2019 XC Top 50 Women: Update #5

Written by Maura Beattie + Sam Ivanecky

KEY

(Unranked):

Was not ranked the week before.

(#/#):

First number indicates how much the individual has moved in the rankings.

The second number indicates where they were ranked the week before.

50. Hannah Reinhardt, Senior, Albany (Unranked)

Reinhardt has quietly been making a name for herself in the Northeast region. The Albany senior has won four races this season, which include conference and regional titles. Reinhardt took down some big names on the roads of Amherst, NY on the way to an overall win. The national meet will be Reinhardt’s first time on the big stage, and as long as she can keep her composure, a top 50 finish is possible.

49. Kathryn Munks, Senior, Penn State (Unranked)

Munks has looked solid all season long and this past Friday at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet was no exception. The Penn State senior finished runner-up to Lydia Olivere of Villanova after holding a narrow lead for much of the race. Munks has consistently been near the front of every race this season and will be on the bubble for All-American honors in Terre Haute. Her best performance at a cross country national meet? 106th place from her sophomore season. That should change on Saturday.

48. Ashley Tutt, Junior, Northern Illinois (Unranked)

Tutt has been impressive this fall and finally earned an individual qualification to NCAA's after her 4th place finish in the Midwest region. The Northern Illinois junior has competed six times this fall, winning four of her races, including the Mid-American Conference Championships. Tutt's 17th place finish at Pre-Nationals is what initially caught our attention and she has shown since then that that performance wasn't a fluke. She has the potential to finish in the top 50 at NCAA's.

47. Aoibhe Richardson, Junior, San Francisco (Unranked)

Richardson enters the rankings for the first time this season after finishing 4th in a deep West regional field. The San Francisco junior has not finished worse than 4th in a meet this season and has also tallied two victories. She won the "B" race at Pre-Nationals by 12 seconds and also won the Roy Griak Invitational back in September. At WCC's, Richardson was right on the heels of TSR #13 Courtney Wayment of BYU and placed ahead of TSR #34 Olivia Hoj. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Richardson break into the top 40 if things go her way on Saturday.

46. Susan Ejore, Rs. Senior, Oregon (-7 / 39)

Ejore did not compete at the West Regional Championships, but the women of Oregon still managed to earn an at-large bid to Terre Haute. Ejore has been solid this fall, finishing in the top portion of each meet that she has run in. The Duck veteran was on a roll last season before NCAA's, but ultimately finished 91st. Ejore should be looking for her first cross country All-American honor this upcoming weekend.

45. Lauren Gregory, Junior, Arkansas (-5 / 40)

Gregory dropped five places this week as a result of sitting out at her regional meet. The Arkansas junior has loads of talent, but hasn’t looked as strong this year as in 2018 and it is a bit concerning that she sat out this past Friday. Gregory has a history of struggling late in the postseason after dropping out of the 2018 cross country national meet as well as the West Preliminary 5000 meters during outdoors. Her absence is more than likely a precautionary rest decision, but keep an eye on her in Terre Haute.

44. Lydia Olivere, Sophomore, Villanova (Unranked)

Olivere turned heads after she won the BIG East Championships, improving off of her 7th place finish in 2018. Olivere had an off-day at Nuttycombe where she finished 63rd, but she looks to be going in the right direction heading into NCAA's.

Last fall, the Villanova sophomore was 178th at NCAA's and should see an improvement this weekend after taking down some big names on the way to a Mid-Atlantic regional victory.

43. Maudie Skyring, Junior, Florida State (Unranked)

After a disappointing Pre-Nationals race, Skyring has rebounded nicely to lead Florida State through the postseason. The junior was only 36th in Terre Haute in October, but has a chance to better that mark this time around after strong runs at ACC's and the South regional meet. Skyring finished 4th on Friday and was only bested by three women who are all ranked in our top 30. Skyring has only raced in one cross country national meet, placing 131st - a result she should easily better this weekend. Finishing in the top 50 would be a solid day for her and All-American honors would be icing on the cake.

