ran open track races at the end of the season. She should challenge for the national title after finishing fourth in 2013. 7. Michigan finished fourth in 2013 and they were the pre-season favorite last year until injuries crippled their season. Redshirt sophomore Erin Finn missed the entire cross country season (repeated outdoors as Big 10 10,000m champion) after finishing 30th in 2013 and leading the Wolverines. Senior Shannon Osaka was Michigan’s top runner at the Big-10 meet, sixth, but missed the regional and NCAA meet due to injury.
8. Providence returns all seven runners from last year’s thirteenth place team (401). Junior Sarah Collins was 39th in the Friar’s championship year in 2013 and returns after redshirting last year. Junior Catarina Rocha was 33rd last year and leads a group including Lauren Mullins (67th) and sophomore Katie Lembo (70th). Coach Ray Treacy undoubtedly knows that 2-9 are very close will push his team for a trophy run.
9. Georgetown has a veteran roster that returns six of its top seven last year led by seniors Samantha Nadel (37th) and Andrea Keklak (40th) and Kelsey Smith (117th) leads juniors Haley Pierce (57th) and Sarah Cotton (121st). There is a deep and experienced roster that can fill injury holes or develop into contributors.
10. Wisconsin returns runner-up Sarah Disanza who set a US junior record indoors in the 5000m but didn’t run outdoors. The Badgers return six of their top seven from last year’s team (10th) and have added former Oregon all-american Allie Woodward (44th in 2012), returning to racing after two years off.
11. Washington has a young team behind senior Maddie Meyers (27th in 2014). Redshirt sophomores Amy-Eloise Neale (121st in 2013) and Katie Knight (128th in 2013) were both injured last year but started to show their talent on the track last year. Washington returns all seven runners from last year (23rd) and brings in talented freshmen Lindsey Bradley and Emily Hamlin.
12. Virginia (15th in 2014) loses two of their top three but returns junior Maria Hauger (63rd in 2013), the top returner from 2013’s ninth place team who has been injured since outdoor track in 2014.
13. West Virginia returns a likely delayed start for junior Jillian Forsey (14th in 2014). Six of the top seven from last year (eighth) return.
14. California is one of the more interesting teams. They return two all-Americans from different year, sophomore Bethan Knights (25th in 2014) and redshirt junior Kelsey Santisteban (tenth in 2013. They bring in four of the top freshmen (led by Marissa Williams) and English transfer Georgia Bell to help fill out their top five and could be one of the more interesting teams to watch this year.
15. William and Mary waited until the end of the season for senior Emily Stites (36th in 2014) to come back to full health and in the mean time senior Carolyn Hennessey was having a great season after winning conference and finishing second at the region meet. Unfortunately she had a terrible national race and finished 253rd. Sophomore Regan Rome should help make a solid top three.
16. Arkansas returns national title contender, senior Dominique Scott (sixth in 2014) and classmate Diane Robinson (55th in 2014) but they are the only two left from the top five as they will need development from current runners and talented freshman Devin Clark (third 2014 NXN).
17. North Carolina State adds super freshman Ryen Frazier (three wins at New Balance outdoors) to the 16th place team from last year that returns five of their top six (they miss their #1).
18. Villanova is always dangerous and had a rare non-qualification for the NCAA meet last year. This year they will likely return with six of their top seven back from a young squad.
19. North Carolina returns top runner senior Annie Lehardy (49th in 2014 and southeast region champion) and the rest of their top four and six of their top seven.
20. Texas returns their top six and they will add redshirt Pan Am junior 5000m champion Rachael Reddy.
Also of interest:
Syracuse will try to make the top 20 this year (22nd in 2013 and 24th in 2014) and they return five of their top six from last year.
Iona returns senior NCAA cross country champion Kate Avery and loses just #3 out of their top five but #4 and below finished 186th and lower.
Notre Dame returns NCAA 10,000m champion senior Molly Seidel and three others that finished 226th or lower at the NCAA meet but brings in possibly the best recruiting class led by Footlocker and New Balance indoor 5000m champion Anna Rohrer.
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Women's Pre-Season Cross Country Top 20 - NCAA D1 Cross Country 2015Published by
New Mexico and Iowa State Mitigate Losses With Top Transfers Published by Adam Schneider on September 2, 2015
The season starts in earnest with rosters being revealed at the start of school. In addition to European cross country star Rhona Auckland (announced in December), New Mexico (third in 2014) has added 2014 NCAA cross country all-american Courtney Frerichs (13th) and Harvard graduate student Whitney Thornburg (42nd at the Mid-Atlantic region and 16:37 5000m track pr). Iowa State (2nd in 2014) was also crippled by graduation but add one of the top European distance runners, Becky Stefan. New Mexico is a solid number one but 2-9 are very tight and will fight for trophies.
1. New Mexico surprised everyone last year with a third place finish (188 points) at the NCAA meet. They have two of their top three and three of their top five (and top seven) returning including two outdoor track all-americans, sophomore Alice Wright (20th in 2014 NCAA cross country) was 8th in NCAA 10,000m and senior Calli Thackery (43rd in cross country) was sixth in the 5000m. The Lobos may be better this year with the addition of 2014 European cross country champion Rhona Auckland, Frerichs and depth from Thornburg.
2. Michigan State dominated last season and returns their top two from the NCAA meet, junior Rachele Schulist (fourth) and senior Lindsay Clark (eleventh). Senior Katie Landwehr was battling injury last year (119th for seventh on the team) after finishing 51st in 2013. Junior Alexis Wiersma was the Spartans’ 6th runner (69th). Michigan State had a very deep roster last year - senior Sara Stassen was 24th at regionals, three freshmen (two redshirts) were in the top 10 at the EMU Fall Classic, and junior Shelby Jackson was 168th at the 2013 NCAA meet and senior Angela Swain was 154th.
