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

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 individual has moved in the rankings.

The second number indicates where they were ranked in our last update.

25. Imogen Barrett, Junior, Florida

The outdoor track season has already started off with a victory and a personal best for Barrett on her home track. At the Florida Relays, the Florida Gator won the 800 meter in a one-second PR of 2:02, taking down a strong field in the process.

Barrett had a solid winter season leading up the indoor national meet, running a season’s best of 2:03. However, she faltered a bit at the indoor national meet, missing out on the final by a mere 0.28 seconds.

Over the past few seasons, the Florida junior has put an emphasis on the 1500 meters, running 4:15 and qualifying for the national meet in said event. However, with this recent 800 meter performance, we could see Barrett drop down in distance like she did during the winter months and focus on taking down the reigning indoor champion, Lindsey Butler, as well as BYU star Claire Seymour, while searching for a sub-2:02 or even a sub-2:01 mark.

Barrett has shifted her identity as a miler to a half-miler. Although the transition hasn't been perfect, the results have still been overwhelmingly positive.

24. Ellie Leather, Senior, Cincinnati

Leather occasionally flies under the radar in the NCAA, but she shouldn’t be overlooked, at least not anymore. She was the bronze medalist in the mile at the 2022 indoor national meet and ran 4:34 as well.

Surprisingly, Cincinnati’s standout runner has never qualified for the outdoor national meet. Last spring, she finished 37th in the 1500 meter at her regional meet, but since then, time has dropped quite a bit for Leather and she has since gained valuable racing experience.

A few weeks ago, Leather opened up her season with a new shiny PR in the 1500 meters of 4:14 at the Raleigh Relays. She then won the 800 meters this past weekend at Cincinnati’s home meet by five seconds in a mark of 2:05.

It's not exactly crazy to think that Leather can qualify for yet another national meet. In fact, this season, it's what we now expect. She’s got the times, the talent and the experience. On paper, she should be an All-American once again come June.

Her early-season 3rd place finish in the 1500 meters to Tuohy and Gibson at the Raleigh Relays left room for improvement, but it was still an encouraging performance no matter how you slice it.

23. Anna Gibson, Junior, Washington

Gibson is on her way to translating her her indoor track success to outdoors after running 4:13 in the 1500 meters at the Raleigh Relays, losing only to Katelyn Tuohy and earning a key finish over Ellie Leather.

Admittedly, this time wasn’t super surprising given that the Washington Husky ran 4:32 in the mile a month prior. Still, the Washington junior’s runner-up finish in Raleigh gave Tuohy a run for her money and it was a two-second PR for Gibson.

Momentum is clearly on her side right now.

Gibson gained national experience when competing in the mile at the 2022 indoor national meet and has the potential to qualify for her first outdoor national meet if she continues to either hold steady around 4:13 or shave off more time from her PR.

22. Sam Bush, Junior, NC State

We have every reason to believe that Bush's success from the indoor track season will translate to the outdoor oval. After running 8:54 for 3000 meters on the indoor oval and later earning a 6th place All-American finish, Bush has solidified herself as a true national elite in our eyes.

Her other new personal bests, specifically in the mile and the 1000 meters, have also been super encouraging.

A recent 15:45 effort for 5000 meters at the Raleigh Relays, losing only to Kayley DeLay amongst collegiates, was fairly solid, although her past performances suggest that she can do more -- and we certainly believe that she will.

21. Ceili McCabe, Sophomore, West Virginia

An 8th place finish at the indoor national meet in the 3k, while encouraging, didn't match McCabe's true potential. However, it's hard to ignore the fact that she ran 8:52 for the distance back in December.

Not only has McCabe emerged as a superstar distance talent over the last few seasons, but she was also a top-tier steeplechaser last spring. Armed with a 9:37 personal best in the steeplechase and a 6th place All-American finish from last year's outdoor national meet, this Canadian distance star has the makings of a top-10 runner this year.

We still need to see McCabe deliver on her true potential, but don't be surprised if she is in the title conversation two months from now.