42. Camila Noe, Rs. Freshman, Montana State (Unranked)

Noe has come on strong at the right time this season. She won the BIG Sky title in cold and snowy conditions and then backed that performance up with a 5th place finish in a tough Mountain region. Noe transferred from Portland after the 2018 fall semester and has made her presence known for the Bobcats. A top 40 finish is very possible for the Montana State ace.

41. Abby Nichols, Junior, Ohio State (+2 / 43)

On the individual side, Abby Nichols has been one of the biggest surprises this fall. The Ohio State junior had never finished in the top 35 at either a conference or regional meet coming into 2019. This season, she placed 5th and 9th at BIG 10's and in the Great Lakes region, respectively. Nichols has showed no signs of slowing as the season has progressed and should be right on the bubble for All-American status this Saturday.

40. Sara Freix, Senior, Virginia Tech (+4 / 44)

Freix moves up this week after her 7th place finish at the Southeast Regional Championships. The Virginia Tech senior has been consistent all fall, finishing at (or near) the top of the pack. Her 2nd place finish at ACC's helps solidify Freix as a potential All-American this weekend in Terre Haute. She just missed out on an individual qualification in 2018, but she'll have her chance to prove that she belongs amongst the best this weekend.

39. Bella Williams, Junior, Utah (-1 / 38)

Williams put together another solid day at the Mountain regional meet, finishing in 17th place and helping to send Utah to Terre Haute. Williams has been in Utah’s top three all season long and looks to be on the All-American bubble along with her teammates Sarah Feeny and Poppy Tank. Although Williams didn’t have her best run of the season this past Friday, the actual placing was substantially less important than simply racing smart enough to get the team through to Terre Haute (which they did). It would be surprising if Williams wasn’t a bit more aggressive on Saturday when all bets are off.

38. Tabor Scholl, Senior, Colorado (-8 / 30)

Scholl falls back in the rankings this weekend after recording a DNF at the Mountain Regional Championships. The Colorado senior struggled at PAC-12’s, only finishing 30th overall. She placed 15th last fall at Nationals and if healthy, she could replicate that performance this weekend. The Buffaloes need Scholl to bring her “A game" and be at full health to help them contend for a podium finish.

37. Jordan Oakes, Junior, Stanford (+9 / 46)

Every time Oakes races, she does a little bit better than she did at the same competition a year ago. PAC-12's? She jumped from 20th to 8th. The West Regional Championships? She jumped from 36th to 5th. NCAA's? Last fall she was 115th...

It’s almost guaranteed that Oakes will better her National Championships result from last year, but the more important question is...by how much? Oakes will be key for a Stanford team looking to dethrone TSR #1 Arkansas en route to an NCAA title. If the Stanford junior can crack the top 40, the Cardinal will have a decent chance at a title.

36. Poppy Tank, Junior, Utah (+1 / 37)

Tank has been a solid runner for the Utah Utes this fall and has been instrumental in their rise. She recorded a 12th place finish at the Mountain Regional Championships and was Utah’s #1 runner. Tank has experience on the national stage, last competing at Nationals in 2016 when she finished 110th. She is in a better place this time around and will look to lead the Utes to a top 10 finish in a crowded field of similar talent.

35. Maddy Denner, Rs. Freshman, Notre Dame (-8 / 27)

Hopefully the Notre Dame freshman has a short memory because she’ll likely want to forget her regional race before this Saturday. Denner had the worst run of her season in the Great Lakes region this past Friday, placing only 38th place after never finishing worse than 25th this season. Only two weeks prior, Denner had one of her best runs of the season to finish 3rd at ACC's, taking down TSR #33 Kelsey Chmiel and TSR #12 Anna Rohrer in the process. If Denner is able to forget about her regional performance, a top 30 finish wouldn’t be unrealistic in Terre Haute.

