2023-24 D2 Indoor Top 25 Rankings (Women): Preseason (Part One)

Written by Marissa Kuik, additional edits & commentary via Garrett Zatlin & Gavin Struve

Click here to see our Just Missed and Honorable Mention names.

Listed eligibility takes redshirts and Covid-related extensions into consideration.

TFRRS is used as a general, but not strict, guide when determining eligibility.

We had some difficultly deciding upon who would earn the final spot in our preseason top-25 indoor track rankings, but ultimately, Kate Hedlund got the nod. Much of that can be attributed to her national meet experience. However, maybe more importantly, it can also be attributed to her success in an event that feels relatively open this season (the mile).

Yes, we'll admit, this Mountain Lion star is coming off of a less-than-ideal fall campaign. But this is also someone who's a three-time All-American (not counting the DMR) and has raced at seven different national meets.

With that in mind, it hardly feels like a stretch to suggest that this miler should rebound and better both a 10th place finish in the mile prelims at the 2023 indoor national meet and a 7th place finish in the 1500 meter finals of the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

24. Luisarys Toledo, Junior, NW Missouri

We have an interesting predicament with Luisarys Toledo.

Her accolades make her plenty worthy of a ranking, but her speed and talent in a plethora of events beyond the 800 meters makes us a smidge uncertain if she'll even contest the half-mile in the postseason, specifically the national meet.

Toledo actually chose to race the 400 meters and the 4x400 meter relay at the 2023 outdoor national meet. Of course, it's hard to blame her for that decision after she won gold in the latter event and placed 7th in the former.

However, Toledo deserves to be in our rankings because she is still so good over 800 meters. She ran a personal best of 2:07 in the event during both the indoor and outdoor track seasons in 2023. Plus, she chose to race the half-mile distance at last year's indoor national meet, finishing a better-than-expected 4th place overall!

In theory, if she ends up focusing on the 400 and 800 meters this year, then she'll be in the thick of the title race. Again, only time will tell what she decides to focus on, but when Toledo races the half mile, she should be viewed as one of the best in Division Two. 

23. Nicole Lawrence, Senior, Adams State

Nicole Lawrence is one of those competitors who always finds a way to get to the national meet and run fast times. Though her consistency throughout the season could be better, her times speak for themselves.

Lawrence has PRs of 4:45 (mile), 4:28 (1500) and 2:10 (800). She may not have the same momentum as some of the other runners in our rankings, but she has shown that she can generally advance to the most important meets of the season. And frankly, not all top-tier talents can say the same thing.

The 2023 indoor track season was a little tough for this Adams State veteran as she produced a handful of DNF results. However, she was part of the Grizzlies’ 2nd place finish in the DMR at the national meet. She then went on to qualify individually for the 1500 meters at the outdoor national meet. Though she didn't get out of the preliminary round, she improved upon her winter season by qualifying individually.

Lawrence's times (including a 9:41 mark for 3k) suggest that she should be an All-American favorite. However, in order for Lawrence to stay in our rankings, she will need to deliver on her true talent that we know she has at the indoor national meet. And in theory, her years of experience should allow her to do.

22. Kylie Anicic, Senior, Edinboro*

*Kylie Anicic is currently listed as a redshirt on TFRRS for this season, although that is not necessarily a definitive indicator of whether or not she will race this winter.

Kylie Anicic has slowly made a name for herself in the Division Two realm. She has run PR after PR over the past two track seasons and is coming off of the best cross country campaign of her life.

This Edinboro veteran peaked incredibly well last winter, running marks of 16:25 (5k) and 9:27 (3k), clearly elevating her fitness from "nationally competitive" to "All-American favorite". And sure enough, Anicic's 5k PR earned her a 5th place All-American finish alongside a 9th place finish in the 3k. 

