LAST FALL, NC State won its third straight NCAA women’s cross country title in dramatic fashion, holding off Northern Arizona by a single point. Since then, a trio of key players in those titles (Katelyn Tuohy, Kelsey Chmiel and Samantha Bush) have moved on, so head coach Laurie Henes will need to once again work her magic if the Wolfpack is to extend its dynasty on November 23.
“Our goal is always to have as many of our athletes as possible in the position to run their best race in November,” Henes told T&FN in mid-September. “We can’t control what other teams are doing. To be honest, I’ve not really taken a look at anyone else’s roster, I’m just trying to focus on getting this team together without a lot of the leaders that we’ve had in the past.”
Even if she had scanned the lineups of her competition, she’d still have lots of unanswered questions. Between injuries and redshirts, most programs had yet to show their full strength as September was winding down. That said, here’s a look at who has the most upside on the road to the NCAA championship.
1. NC State
Three sophs from last year’s championship team are expected to contribute once again: Grace Hartman (63rd in ’23), Hannah Gapes (73rd) and Gionna Quarzo (102nd). Hartman went on to finish 8th in both the NCAA indoor 5000 and outdoor 10,000 and ran the 5000 at the Olympic Trials. (Leah Stephens, who was 43rd in Charlottesville, is getting back up to speed after a spring injury, and is unlikely to race this fall.) Joining the team is six-time NCAA Div. III champion Fiona Smith, who has track PRs of 15:50.48 and 32:57.28. “She’s a great addition with the void of seniors that we have,” Henes says. “Bringing in a 22-year-old with a lot of experience is very helpful for a young team.” The frosh class is led by Ellie Shea, who finished 15th in the World Cross U20 race in March, and Bethany Michalak, the NXN runner-up in ’23 (and 3rd in ’22).
2. Northern Arizona
After coming oh-so-close last fall, NAU is eager to move up to the top spot, especially with this being head coach Mike Smith’s last year at the helm. Leading the way is Elise Stearns, who finished 20th last year and 4th in ’22. Also back are Ali Upshaw (57th) and Maggi Congdon (60th), who made the Olympic Trials 1500 final. Karrie Baloga finished 82nd for Colorado last year as a frosh then transferred into the Lumberjacks program and finished 8th in the NCAA steeplechase in June. Other key additions are transfers Alyson Churchill (22nd last year for Florida State) and Alex Carlson, the Big 10 indoor champion in the mile and 3000, and frosh Payton Godsey, who ran 9:57.77 for 3200 in 2023.
3. Notre Dame
Returning from last year’s 4th-place squad is Erin Strzelecki (37th), who won the ACC indoor title in the 5000 and ran 32:44.62 for 10,000 outdoors. Also back for Matt Sparks’ Fighting Irish are Siona Chisholm (114th), an NCAA Outdoor 5000 qualifier the past two years, plus Grace Schager (125th), Gretchen Farley (141st) and Sophie Novak (173rd), who finished 7th in the NCAA steeple (9:40.54). Notre Dame’s frosh class includes Isabel Allori (4th at NXN plus 4:37.32 and 9:48.20i as a HS senior) and Mary Bonner Dalton (4th at Foot Locker then 28th at World U20 XC).
4. Oregon
Leading the charge for coaches Jerry Schumacher and Shalane Flanagan is Maddy Elmore, 52nd last year then 8th in the NCAA Indoor 3000. Also back: Anika Thompson (104th), Katie Clute (111th), winner of USATF U20 titles in the 3000 and steeplechase in June (running both at World Juniors in August), and Klaudia Kazimierska (134th), who was 3rd in the NCAA 1500 then went on a tear this summer, placing 10th in the Olympic 1500 final for Poland and breaking 4:00 (3:59.95). Şilan Ayyıldız transferred in from South Carolina last winter and ran 15:15.84 on the track. The frosh class includes Allison Ince, who ran 2:03.85 and 4:35.96 last spring.
5. BYU
Carlee Hansen (66th) is the top returning finisher for coach Diljeet Taylor, followed by Lexy Halladay-Lowry (103rd last year, 34th in ‘22), who placed in the top 5 of both the 3000 and 5000 indoors, then ran unattached in the spring, finishing 9th in the Olympic Trials steeplechase (9:22.77 PR). Jenna Hutchins (176th) clocked 15:30.99 indoors and placed 6th in the NCAA 10,000 in June (32:44.05). Among the newcomers is Nelah Roberts, a 13-time Idaho HS champion, including 3 each in XC, the 1600 and 3200.
6. Washington
Six of 7 return from last year’s 8th-place squad, led by Chloe Foerster (47th), who won the Pac-12 1500 and scored PRs of 2:01.88, 4:07.66 and 8:58.56 this summer in Europe. Close behind were Sophie O’Sullivan (56th, and an Olympian in the 1500 for Ireland) and Julia David-Smith (58th). New faces on coach Maurica Powell’s roster include transfer Amina Maatoug from Duke, who was 9th last year.
7. Florida
Despite losing the individual champion and the 6th-place finisher, Will and Samantha Palmer’s Gators are still a contender. The addition of Hilda Olemomoi, from Alabama (4th last year), gives firepower up front. Elise Thorner joined the program from New Mexico last year and was 75th in Charlottesville (and 40th for the Lobos in ’22), then placed 6th in the NCAA steeplechase. Other newcomers include Beth Morley of Great Britain, who sports flashy PRs in the 800 (2:02.76) and 1500 (4:11.84), and Aussie Gabrielle Schmidt, who finished 7th in the 5000 at the recent World U20 Champs.
8. Providence
The Friars were just 28th last year, but should be much improved. After finishing 2nd at the Northeast Regional, Kimberley May had an off day at Nationals (116th), but she rebounded during the track season (3rd in the indoor mile, 2nd in the outdoor 1500). Shannon Flockhart (69th) is also back, after finishing 6th in the NCAA 1500 in both ’24 and ’23. Newcomers include Alex Millard from the UK (4:09.76 for 1500 and 15:22.44 for 5000) and UMass-Lowell transfer Kenzie Doyle, who has run 15:27.42 for 5000.
9. Stanford
After a 12th-place finish a year ago, Amy Bunnage (59th), Sophia Kennedy (95th), Riley Stewart (128), and Zofia Dudek (177th; 20th in 2022) are all back for coach J.J. Clark. Bunnage won the Pac-12 XC last fall and ran 15:11.68 indoors while Kennedy placed 11th in the NCAA Outdoor 5000. Soph Irene Riggs (12th in the ’23 World U20 XC Champs) is expected to debut this season.
10. Tennessee
New coach Justin Duncan inherits a program that surprised with a strong 6th-place showing a year ago. The Volunteers lack a low stick but feature a closely bunched core. In ’23 Ashley Jones led the way in 42nd, followed by Jillian Candelino (72nd), Rachell Sutliff (74th) and Caroline Lyerly (91st), all of whom return to Knoxville.
Others To Watch:
Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgetown, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin. ◻︎