34. Olivia Hoj, Senior, BYU (+1 / 35)

Hoj of BYU has been steadily moving up in the rankings this fall and rightfully so. The senior has become a superb #4 option for an already strong BYU team. Hoj placed 7th at the Mountain Regional Championships, beating some past All-Americans. She should see a significant improvement from her 86th place finish at Nationals from 2018 this upcoming weekend in Terre Haute as she races with greater confidence.

33. Kelsey Chmiel, Freshman, NC State (+3 / 36)

One of the most impressive things about the NC State true freshman is that she has yet to record a bad race this season. Her worst finish was 34th in a loaded Nuttycombe field and despite facing a long first collegiate season, she just notched a 4th place finish at the Southeast regional meet to boost NC State to the team title.

At the national meet, Chmiel will finally get to go head-to-head with freshmen stars Melany Smart and Ericka VanderLende. All three of these women have looked solid all year, but Saturday will determine who comes out on top as “Freshman of the Year.”

32. Molly Born, Sophomore, Oklahoma State (+2 / 34)

Born will join teammate Taylor Somers this weekend at NCAA's after finishing 6th at the Midwest Regional Championships and earning an at-large bid from the selection committee. The sophomore has not finished outside of the top eight this fall and does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon, but her close call of nearly not going to Nationals was a little unnerving.

Even so, Born has shown tremendous growth since 2018, recording better performances and beating top individuals. If she continues this upswing, a top 35 finish will be in the cards for this Cowgirl.

31. Winny Koskei, Junior, Wichita State (0 / 31)

Koskei had a relatively uneventful regional meet - placing 3rd in the Midwest region behind TSR #29 Taylor Somers and TSR #27 Cailie Logue. The Wichita State junior continues to run well this fall and will head to Indiana looking to better her 35th place finish from 2018. Koskei has only finished outside of the top 10 once this season when she placed 13th at the competitive Bill Dellinger Invitational. While it’s unlikely that she makes it that high up on Saturday, a top 30 finish is a very realistic goal for this Shocker.

30. Jessica Drop, Senior, Georgia (+3 / 33)

For the third year in a row, Drop has recorded a 3rd place finish at the South Regional Championships. In 2017, Drop was an All-American, finishing 33rd, but in 2018, she fell back to 77th. Luckily for Drop, her twin sister, Samantha, will also be making the trip to NCAA's. If the two sisters can work together, an All-American honor is very possible.

29. Taylor Somers, Junior, Oklahoma State (+3 / 32)

Based on rankings coming into Friday, Somers finished slightly better than expected, finishing just ahead of Winny Koskei who came into the Midwest regional meet ranked one spot ahead of Somers. The Oklahoma State junior has been having a great season and looked solid on her home course where she finished runner-up to Cailie Logue of Iowa State.

Saturday will be Somers' second time running at the NCAA Cross Country Championships after finishing 137th a year ago. Her 2019 results have been much stronger than last fall and if all goes to plan, she should leave Terre Haute as an All-American.

28. Savannah Carnahan, Senior, Furman (0 / 28)

Carnahan will be one of the top leaders for the #GirlGang Paladins this weekend at NCAA's. The Furman senior finished 3rd at the Southeast Regional Championships, following only NC State’s Elly Henes and teammate Gabrielle Jennings. Carnahan’s senior season has gone well thus far as she has finished in the top five on four separate occasions, as well as a 19th place result at Nuttycombe. In 2018, Carnahan finished 20th at NCAA's and she appears very capable of repeating that performance this weekend in Terre Haute.

27. Cailie Logue, Junior, Iowa State (+2 / 29)

One fact that often seems hard to believe is that Cailie Logue has never been an All-American in any respect of collegiate distance running. The Iowa State junior always seems to be mentioned in race previews and regular season discussions, but has finished just outside of the top 40 with 79th and 53rd place runs at the cross country national meet.

This fall, Logue has essentially matched her 2018 season with wins at both BIG 12's and the Midwest Regional Championships (as well as a 25th place finish at Nuttycombe versus a 21st place result last fall). Logue continues to prove that she is capable of running with - and ahead of - some of the best women in the NCAA. Will this be the year where she finally cracks the top 40?

