TSR Collaboration

Mar 14, 202320 min

TSR's 2023 D1 Indoor Top 25 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #4 (FINAL)

Written by Maura Beattie, Scotty Loughlin & Finn Birnie

Additional commentary & edits by Garrett Zatlin


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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 guide when determining eligibility.


KEY

(Unranked):

Was not ranked in our last update.

(#/#):

First number indicates how much the athlete has moved in our rankings.

The second number indicates where the athlete was ranked in our last update.


25. Valery Tobias, Senior, Texas (Unranked)

You can never count out Valery Tobias when it comes to performing well at the highest stage of competition. She delivers every single time and this year’s NCAA Indoor Championships were (for the most part) no exception.

Tobias is bulletproof in the prelims, always seeming to position herself exactly where she needs to be to advance to the final. She followed the same script in the final and for the third-consecutive track season, the Longhorn’s middle distance standout has peaked at the right time and earned an All-American honor, placing 6th in a historically fast field.

While she may not have a PR under 2:02, the level of consistency that Tobias exhibits year in and year out is a rarity at any level of NCAA competition. And looking ahead, she’s someone you’ll be able to count on come the spring as well.

24. Sarah Hendrick, Senior, Kennesaw State (Unranked)

At last year’s indoor national meet, Kennesaw State’s Sarah Hendrick took the same “risk it for the biscuit” approach that had worked for Aaliyah Miller in 2021, attempting to build a giant lead over the first 400 meters and then hold on for dear life over the course of the final lap.

Unfortunately, that surprisingly aggressive approach didn't work for Hendrick (8th) in the same way it had for Miller (1st).

Since then, Hendrick has abandoned the "Hail Mary" strategy and become one of the more tactically-sound middle distance runners in the country. Most recently, she matched her 5th place finish from the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships with another All-American honor in the same place at this year’s indoor national meet.

Outside of prelims, Hendrick clocked between 2:02 and 2:03 on all four of her 800 meter races this season. Due to her consistency and delivery on the biggest stage, Hendrick rejoins our top-25 in the season's final update.

23. Emily Venters, Rs. Senior, Utah (Unranked)

What a great championship weekend for Utah’s Emily Venters! The long-time veteran she finally picked up her first indoor All-American honor that she was always capable of getting.

After a huge 15:20 (5k) PR at the Husky Classic, we knew that Venters was going to be a serious candidate for an All-American accolade. However, it was just a matter of whether she could peak in the postseason just like she did on the grass

And sure, she peaked perfectly.

A 5th place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championship in the 5000 meters capped off what has been a fantastically consistent season. The Ute’s ace rejoins our top-25 in our final update, but we can't help but look ahead and wonder what kind of damage she can do in the 10k this spring...

22. Margot Appleton, Sophomore, Virginia (Unranked)

Every season, there are women who surprise us.

And this winter, one of those women was Virginia’s Margot Appleton.

During the 2022 cross country season, the sophomore talent started to catch our eye. And heading into the 2023 indoor track season, Appleton was able to use that newfound endurance and her speed to go from flirting with All-American status to scaring the nation's top milers.

At the indoor national meet, Appleton picked up the last qualifying spot for the mile final thanks to a clutch kick that took her from 7th place to 4th place in heat one.

The next day in the final, the Cavalier ace found herself amongst the leaders on the final lap. After a conservative and well-thought-out rise to the front group, Appleton found another gear that shot her up to 4th place. That is not only a stellar placing, but when you consider that she was only about 1.5 seconds out of 2nd place suggests that Appleton is just starting to scratch the surface of what she can do in years to come.

As she turns to the outdoor track season, it will be interesting to see how Appleton translates what she has learned to the 1500 meters... and maybe even the 5k.

21. Izzy Thornton-Bott, Junior, Oregon (-3 / 18)

It just wasn't Izzy Thornton-Bott's best weekend.

At the indoor national meet, the Oregon star toed the line for the lead-off leg of the DMR. She held her own, posting a respectable 3:24 split, but the rest of the relay would ultimately fall apart on the anchor leg.

