Last fall, Georgetown narrowly beat the field at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, winning the team title over runner-up Washington by a mere eight points (162-170). Even more impressive, third place Villanova placed third with 181 points, while fourth place Florida State tallied 189 points. These four teams were the class of the field and made the finish of the race wildly entertaining.
This fall, three of those four teams enter the season as pre-season favorites. Georgetown, Florida State and Washington each have the necessary talent and experience to challenge for the title, which could see an even closer finish this November.
The defending champion Hoyas return five of their top seven from last year’s squad. While they lose their top two runners in Emily Infeld and Claire Richardson, they return an incredibly talented trio of Emily Jones, Kirsten Kasper and Katrina Coogan. What they’ll be missing is a top ten-caliber finisher, but what they lose there they should be able to make up with strong pack running. Factor in perhaps the best freshman duo in the country in Haley Pierce and Samantha Nadel, and Georgetown is eyeing the top prize once again.
Not to be outdone, Florida State returns their 2-7 runners from last year’s squad. Led by Amanda Winslow and Violah Lagat, coach Karen Harvey once again has a squad worthy of the top prize. The key to success for FSU is their depth. At the 2011 championship, sixth runner Kayleigh Tyerman was the top sixth runner in the country and returns as their fifth runner on paper. Add in prize recruit Georgia Peel (Great Britain) to the mix and Florida State features a collection of talent that can take them right to the top.
Last but not least, Washington is firmly established as a co-favorite heading into the 2012 campaign. Led by the All-American duo of Katie Flood and Megan Goethals, where Washington can edge their competition is by having those two vie for top five finishes. Veterans Justine Johnson and Lindsay Flanagan will once again be counted on to give them strong 3-5 scoring performances, while the Huskies will need a few younger runners to step up and fill out their scoring, needing to compete with Georgetown’s and Florida State’s depth.
Close team finishes are what make cross country a great sport. Runners 1-7 count and it’s not necessarily the team with the top 2-3 finishers that win. This year could shape up to be the closest team finish in women’s NCAA cross country history, as Georgetown, Washington and Florida State all have the talent to take home top prize. Which team do you got?
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With the cross country season kicking off over the next two weeks, we're tackling ten burning questions heading into the 2012 campaign. These questions cover both the high school and college levels. Check back each day as we provide some answers to the questions.
Question 1: Who Will Be The Top American Male Finisher at the NCAA XC Championships?
Question 2: Will Erin Finn and Sarah Baxter Face Off This Fall?
Question 3: How Close Will The Boys Race Be At NXN?