26. Gabrielle Jennings, Senior, Furman (-3 / 23)

The #GirlGang front-runner has been solid and consistent all season long. Jennings has yet to finish outside of the top eight of any meet this fall. She won two early-season meets, finishing 7th at Bill Dellinger and 8th at Nuttycombe before securing a pair of runner-up performances at the Southern Conference Championships and Southeast Regional Championships.

At NCAA's last fall, Jennings was 141st, but she has proven that she is a force to be reckoned with in Terre Haute. Furman will rely on Jennings and Carnahan to score as few points as possible.

25. Amy Davis, Senior, Wisconsin (+1 / 26)

Last spring, Davis earned the first All-American honors of her collegiate career when she placed 8th in the 10,000 meters at the Outdoor National Championships. Now, in her final year of cross country, the only thing missing on her resume is a top 40 finish at NCAA's which she looks to have a very good shot at pulling off on Saturday.

Davis is coming off of a 3rd place run from the Great Lakes Regional Championships and also notched a top five finish at BIG 10's two weeks prior. She has consistently put herself in the mix with some of the top names in the country this season and has yet to finish lower than 15th in any meet. Lacking backend depth, Wisconsin will be relying heavily on Monson and Davis to boost the Badgers in the team standings on Saturday. A top 20 finish for Davis would go a long way on that front.

24. Ericka VanderLende, Freshman, Michigan (+1 / 25)

VanderLende will not only be vying for an All-American finish this weekend in Terre Haute, but also the honor of being the Top True Freshman in the NCAA. The Michigan freshman came out guns ablazing this fall and has proven that she is capable of a top 30 finish in the NCAA. She was a stud in high school and has brought that success with her to the college scene.

This fall, VanderLende has been in the top six all six times she has raced. In the championship portion of the season, she has placed 6th at BIG 10’s and 4th at the Great Lakes Regional Championships. VanderLende has raced against some of the nation's most elite distance runners this season, but it'll be interesting to see how she handles the national stage.

23. Jessica Lawson, Junior, Stanford (+1 / 24)

Lawson might be one of the most underrated runners in the NCAA right now which sounds a bit crazy given that she’s ranked 23rd overall - but she’s just been that good. The Stanford junior’s “worst” performance was a 12th place finish at Nuttycombe in a loaded field. She has now finished 3rd at PAC-12's and was runner-up at the West Regional Championships in consecutive races, both of which she was only behind her own teammates.

Last fall, Lawson was only four spots away from earning her first collegiate All-American honors it would be shocking if she didn't secure that honor this season. She could be a dark horse for a top 10 finish on Saturday, especially with the team battle against Arkansas fueling the fire.

22. Jessica Pascoe, Senior, Florida (0 / 22)

Pascoe holds down the #22 spot this weekend after her 2nd place finish in the South region. She was 15 seconds behind the winner, Joyce Kimeli, but appears to be ready to race against the nation’s best in Terre Haute. The Florida senior has placed within the top seven on six occasions this fall, only losing to members of the SEC. Pascoe was an All-American last fall and if she can repeat that performance, she will continue to prove that Florida should not only be considered a sprinting and field event school.

21. Bailey Hertenstein, Sophomore, Indiana (-1 / 20)

Hertenstein got the job done in the Great Lakes region, finishing 6th place overall to secure herself (and her team) a spot to Nationals. The Indiana sophomore has had a breakout season in 2019, establishing herself as one of the biggest and best names in a loaded BIG 10 conference. Hertenstein finished 127th at Nationals last year as a freshman, but should have no issues bettering that mark on Saturday.

20. Hannah Steelman, Junior, Wofford (-5 / 15)

Steelman has not run poorly this season, she just has yet to race a large number of nationally ranked women all at once. The Wofford junior has put together a slew of strong races this fall and will definitely be one to watch in Terre Haute this weekend. At the Southeast Regional Championships, Steelman placed 5th overall, finishing behind two NC State runners and two Furman athletes. She was an individual qualifier last fall for NCAA's, finishing 76th overall, but looks primed to compete for a top 20 spot.