3. Iowa State also brings in a top European with the addition of freshman Becky Straw, seventh in the U-23 10,000m and 8th at the European cross country championships. It is still likely that senior Crystal Nelson, seventh in 2014, will lead the group. Juniors Bethanie Brown (53rd) and Perez Rotich (65th) join Nelson among the three returning in the top five for Iowa State’s second place (147) finish last year. Redshirt freshman Evelyne Guay was third at the Pan Am junior 800m and sophomore Erin Hooker (8th Big 12 5000m and 10,000m) will help with a solid top five for the Cyclones.
4. Colorado brings back six of their top seven and two from 2013 that did not run in 2014. Junior Erin Clark (31st), senior Maddie Alm (51st), sophomore Kaitlyn Brenner (81st), junior Jenny Deshouchet (95th), and junior Annie Kelly (98th) return from last year and junior Carrie Verdon (132nd) and sophomore Melanie Nun (68th) return from 2013’s NCAA cross country championship.
5. Oregon leads two teams that indicated on the track last year that they could make significant progress and potentially win this year’s meet. The Ducks return six of their top seven from last year and three others from 2013. They also add redshirt freshman and two-time NXN cross country champion Sarah Baxter. At last year’s NCAA 10,000m championship race senior Molly Grabill was fourth and Waverly Neer was fifth. Neer didn’t get on the track until May and should run significantly better this year.
6. Stanford was 14th last year as they were developing a very young roster (they return their top six). Elise Cranny was twelfth in her freshman campaign at the NCAA cross country meet and she was second in the 3000m indoors. Graduate Aisling Cuffe redshirted the entire season and then ran open track races at the end of the season. She should challenge for the national title after finishing fourth in 2013. 7. Michigan finished fourth in 2013 and they were the pre-season favorite last year until injuries crippled their season. Redshirt sophomore Erin Finn missed the entire cross country season (repeated outdoors as Big 10 10,000m champion) after finishing 30th in 2013 and leading the Wolverines. Senior Shannon Osaka was Michigan’s top runner at the Big-10 meet, sixth, but missed the regional and NCAA meet due to injury.
8. Providence returns all seven runners from last year’s thirteenth place team (401). Junior Sarah Collins was 39th in the Friar’s championship year in 2013 and returns after redshirting last year. Junior Catarina Rocha was 33rd last year and leads a group including Lauren Mullins (67th) and sophomore Katie Lembo (70th). Coach Ray Treacy undoubtedly knows that 2-9 are very close will push his team for a trophy run.
9. Georgetown has a veteran roster that returns six of its top seven last year led by seniors Samantha Nadel (37th) and Andrea Keklak (40th) and Kelsey Smith (117th) leads juniors Haley Pierce (57th) and Sarah Cotton (121st). There is a deep and experienced roster that can fill injury holes or develop into contributors.
10. Wisconsin returns runner-up Sarah Disanza who set a US junior record indoors in the 5000m but didn’t run outdoors. The Badgers return six of their top seven from last year’s team (10th) and have added former Oregon all-american Allie Woodward (44th in 2012), returning to racing after two years off.
11. Washington has a young team behind senior Maddie Meyers (27th in 2014). Redshirt sophomores Amy-Eloise Neale (121st in 2013) and Katie Knight (128th in 2013) were both injured last year but started to show their talent on the track last year. Washington returns all seven runners from last year (23rd) and brings in talented freshmen Lindsey Bradley and Emily Hamlin.
12. Virginia (15th in 2014) loses two of their top three but returns junior Maria Hauger (63rd in 2013), the top returner from 2013’s ninth place team who has been injured since outdoor track in 2014.
13. West Virginia returns a likely delayed start for junior Jillian Forsey (14th in 2014). Six of the top seven from last year (eighth) return.
14. California is one of the more interesting teams. They return two all-Americans from different year, sophomore Bethan Knights (25th in 2014) and redshirt junior Kelsey Santisteban (tenth in 2013. They bring in four of the top freshmen (led by Marissa Williams) and English transfer Georgia Bell to help fill out their top five and could be one of the more interesting teams to watch this year.
15. William and Mary waited until the end of the season for senior Emily Stites (36th in 2014) to come back to full health and in the mean time senior Carolyn Hennessey was having a great season after winning conference and finishing second at the region meet. Unfortunately she had a terrible national race and finished 253rd. Sophomore Regan Rome should help make a solid top three.
16. Arkansas returns national title contender, senior Dominique Scott (sixth in 2014) and classmate Diane Robinson (55th in 2014) but they are the only two left from the top five as they will need development from current runners and talented freshman Devin Clark (third 2014 NXN).
17. North Carolina State adds super freshman Ryen Frazier (three wins at New Balance outdoors) to the 16th place team from last year that returns five of their top six (they miss their #1).
18. Villanova is always dangerous and had a rare non-qualification for the NCAA meet last year. This year they will likely return with six of their top seven back from a young squad.
19. North Carolina returns top runner senior Annie Lehardy (49th in 2014 and southeast region champion) and the rest of their top four and six of their top seven.
20. Texas returns their top six and they will add redshirt Pan Am junior 5000m champion Rachael Reddy.
Also of interest:
Syracuse will try to make the top 20 this year (22nd in 2013 and 24th in 2014) and they return five of their top six from last year.
Iona returns senior NCAA cross country champion Kate Avery and loses just #3 out of their top five but #4 and below finished 186th and lower.
Notre Dame returns NCAA 10,000m champion senior Molly Seidel and three others that finished 226th or lower at the NCAA meet but brings in possibly the best recruiting class led by Footlocker and New Balance indoor 5000m champion Anna Rohrer.
NCAA cross country rankings |