But in the mile finals, it was Thornton-Bott who couldn't get past the mid-point of the field. The Duck distance talent made a couple of surges to cover certain gaps, but her positioning was too far back and she just wasn't able to sustain the momentum of those moves. In the end, she finished 9th.

No should be doubting how great Thornton-Bott is. She proved to be a lethal miler who, when she's at 100%, can be one of the better doublers in the NCAA.

20. Parker Valby, Sophomore, Florida (-8 / 12)

It’s a real shame that we didn’t get to see Parker Valby compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships this past weekend. The Florida Gator medically scratched the 3k, an event that she ran 8:49 in earlier this season.

The sophomore talent (by eligibility) only raced twice this season, taking on the anchor leg of a DMR in late January as well as that aforementioned 3k in mid-February. Valby’s DMR split wasn’t anything spectacular as she doesn’t have the same leg speed as experienced milers, but her 3k was a much better indicator of her potential.

The 3k showing was a four-second PR for Valby and gave us hopes for a quick 5k. However, we didn’t get to see that from the Gator as she scratched the 5k at the SEC Indoor Championships.

This is the second year in a row that Valby has had to miss the indoor national meet. Injuries and durability are, understandably, becoming something that we have to consider with her. Hopefully she is able to recover quickly and prepare for the outdoor track season so that we can see another Katelyn Tuohy vs Parker Valby battle.

19. Lindsey Butler, Senior, Virginia Tech (-12 / 7)

Bad races happen. It's just that simple.

Lindsey Butler's decision to forgo the 800 meters in favor of the mile was understandable, but surprising. And given her lack of national meet experience in the event, it was hard to know how this Virginia Tech ace would attack a mile field that could or could not be tactical...and at altitude.

And despite running a 4:31 mile PR earlier this year, Butler just never found a way to get out of the back of the pack. And in the end, she never finished last in the finals.

To suggest that Lindsey Butler isn't a top-20 name (middle and long distance) in the NCAA would be crazy. If we were to drank these names, Butler probably gets drafted before her current rank. It's also hard to discount the value of her seasonal times -- 2:03 (800), 2:42 (1k) and 4:31 (mile).

But after struggling in the postseason, Butler has since been moved back to TSR #19.

18. Klaudia Kazimierska, Freshman, Oregon (-1 / 17)

Klaudia Kazimierska is a tricky name to figure out / rank.

The Oregon ace had picked up phenomenal momentum in the latter-half of the season. At Arkansas, she split 3:16 over 1200 meters and came back four hours later to run a 4:32 mile personal best to out-kick fellow teammate, Izzy Thornton-Bott.

That meet alone is why Kazimierska only falls back one spot.

But this past weekend, at the national meet, a bizarre 5:01 anchor split leads us to believe that something may have happened during the race that we didn't see (which is just speculation). And on day two, Kazimierska battled valiantly in the mile finals, settling for a 6th place finish in a race that didn't necessarily play out in her favor.

The Polish middle distance talent was exceptional for the Ducks this winter. Sure, she had some learning moments, but generally speaking, this seems like the right spot who gave Oregon another true star to lean on.

17. Claire Seymour, Senior, BYU (Unranked)

This was the performance we were waiting for from BYU’s Claire Seymour.

The All-American talent didn’t have her best regular season, struggling to match her 2:01 PR over 800 meters throughout the first two months. She began the season ranked in our top-25 (highly, we may add), but after two back-to-back 2:07 (800) marks, she fell out.

On the last weekend to qualify for the indoor national meet, Seymour dug deep to secure a berth to the indoor national meet with a clutch 2:02 (800) win at the UW Ken Shannon Invite. The BYU senior needed that race to not only qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships, but to also give her the confidence she needed to make another run for a title.

In the half-mile finals this past weekend, the BYU runner positioned herself well in the middle of the pack, not allowing herself to get caught up in the madness of the leaders while still maintaining a lead on the chase pack. Seymour was able to hold onto a 4th place position heading into the final lap and held that all the way to the finish.

Although Seymour wasn’t able to improve upon her 2nd place finish from the 2022 indoor national meet, placing 4th was impressive considering her lack of consistency and powerful performances from others earlier in the season.