On the outdoor oval, Anicic showcased some impressive range as she ran PRs of 4:25 (1500), 16:27 (5k) and 34:30 (10k). However, at the outdoor national meet, Anicic may have fallen victim to the altitude as she did not fare all that well, finishing in 13th place in the 10k and fading to 22nd place in the 5k. 

But this past fall? Well, it was a completely different story for this PSAC star.

Anicic didn't let those spring results keep her from performing phenomenally this past fall. She won a handful of meets and then capped her season off with a huge 12th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships.

With so much momentum going into this winter, Anicic could improve upon her already-strong performances from last season and put herself toward the top of Division Two. If everything goes perfectly, then she could be more than just a consistent All-American threat. Instead, she could be a top contender to some of the best women in the nation (and in these rankings). 

21. Leah Taylor, Sophomore, Western Colorado

One fast-rising name who is carrying a lot of consistency is Leah Taylor.

After a pleasantly surprise bronze medal performance over 1500 meters at the 2023 outdoor national meet, and a highly impressive 13th place result at the 2023 cross country national meet, Taylor appears in line for top-end All-American result in the middle distance events this winter.

Admittedly, Taylor’s PRs don't necessarily stand out among the nation's elite. She has run some strong times, but she doesn't necessarily have a track record that screams national title contender. That, and her relative youth/inexperience are the main reasons why we opted to be a bit conservative with her preseason ranking.

However, what makes Taylor so valuable is her ability to race well when it matters the most. During the 2023 indoor track season, she made it to the national meet and actually ran a PR of 4:49 in the mile, but failed to make it out of the preliminary round. But on the outdoor oval, she went on to run 4:29 in the 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invite and the 4:28 at the RMAC Outdoor Championships. She later finished off her spring season with that aforementioned 3rd place finish at the outdoor national meet.

Similarly, Taylor started off this cross country season slowly, but peaked at the right time on the national stage. With tons of upside and a knack for racing up to competition, we wouldn't argue with anyone who suggests that this Western Colorado talent should be ranked higher.

20. Riley McGrath, Rs. Senior, Colorado Mines

Riley McGrath underwent a program change this past year, switching from one RMAC program to another. And after a good, but not necessarily great, cross country season, we expect her to be better acclimated to her new locale this winter. In theory, that should show in her 2024 results.

While she raced sparingly on the oval last academic year, McGrath carries impressive PRs of 4:47 (mile), 9:43 (3k), 4:21 (1500) and 16:36 (5k). This new Oredigger impresses the most in the middle distance events and has usually shown up when it matters most.

Oftentimes, McGrath starts her seasons off slow and turns it on when the postseason nears. In total, she has garnered two All-American honors on the track and another two on the grass, making her one of the more reliable names across national meets.

McGrath is a competitor on the rise once again, appearing a bit underrated. We are excited to see what she can do this season as she attempts to rebound from a fall campaign that wasn't indicative of her true talent.

19. Tristian Spence, Rs. Freshman, Adams State

Putting a redshirt freshman in our preseason rankings without a full track season under her belt seems a little odd. However, Tristian Spence has definitely proved to us that she deserves a spot.

Spence was a big reason why the Adams State women finished runner-up at the cross country national meet last month, coming in 16th place, individually. She stepped up to the plate for her team and helped fill in some of the missing gaps from the Grizzlies’ national title-winning team from last year. 

Furthermore, Spence chose to run in an early December meet and was rewarded with a shockingly impressive 5k time of 16:08 in Boston. That mark sits at NCAA #11 All-Time (D2).

Spence has slowly put together a crazy-good freshman campaign, posting back-to-back performances that make us question if her rise is going to be stopping, or even slowing down, anytime soon.

Perhaps the most exciting thing for Spence (and for us) is to see what she can do in the other events. She clearly has aerobic-based strength, but we look forward to seeing what other skills she can bring to the table in the shorter events.

18. Aryelle Wright, Rs. Senior, Colorado Mines

When talking about the 800 meters in Division Two, Aryelle Wright has become an essential name in that conversation. Her consistency has been her biggest asset throughout the years and she's also become known for an ability to improve with each passing season.