19. Annie Fuller, Rs. Junior, Michigan State (+2 / 21)

Fuller has been quietly leading a Michigan State team that could make a serious run at the podium in Terre Haute. The redshirt junior has run at only one cross country national championship meet (2018) where she placed 21st to unexpectedly lead the Spartans. This season, Fuller shouldn’t surprise anyone in Terre Haute after finishing no worse than 13th in any competition this season.

Fuller recently placed runner-up behind TSR #2 Alicia Monson in the Great Lakes region and could be a potential top 10 runner at NCAA's. Although her name may not carry the weight of those like Monson or Weini Kelati, but Fuller should be in the mix up front and could surprise quite a few folks on Saturday.

18. Devin Clark, Senior, Arkansas (-1 / 17)

17. Carina Viljoen, Senior, Arkansas (-1 / 16)

Clark and Viljoen, as well as the other top Arkansas women, breezed through the South Central region en route to a perfect score. While the region might be the weakest in the NCAA, putting up a perfect score in any scenario is no small feat and the Razorbacks made a statement heading into NCAA's. These two women have very realistic odds of finishing in the top 25 and will likely find themselves in head-to-head battles with the Stanford pair of Jordan Oakes and Jessica Lawson to determine which team will come out on top.

16. Melany Smart, Freshman, Washington (+3 / 19)

Smart caught the eye of NCAA fans right from the very beginning of her collegiate career at Washington. In each race, Smart has taken down some big-time names, leading us to believe that she should easily place within the top 25 this weekend..

The freshman has been in the top five four times this fall and joins teammate Katie Rainsberger up-front for the Huskies. Smart placed a solid 5th at PAC-12’s and then followed that performance up with a 3rd place finish at the West Regional Championships. As long as she keeps her composure in Terre Haute, Smart will earn herself an All-American honor, a potential team podium showing, and possibly be crowned the Top True Freshman.

15. Sage Hurta, Rs. Senior, Colorado (-5 / 10)

Hurta looks like someone who could finish anywhere from 5th to 25th on Saturday. Her best result of the season was a 3rd place result in a strong Pre-Nationals field. Her worst finish was an 11th place run in a less talented PAC-12's race. The Colorado redshirt senior has put together a solid season, but it’s hard to tell just where she’ll land in Terre Haute.

Last fall, Hurta was only 28th at PAC-12's before placing 22nd at NCAA's - a stat that bodes well for her considering how she’s performed this season. With Colorado looking like a stretch to reach the podium, Hurta will need a big day for the Buffs to upset a few teams this weekend.

14. Anna Rohrer, Rs. Senior, Notre Dame (0 / 14)

Rohrer is three-for-three on the grass in earning All-American honors. The Notre Dame ace has the ability to finish in the top 10 if she comes in confident and ready to put up a fight. Rohrer has been strong this season, finishing in the top 10 of every meet she run in. After her 10th place finish at Nuttycombe, Rohrer has been slowing inching her way back up to the top of the field with a 7th place finish at ACC’s and a 5th place finish at the Great Lakes Regional Championships. If things go according to plan this weekend, Rohrer should walk away from Terre Haute with another All-American honor to her name.

13. Katie Rainsberger, Senior, Washington (-1 / 12)

Rainsberger is no stranger to the NCAA Cross Country Championships as she has been an All-American three times on the grass during her career. The last time Rainsberger competed at a national meet in Terre Haute, she was a part of the Oregon team that stood atop the podium in 1st place.

Rainsberger will be one of two women leading the charge for Washington this weekend as they try to take down ranked teams for the national team title. She may not have the same accolades as some of the women inside our top 10, but her incredible consistency, specifically on the national stage, makes her a very strong pick to do well this weekend.