So you know what? Kudos to Seymour for never giving up hope and earning an All-American honor in her main event...even when we didn't think she would.

16. Flomena Asekol, Junior, Alabama (Unranked)

What a clutch performance from Flomena Asekol this past weekend!

The Alabama miler started her season off with a bang via a monster mile PR of 4:32 in December. The rest of her regular season, however, had less sparks and she faded outside of our top-25 rankings.

While a 3rd place finish at the SEC Indoor Championships was not awful, Asekol was a noticeable distance behind the close 1-2 finish of Lauren Gregory and Silan Ayyildiz, respectively, leading us to wonder if she’d have enough in the tank to put it all together at the national meet against an even better field of competition.

Asekol answered the call and did exactly that, landing a “big Q” in the prelim and then beautifully positioning herself on the inside lane in the final to run a tactically-sound race and pick up a monumental bronze medal.

There had been questions about Asekol’s shortcomings as a tactical racer in season’s past, but she now has the hardware to prove that she can perform at a high level when under pressure on the indoor oval.

15. Maia Ramsden, Sophomore, Harvard (-4 / 11)

Maia Ramsden is bringing some well-deserved hardware back to Harvard.

While her 5th place finish in the mile finals this past weekend may not have been quite as strong as we expected entering the NCAA Indoor Championships, the Crimson ace rebounded from a shaky prelim and was able to assert herself late in the final. In the process, she held off dangerous kickers such as Klaudia Kazimierska, Annika Reiss and the odds-on national title favorite, Amina Maatoug.

Ramsden’s most admirable qualities this season have been her strength and consistency, attributes that were on full display this past weekend as she doubled back in the 3k on short rest and finished 8th place for a second All-American honor. She nearly finished 6th overall, coming in less than a second behind two experienced veterans in Ceili McCabe and Kelsey Chmiel.

Despite dropping a few spots in our rankings, we have nothing but respect for the body of work that Ramsden churned out this season, meet after meet. She earns a position within the top-15 of our rankings and will surely be a name to keep a close eye on, maybe as the title contender that we know she can be, come the spring.

14. Kelsey Chmiel, Junior, NC State (+6 / 20)

NC State’s Kelsey Chmiel is one of the most consistent runners in the NCAA. If you need some evidence, just look at how she competes at national meets, both on the cross country course and on the track. The veteran has never failed to finish outside of the top-22 and has recorded eight top-10 finishes on the national stage.

She only added to her shelf of trophies this past weekend at the NCAA Indoor Championships with her showings in the 3k and the 5k.

Chmiel, competing in her third indoor national meet 5k, used her experience en route to earning her highest finish. The NC State standout slowly and methodically worked her way up the 5k field, eventually putting herself in a position with the top group.

And as she chased the leaders, Chmiel was able to key off of the Alabama duo of Mercy Chelangat and Hilda Olemomoi, as well as training partner Katelyn Tuohy, only furthering herself from the rest of the field.

She ultimately crossed the line in a clear 4th place, one place higher than her 2022 finish. The 5k is Chmiel’s stronger event given her success over the long distances, but on day two when she contested the 3k, she showed the same type of guts and confidence.

For the entirety of the 3k race, Chmiel was in it. She tucked herself in with the leaders and just moved with the pack, hoping she could find a kick when the move was made. Her teammate Tuohy came away with the win, but Chmiel was only three seconds out of a top-three finish amongst a deeply talented field, matching her 7th place finish from the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships.

The season as a whole for the junior was solid. She only raced three times leading up to the indoor national meet, but her metronomic consistency and lengthy experience makes her one of the most reliable distance runners in the country.

13. Mercy Chelangat, Senior, Alabama (0 / 13)

Alabama veteran Mercy Chelangat has been quietly stacking good performance after good performance this year and her fabulous consistency rewarded her with another well-deserved All-American honor.

Like many others this season, Chelangat produced her blistering 5000 meter qualifying time back in December and this mark of 15:18 (5k) set her up brilliantly for the remainder of her indoor campaign.