With each season, Wright has slowly knocked down her 800-meter time and has improved her placement at the national meet. In 2023, this RMAC veteran had never been better, setting a PR of 2:07 during both track seasons. She also placed 5th at the indoor national meet and came away with a 4th place result at the outdoor national meet.

Both finishes were her highest-ever on the national stage, demonstrating continued improvement in her speed, but also the refinement of her high racing IQ, something that comes with years of experience.

As we go into a new season, it almost seems like a given that Wright will continue to display consistency and sustain her improvements. And with the 800 meters wide open, especially with Helen Braybrook expected to redshirt this winter, could she be a contender for the national title? Only time will tell...

17. Emily Schoellkopf, Junior, Adams State

Emily Schoellkopf really found her stride this past spring, improving by leaps and bounds in the 3000-meter steeplechase as well as the 5k. She impressed many of us at TSR by finishing 3rd in the former event at the outdoor national meet and then doubled back to place 6th overall in the latter event.

Those two All-American finishes, plus PRs in those two events (16:16 for 5k and 10:27 in the steeplechase), showed a huge jump in fitness for Schoellkopf. They also pointed to an improved racing ability and a growing comfort in tactical situations at the championship level. 

During last year's indoor track season, Schoellkopf also made improvements, running a then-PR of 16:33 for 5000 meters, a time that allowed her to snag the last All-American spot at the indoor national meet. She also ran a time of 9:45 for the 3k distance. Schoellkopf qualified for the national meet in that event too, making her more than just a one-trick pony during both seasons of competition on the track.

Truthfully, there's not really a singular flaw on Schoellkopf's resume right now, at least not over the past year. She has built a lot of momentum from last year’s track seasons and she just put together a solid fall campaign on the grass. Could that recent success indicate that she is in line to make another jump this winter?

16. Lauren Kiley, Sophomore, Grand Valley State

This still-young distance star has made her name known on the grass with top-15 finishes in both of the cross country national meets that she has contested. Of course, Lauren Kiley wasn't too shabby on the oval last year either, running 16:41 (5k), 9:29 (3k) and 4:51 (mile) on the indoor track. For the outdoor track season, Kiley ran times of 16:17 (5k) and 4:27 (1500). She also qualified for both national meets in multiple events.

Obviously, Kiley has some surprisingly great poise on the championship stage despite her youth, as evidenced by her cross country national meet success. However, she did struggle a little bit at both national meets on the track as a freshman, failing to achieve any All-American finishes.

Of course, any critiques that we had for this Laker ace last year can be quickly dismissed given the fact that she was so young and so inexperienced. At the end of the day, Kiley has the ability to run fast times and fares best in the longer distances all while holding even more room for improvement. That is why she sits at TSR #16. However, in 2024, she'll be measured in part by her postseason success.

15. Morgan Hykes, Junior, Adams State

Throughout her many track seasons, we have seen Morgan Hykes succeed in multiple distances from the mile up to the 5000 meters.

In her newest event, Hykes opted to jump over some barriers last spring and fared quite well in the 3000-meter steeplechase. During that same season, she finished 5th in the steeplechase at the outdoor national meet. She also ran a 5k PR of 16:16 during the spring season as well.

Hykes posted some personal bests last winter as well, running a mile PR at the indoor national meet. Her time of 4:49 was not quite good enough to get out of the preliminary round, but to run a personal best in what's arguably not her optimal event is still pretty impressive. Recently, Hykes capitalized on the fast track in Boston and ran her first indoor 5k with a surprisingly quick time of 16:17.

With some better-than-expected leg speed (demonstrated by her mile PR) and now a big jump in her aerobic fitness (via her recent 5k effort), Hykes could find herself combining those two skills and contending in the 3k.