12. Courtney Wayment, Senior, BYU (+1 / 13)

Wayment looked solid en route to a 4th place finish at the Mountain regional meet - a race which holds little weight in the grand scheme of things. The BYU junior had little to no pressure to put up anything crazy given that BYU was all but guaranteed a trip to NCAA's. Even so, a 4th place finish sets Wayment up nicely heading into Nationals.

Wayment finished 23rd at NCAA's in 2018 and could make a run at top 10 which would be huge for a BYU team trying to knock down Arkansas and Stanford. We have yet to see Wayment run poorly this fall and that’s not likely to change this weekend. She is one of the more underappreciated distance runners in the country this fall.

11. Ella Donaghu, Junior, Stanford (+7 / 18)

Donaghu moves up this week after her win at the West Regional Championships. The Stanford junior has come on strong this season and has not finished outside of the top six in any meet she has toed the line for. Outside of her regional win, she has seen a 6th place finish at Nuttycombe and a 2nd place finish at PAC-12’s.

Donaghu redshirted the 2018 cross country season, but she is making a name for herself this fall and will look to earn her first All-American honor on the grass.

10. Whittni Orton, Senior, BYU (+1 / 11)

Orton did not race at the Mountain regional meet which has been a recurring theme this season. After racing only once in 2018, the BYU senior has been sitting out for a handful of competitions this season in an effort to arrive to Terre Haute healthy.

Despite her limited racing, Orton appears to be unphased and has not lost a race this season. She took down a talented field at Bill Dellinger and was the first woman to cross the line at WCC's. It’s unlikely she makes it through Saturday undefeated, but a top five finish isn’t out of the question for this BYU standout.

9. Elly Henes, Senior, NC State (0 / 9)

Henes looked great en route to winning the Southeast regional and leading NC State back to NCAA's. The North Carolina State veteran has been rolling all season long and now has back-to-back wins heading into Saturday. In her final collegiate season of cross country, Henes will be looking to earn her third All-American honors after finishing 32nd in 2017 and 16th in 2018. She should be on the bubble for a top 10 finish and could have a shot at a top five result if everything goes her way.

8. Ednah Kurgat, Senior, New Mexico (0 / 8)

In the past two races, Kurgat has placed 2nd to teammate Weini Kelati by an average of 53 seconds. She faltered a little bit in the middle season with an 18th place finish at Nuttycombe, but has since rebounded. With Kelati out in front at the Mountain Regional Championships, Kurgat was comfortably in 2nd place through 4500 meters, but then the chase pack started closing in. She was able to take 2nd by two seconds.

In 2017, Kurgat was the NCAA champion, but it will take a big move early in the race to takeout her teammate and others if she wants to repeat that performance.

7. Erica Birk-Jarvis, Senior, BYU (-1 / 6)

Birk-Jarvis finished behind Ednah Kurgat at the Mountain Regional Championships, but that truthfully doesn't mean much considering that BYU was simply focused on qualifying for Nationals without any issues. With the dominance of Kelati and Monson this season, winning the national title seems like a bit of a stretch, but Birk-Jarvis should be in contention for that 3rd place spot on Saturday.

6. Joyce Kimeli, Junior, Auburn (+1 / 7)

For someone without a team behind her, Kimeli of Auburn is making a name for herself amongst the nation’s best. The junior has been consistent this fall, producing top three finishes each time she takes to the grass. Her first strong showing was at the Joe Piane Invite when she finished 3rd. If that somehow wasn't good enough, she backed-up that performance with a 2nd place finish at Pre-Nationals.

Kimeli won the South Regional Championships by 15 seconds and is ready to prove that her 106th place finish at NCAA's in 2018 was not a legitimate indicator of her true talent.

5. Katie Izzo, Senior, Arkansas (0 / 5)

There isn’t much to take away from Izzo’s result at the South Central regional meet. She ran with the rest of her teammates to a perfect score while facing minimal competition. The Arkansas senior has been one of the biggest surprises of the season and has filled the role of Katrina Robinson from 2018 incredibly well. Izzo will need another big day on Saturday as Arkansas faces challenges from Stanford, Washington, and BYU.