Heading into the NCAA Indoor Championships, the Crimson Tide star, along with her younger counterpart, Hilda Olemomoi, was the favorite to topple Tuohy in the 5k (although the chances felt extremely low).

Unsurprisingly, that Alabama duo controlled the pace and made it honest from the gun. Seemingly unfazed by the altitude, Chelangat slowly quickened the pace, but couldn’t shake Tuohy. She would settle for a still-strong bronze medal behind the NC State phenom and Olemomoi.

The following day, the tactics were similar.

Chelangat made her presence known at the front and did much of the legwork. However, when the field got moving, she didn't have the leg speed to match and slipped back into a fairly underwhelming 11th place.

Luckily for Chelangat, keeping up with the gear changes of the 3k and the 5k shouldn’t be an issue this spring as she will be moving back up to her primary event, the 10,000 meters. There, she will be able to utilize her phenomenal strength, potentially emerging as the outright title favorite.

12. Ceili McCabe, Junior, West Virginia (-6 / 6)

Another very solid three-month campaign for West Virginia’s Ceili McCabe...but yet another season where it feels like she was capable of more.

On paper, McCabe looked like a potential favorite to finish runner-up to Katelyn Tuohy in the 3k at the NCAA Indoor Championships. She’d clocked rocket-fast marks of 8:50 (3k) and 4:31 (mile) during the regular season, and wasn’t doubling back from any prior events before the 3000 meter final.

In the end, she settled for a respectable, but modest, 6th place finish where she was out-kicked by Simone Plourde and Hilda Olemomoi over the final lap. McCabe still deserves credit for holding off the hard-charging trio of Kelsey Chmiel, Maia Ramsden and Samantha Bush. To be clear, her Saturday effort was by no means a poor performance.

But in December, we imagine that a lot of people had McCabe as a potential top-three lock.

By all accounts, McCabe is a top-10 distance runner, arguably even top-seven when she is at the absolute peak of her powers. But we have yet to see this Mountaineer star's complete ability fully displayed on the national stage. For that reason, we placed her at TSR #12.

11. Simone Plourde, Sophomore, Utah (+4 / 15)

Would you believe us if we told you that this was Simone Plourde’s first track season running the 3k despite being a junior? You wouldn't know it as the Utah Ute raced like a veteran in the event, debuting with a 9:07 (3k) mark and only improving from there.

Plourde, an established middle distance runner with a 4:36 mile PR, was able to translate that foot-speed to the longer distance, seamlessly. Within a matter of two weeks, Plourde shaved a total of 14 seconds off of her debut 3k time, running an incredible mark of 8:53 and earning a spot on the line at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

She dominated a very good field in Seattle en route to that PR.

In Albuquerque, over the final 400 meters, the Utah junior passed five competitors and impressed us in a big way when she crossed the line in 4th place. She showed brilliant patience and knew exactly how to utilize her combination of speed and strength.

It will be interesting to see where Plourde finds herself this outdoor track season. She hasn’t contested a 5k on the outdoor oval yet and she does have a 4:16 (1500) PR. So does Plourde go with another new event after moving up this past winter? Or does she opt for a familiar one? I suppose we'll soon find out...

10. Amina Maatoug, Sophomore, Duke (-7 / 3)

Despite this past weekend not turning out like we expected it would for the nation's top miler on the national leaderboard, Duke’s Amina Maatoug still deserves a top-10 ranking at season’s end due to her full body of work.

She exhibited a complete toolbox of strength and speed across the distances, running times of 2:03 (800), 4:29 (converted mile) and 8:55 (3k). In addition to her range, Maatoug showed incredible durability at the ACC Indoor Championships where she anchored the Blue Devils’ winning DMR, secured bronze in the 800 meters and finished runner-up to Katelyn Tuohy in the 3k.

Based on her resume and recent masterful conference championship performance, many were high on Maatoug’s chances of winning a national title in the mile and contending for an All-American spot in the 3000 meters.

Instead, Maatoug’s surprise front-running didn't mesh well with the altitude and the Duke star faded to a 7th place finish. Her season’s toll of racing (and her weekend toll) appeared to catch up with her in the 3k where Maatoug finished outside the top-eight.