Hykes has a personal best time of 9:23 in that event, a mark that should come down after another successful fall season and another jump in fitness. Hykes' greatest strength may be her range, so she will have several options for which events to race this winter. 

14. Precious Robinson, Junior, Adams State

Precious Robinson is definitely a familiar name in our rankings as she once again presents herself as someone to watch this season. Just like many of her Grizzly teammates, Robinson appears in line to build upon what was a historic season for her last year.

Starting on the indoor oval, Robinson came away with PRs of 16:23 in the 5k and 9:31 for the 3k. Then, in the spring, she ran 33:54 for 10,000 meters. The Adams State veteran qualified for both national meets and came away with All-American performances in the 5k indoors and the 10k outdoors.

Those results demonstrated an ability not only to run fast times, but also translate that talent to top finishes in races that aren't necessarily designed to be quick from the gun.

Robinson can definitely run fast times, but we will have to wait and see if she can continue to improve her leg speed in the shorter events this winter. We also have to note that haven't seen her race in over six months prior to the start of the indoor track season. That's why she sits right in the middle of our rankings. 

13. Katie Heck (née Fankhouser), Junior, Fort Lewis*

*It should be noted that Fort Lewis only added indoor track as an official sport this year, meaning that Katie Heck wouldn't have advanced to last year's indoor national meet even if she had qualified.

Ranking Katie Heck was admittedly a bit tricky.

On one hand, she had an incredible spring campaign, running times of 4:23 (1500) and 2:08 (800). Plus, she was the runner-up finisher at the 2023 outdoor national meet in the 1500 meters! On the other hand, her indoor PRs are a little lackluster in comparison with a 4:59 mile mark and a time of 2:19 for the half-mile distance. 

With these rankings focusing on the indoor track season, we were put in a tough position in evaluating Heck. But in the end, we decided that somewhere in the middle of our top-25 list was a perfect landing spot for this Fort Lewis star.

The momentum that Heck has built for herself probably makes her one of the more dangerous on-the-rise distance talents in the nation this winter. She also had an impressive 2023 fall campaign on the grass, making us pretty confident she will ride that momentum and further establish her presence on the indoor oval.

Heck has never made it to the indoor national meet, but she's a force to be reckoned with and could be a name to watch for the mile title. And with a clear understanding of how to execute certain race plans and utilize tactics, Heck is one of the last women who you should want to face in the postseason.

Molly Maksin (Colorado Mines)

Peyton Weiss (Western Colorado)

Sarah Koomson (West Texas A&M)

Najwa Chouati (Stanislaus State)

Maggie McCleskey (Adams State)

McKenna Cavanaugh (Lee (Tenn.))

Anna Fauske (UC-Colorado Springs)

Liz Wamsley (Hillsdale)

Isabel Marsh (Adelphi)

Jessica Simon (Adams State)

Katherine Marsh (Adelphi)

Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge (Colorado Mines)

Khot Juac (Sioux Falls)

Philippine de la Bigne (Azusa Pacific)

Aria Hawkins (Lee (Tenn.))
 Holly Moser (Colorado Mines)

Megan Roxby (Simon Fraser)

Kira MacGill (Colorado Mesa)

Alexa Keiser (Saginaw Valley State)

Kayce Rypma (Grand Valley State)

Gwynne Riley (Hillsdale)

Allie Arnsman (Grand Valley State)

Susanne Bruennig (Biola)

Maria Mitchell (Grand Valley State)

Savannah Ackley (Cedarville)

Linda Weigang (Fort Lewis)

Lainy Williams (Southwest Baptist)

Sira Bo (Wingate)

Grace Southern (Academy of Art)

Shannon King (Colorado Christian)

Alaysia Brooks (Ursuline (OH))

Katja Bauerle (UW-Parkside)

Reina Paredes (Adams State)

Sarah May (Grand Valley State)

Lieke Hoogsteen (Adams State)

Lisa Hanich (Academy of Art)

Ines Macadam (Tiffin)