4. Fiona O’Keeffe, Senior, Stanford (0 / 4)

O’Keeffe did not compete at the West Regional Championships, but that did not hurt the Stanford Cardinal as they easily qualified for NCAA's. The Stanford senior has been in the top four of each race she has run this season and is ready for a big finish to cap off a stellar collegiate cross country career.

O’Keeffe could compete for a top three finish this weekend if she is cool, calm, and collected on the nation's biggest stage. What could drive O’Keeffe towards a huge finish is the potential for her team to fight for a national title.

3. Taylor Werner, Senior, Arkansas (0 / 3)

You can essentially repeat what was said about Katie Izzo for Taylor Werner. After a breakout season on the track last spring, Werner has looked like one of the NCAA's best this fall and could compete with Monson and Kelati if the race plays out right.

The Arkansas senior will have an extra boost from team title hopes, and if she can finish in the top three, the Razorbacks will greatly benefit on the team side. Werner will have the best chance at upsetting Kelati and Monson if the races comes down to a fast finish, so pay attention early on to how these women choose to run up front.

2. Alicia Monson, Senior, Wisconsin (-1 / 1)

I did not want to move Monson back in the rankings after her win at the Great Lakes Regional Championships, but Weini Kelati had a massive margin of victory. Monson won the Great Lakes Regional Championships on her home course in Madison, Wisconsin by about one second over Annie Fuller of Michigan State.

The narrowness of that win shouldn't mean much when you consider that national qualification was the main goal, but it's hard to overlook just dominant Kelati has been over elite competition since Nuttycombe.

With this in mind, the Badger veteran is still a (the?) favorite to win the NCAA title and lead Wisconsin to a top 10 finish. It all depends on who you ask...

1. Weini Kelati, Junior, New Mexico (+1 / 2)

Monson and Kelati are easily interchangeable in this spot. Both have looked dominant all season long - unless they are racing one another. Kelati gets the edge heading into NCAA's because she has now won her past two races by almost a minute each time.

The New Mexico junior thrives on running hard from the gun, but becomes substantially more vulnerable when the race slows and focuses on a fast finish. In an ideal world, Kelati will take off on Saturday and make it honest from the start. However, the state of Indiana doesn’t exactly follow “ideal” conditions and is often incredibly windy, which would make a solo break for the title much more challenging.

The battle between Monson and Kelati should be incredibly exciting this weekend, so make sure to follow the splits early to gauge how the race may play out.

ADDED

Camila Noe (Montana State)

Hannah Reinhardt (Albany)

Kathryn Munks (Penn State)

Ashley Tutt (Northern Illinois)

Aoibhe Richardson (San Francisco)

Maudie Skyring (Florida State)

Lydia Olivere (Villanova)

KICKED OFF

Sarah Feeny (Utah)

Anastasia Korzenowski (Minnesota)

Kayley DeLay (Yale)

Elizabeth Funderburk (Florida State)

Lilli Burdon (Washington)

Taryn O’Neill (Northern Arizona)

Clare O’Brien (Boise State)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Elizabeth Funderburk (Florida State)

Lilli Burdon (Washington)

Sarah Feeny (Utah)

Anastasia Korzenowski (Minnesota)

Yukino Parle (Boise State)

Kathryn House (Michigan)

Jenna Magness (Michigan State)

Adva Cohen (New Mexico)

Samantha Drop (Georgia)

Allison Pray (Southern Utah)

Julia Zachgo (NC State)

Maria Mettler (Air Force)

Shona McCulloch (Washington)

Maggie Smith (Villanova)

Paige Hofstad (UNC)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Alissa Niggemann (Wisconsin)

Anna West (Michigan)

Sarah Schmitt (Indiana)

Natalie Cizmas (Eastern Michigan)

Kelby Anderson (North Dakota State)

Caitlin Klopfer (Tulsa)

Egle Morenaite (Iona)

Anna Juul (Harvard)

Mahala Norris (Air Force)

Lucinda Crouch (Wisconsin)