Whether the altitude played a factor or she simply peaked a couple of weeks early, Maatoug closed this chapter of her career in a less-than-thrilling fashion. Even so, she was still able to earn her first indoor All-American honor and propel herself forward as one of the most dangerous middle and long distance runners in the NCAA.

9. Olivia Howell, Junior, Illinois (Unranked)

For years, this Illinois veteran has been consistently in the mix at the national level when it comes to the mile. And this past weekend, she finally got the gold medal that she deserved -- despite being one of the last seeds in the field.

Rather surprisingly, Duke’s Amina Maatoug took the lead in the mile finals, setting up a very healthy pace. Then, almost uncharacteristically, Olivia Howell tacked onto the back of this hot pace. That risk paid off tremendously as she put herself in a perfect position to apply pressure with Arkansas’ Lauren Gregory hot on her heels.

Coming around the final turn, Gregory struck, and it was seemingly the race-winning move. But the BIG 10 champion had another gear, slingshotting off the bend and into the lead in the closing stages. This amazing last-ditch effort was enough to give Howell her first national title.

After entering the weekend as the 15th seed in this field, not many would have expected those types of heroics from Howell. But the fighting Illini veteran proved that years of consistency and tactical brilliance does, eventually, pay off.

Howell now has the hardware to go along with her vast experience and elite times. She is always someone who was able to perfectly execute certain moves at any point in a race and we saw that this past weekend.

8. Taylor Roe, Junior, Oklahoma State (+1 / 9)

Taylor Roe showed us yet again why she is one of the best racers in the NCAA with a terrific 3rd place finish in the 3000 meters at NCAA Indoor Championships.

After a very successful, yet jam-packed, BIG 12 Championship meet, we knew that the Cowgirl star was in fine form. However, the question still remained whether she would be able to replicate last year's heroics against an arguably tougher field.

Well, she didn't earn gold, but the Oklahoma State stud was still able to show off her fantastic in-race execution skills to add another podium finish to her growing collection.

After competing in the DMR the previous night, Roe seemed to opt for a more conservative approach in the 3k final, hanging towards the back of the pack. However, as the main protagonists began to show their cards, Roe used her exquisite tactical awareness and gradually climbed into the lead pack for the final laps.

This season, Roe did everything we expected. She was remarkably productive, something that was rewarded with both medals and times.

7. Hilda Olemomoi, Sophomore, Alabama (+3 / 10)

What a fantastic indoor track season it was for Alabama ace, Hilda Olemomoi!

After a stellar first D1 season on the grass, the question remained as to whether or not Olemomoi would be able to translate that form onto the indoor circuit.

And sure enough, she delivered in style!

If anything, you could certainly argue that she was even better on the indoor oval.

The Crimson Tide newcomer put the entire NCAA on watch with her jaw-dropping 8:45 (3k) and 15:17 (5k) marks. Those performances were only bettered by the great Katelyn Tuohy. Olemomoi also had the opportunity to drop down and anchor the Alabama DMR crew to victory at the SEC Championship. Her split of 4:40 (1600) was very respectable considering she is one of the NCAA’s most distance-oriented athletes.

In both the 3k and the 5k, the sophomore star made her presence known, attempting to control the pacing of the race. This was a tactic that has, for the most part, worked for her all season long. And in the end, she gained two top-eight finishes -- a silver medal and a separate All-American (5th) accolade.

Not a bad introduction to the D1 indoor track scene...

6. Olivia Markezich, Junior, Notre Dame (+8 / 14)

Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich had a huge breakthrough this past fall, and she certainly kept the ball rolling into the winter months.

The Fighting Irish ace ran a blistering 8:50 (3k) PR back in December which validated her staggering 8th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships. It was a stunning display of incredible aerobic capacity (which we knew she had) and wildly impressive late-race turnover (which we didn't expect to see in a race like that).

The midwest star continued to ride that momentum the entire season, offering great value and consistency between the mile and the DMR.

Heading into the NCAA Indoor Championships, Markezich had her hands full with the DMR and the 3000 meter double -- but that didn't stop her from being incredibly productive.

On the opening night, she produced a huge 4:33 anchor split to lead the Notre Dame women to a huge 3rd place finish. And on Saturday, coming into the penultimate laps of the 3k final, Markezich began to drift off pace, but a huge last lap got her right back in the mix and back onto the podium.

A silver medal cements everything that Markezich has accomplished over the past two seasons. Her consistency has been unmatched so far this year and it was no surprise to see her on the podium this past weekend.

And right now, it's getting harder and harder to find any legitimate flaws on her resume or when evaluating her skillset.

5. Michaela Rose, Sophomore, LSU (-3 / 2)

What a breakout season it has been for LSU star, Michaela Rose!

Coming into this season, Rose wouldn't have been our pick to compete for an NCAA title. But the freshman to sophomore jump that we saw from the middle distance star is something that we're not even sure if LSU expected to see.

After her jaw-dropping 2:01 (800) opener at the Razorback Invitational, we knew that the Tiger ace was operating on a different level this season. That breakout performance was then backed-up with a truly remarkable 2:00 effort at the David Hemery Valentine Invite.

At the NCAA Indoor Championships, Rose had to face-off against her stiffest competition yet, and she certainly didn't shy away from this challenge.

In the final, Rose stuck to what she knew best and utilized the same aggressive front-running tactics that had been rewarding her all season. 250 meters into the race, she made a hard move early to try to crack the Stanford duo, but it came to no avail as the sophomore stud slipped back to 3rd coming around the final bend.

It was a commendable effort that rewarded her with a breathtaking 2:00.85 (800) time at altitude and her first NCAA medal.

One could certainly argue that Rose is one of the most improved athletes this winter after boasting blistering times and showcasing some remarkable consistency. Now the only question is...can she take down the Whittaker and Willis?

4. Juliette Whittaker, Freshman, Stanford (0 / 4)

3. Roisin Willis, Freshman, Stanford (+2 / 5)

Wow, what a rookie season for both Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker!

The Stanford duo didn’t need any acclimation to racing against collegiate women. Instead, they flexed their overwhelming talent week-in and week-out.

Earlier this season, Willis focused more on the 800 meters, developing her speed. She came into the NCAA Indoor Championships as the leading lady in her main event thanks to a sub-2:00 performance. Whittaker, meanwhile, had a greater presence on the DMR anchor leg and in the open mile.

But frankly, the difference in their final results from this past weekend were almost negligible.

In the 800 meter finals at the NCAA Indoor Championships, it was Willis holding off Whittaker and crossing the line with a title and her second 1:59 (800) mark of the season.

And then there’s Whittaker.

We know what she accomplished in the 800 meter finals, but her heroics on the anchor leg of Stanford's DMR was arguably just as impressive. The true freshman held off a late charge from Arkansas’ Lauren Gregory despite doubling back from the 800 meter prelims just an hour before.

So what's next for Willis and Whittaker? What more could they do next year that they didn't already do this winter? Does the idea of going pro soon entice them? Could an NIL deal soon be on the table?

Only time will tell...

2. Lauren Gregory, Rs. Senior, Arkansas (+6 / 8)

Lauren Gregory ran three times this past weekend at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The mile prelim started her weekend, the mile final ended the weekend, and the anchor leg on the DMR was sandwiched in between.

Talk about a lot of racing in a short amount of time.

The Arkansas and championship veteran took care of business in the mile prelim. Gregory led a majority of the race and easily secured a spot in the mile with a win in heat two.

She then rested for an hour and forty-five before taking to the track with her teammates for the DMR. Arkansas was coming in as the reigning champions, but on paper, they were not viewed as the favorites.

By the time Gregory got the baton, the Razorbacks were back in 6th place and eight seconds behind the leaders, Stanford. But this is where experience and poise came into play for Gregory as she slowly picked teams off and came within striking distance of Stanford’s Juliette Whittaker on the homestretch.

Unfortunately, Gregory just ran out of real estate and crossed the line in 2nd place, less than three-tenths of a second from giving Arkansas the win. But, when you look at her altitude-converted 4:24 (1600 meter) split, Gregory deserves a lot of credit for truly scaring the competition.

One would think that her heroic DMR run would take some of the pop out of Gregory’s legs...but think again! The redshirt senior came out ready to fight in the mile prelim.

After sitting back and letting the competition do all the work upfront, the Arkansas talent made a move on the final lap, trying to outdistance herself from the field. Gregory led the final curve, but wasn’t able to hang onto that lead on the homestretch and was passed by eventual champion, Olivia Howell of Illinois.

Gregory had to settle for 2nd place for the second day in a row.

At the NCAA Indoor Championships, Gregory put it all out there for the Razorbacks and her 16 points scored helped secure a team victory. Despite not winning a title, the value that she brought to the Razorbacks is unreal. She was so consistent, tactically brilliant and was one. of the few women who could mount a comeback like she nearly pulled off.

She may not have a national title, but she's just as good as a lot of women who do.

1. Katelyn Tuohy, Sophomore, NC State (0 / 1)

It’s been the season of Katelyn Tuohy. From collegiate records to national titles, do we dare name her one of the best NCAA runners of this generation?

Tuohy had to settle for 2nd place in both the 3k and the 5k and last year’s indoor national meet, but she wasn’t going to be denied this time around. The NC State runner made it known early-on that she wanted an NCAA Indoor Championship title this season and she got that wish with not one, but two wins.

We could go into every detail of her race, analyze her moves and try to explain what makes Tuohy so great. But truthfully, at this point, there's nothing more to say. She won 3k gold and 5k gold this past weekend because no one could get anywhere remotely close to her.

She was just flat-out better. And that's all there is to it.

Looking at Tuohy’s season as a whole, she set three NCAA records. She ran 4:06 (1500 en route), 4:24 (mile) and 8:35 (3k). These records, combined with the fact that she never lost a race to a collegiate competitor, highlight a legitimately legendary resume.

So that leaves us questioning...what can Tuohy do this spring? Will she break the 5k record? Could she jump up in distance to the 10k? What kind of double will she do on the national stage?

The possibilities are endless for the Wolfpack champion.


ADDED

Emily Venters (Utah)

Sarah Hendrick (Kennesaw State)

Olivia Howell (Illinois)

Margot Appleton (Virginia)

Claire Seymour (BYU)

Flomena Asekol (Alabama)

Valery Tobias (Texas)

KICKED OFF

Britton Wilson (Arkansas)

Laura Pellicoro (Portland)

Silan Ayyildiz (South Carolina)

Amelia Mazza-Downie (New Mexico)

Anna Gibson (Washington)

Alexandra Carlson (Rutgers)

Imogen Barrett (Florida)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Britton Wilson (Arkansas)

Laura Pellicoro (Portland)

Silan Ayyildiz (South Carolina)

Amelia Mazza-Downie (New Mexico)

Anna Gibson (Washington)

Alexandra Carlson (Rutgers)

Imogen Barrett (Florida)

Carley Thomas (Washington)

Kaylee Mitchell (Oregon State)

Samantha Bush (NC State)

Wilma Nielsen (Bradley)

Kelly-Ann Beckford (Houston)

Grace Fetherstonhaugh (Oregon State)

Elise Stearns (Northern Arizona)

Ella Baran (Colorado)

Aurora Rynda (Michigan)

Katherine Mitchell (Boston College)

Annika Reiss (Northern Arizona)

Sarah Carter (Colorado State)

Sadie Sargent (BYU)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Sophie O’Sullivan (Washington)

Riley Chamberlain (BYU)

Isabella Giesing (UMass Lowell)

Aubrey Frentheway (BYU)

Esther Seeland (Virginia)

Jasmine Fehr (Tennessee)

Taylor Rohatinsky (BYU)

Ruby Smee (San Francisco)

Marlena Preigh (Washington)

Sydney Seymour (NC State)

Mia Barnett (UCLA)

Gracelyn Larkin (New Mexico)

Natalie Cook (Oklahoma State)

Gabija Galvydyte (Oklahoma State)

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