20. Aneta Konieczek, Senior, Oregon

A lot of people will look at Konieczek's resume and applaud her accomplishments. On TFRRS, she has run times of 4:34 in the mile and 9:34 in the steeplechase. She has qualified for numerous national meets and was an All-American in the mile during the 2021 indoor track season.

However, what Konieczek's TFRRS resume doesn't show you is that she ran 9:25 for the steeple in Poland last summer. That mark put Konieczek in the Olympics, giving her the most competition that she will likely ever face in her career.

On paper, Konieczek is a national title favorite in the steeple given her PR. However, that result was a bit of an anomaly for Konieczek who hasn't run within eight seconds of that 9:25 mark at any other point in her career.

If she can replicate that kind of result this spring, then she'll be favored for the NCAA title this spring and her place in our rankings will go sky high.

19. Amelia Mazza-Downie, Sophomore, New Mexico

New Mexico’s Amelia Mazza-Downie will be a force in both the 5k and the 10k this outdoor season. After finishing 7th place in the 5k at the indoor national meet and backing up that performance with a strong 10k mrk, this Lobo sophomore has proven to have a very high ceiling.

Mazza-Downie has a 5k PR of 15:37 from the 2021 outdoor track season. She finished 9th place in that event at the outdoor national meet, a solid performance in her first national meet on the track as only a freshman.

The 5k potential has already been on full display by this sophomore, but now Mazza-Downie has added a top 10k time to her resume. She just dropped a 10-second PR of 32:55 at the Stanford Invite over the weekend, a result that could put her in the conversation to finish in the top-five at the national meet if she continues on that path.

New Mexico has a strong history of longer distance runners and Mazza-Downie is making a name for herself in only her second outdoor track season. Right now, there is very little to dislike about her, especially with the 10k opening up another realistic postseason opportunity for her.

18. Abby Nichols, Senior, Colorado

Without any remaining indoor track eligibility, Colorado’s Abby Nichols was able to put in a solid block of training over the course of the winter -- and it’s already paying off.

The 2021 outdoor track season saw Nichols qualify for the national meet in both the 5k and the 10k. Although she didn’t have a standout day, she rebounded well by the time the cross country national meet came around and finished a remarkable 8th place in a strong field.

Just this past weekend, Nichols ran herself to a new 5k PR of 15:27, a 19-second improvement, at the Stanford Invite. This time will easily qualify Nichols for the regional meet which, in turn, allows her to turn all of her attention to the 10k at some point in the coming weeks where she will likely improve upon her current 32:49 best.

National qualifying is no longer a concern for Nichols. On paper, she should make it to Eugene this year. However, where she fits into the All-American conversation is now a new debate to be had, specifically in the 5k.

17. Krissy Gear, Senior, Arkansas

After a quiet indoor season where Gear didn’t qualify in an individual event for the indoor national meet, the outdoor season looks like it could be her revenge tour.

Gear has a 4:09 PR in the 1500 meters and is the top returner in the event from the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Arkansas veteran has the necessary experience and versatility to keep herself in the conversation for a top-two finish come June.

With a 2:05 effort for 800 meters and a 4:14 mark for 1500 meters, both at the Stanford Invite this past weekend, Gear is on track to improve over the course of the season and hopefully reenter her elite tier of fitness from the 2021 indoor and outdoor track seasons.

The 1500 meters is Gear’s main event, but she's also a top-notch steeplechaser. Her rising momentum, plus her national-caliber talent in an outdoor-centric event, gives her tons of new value within our rankings this spring.

16. Jenna Magness, Junior, Michigan State

Has not yet competed this spring.

15. McKenna Keegan, Senior, Villanova

Villanova’s McKenna Keegan enters the outdoor track season with tons of experience gained on the national stage, competing at six national meets on the track throughout her career. Her highest finish came a few weeks ago when she finished 3rd in the 800 meters in a time of 2:02, only one second off of her current PR.

Keegan has consistently been near the front of races when it comes to the 800 meters. She has yet to qualify for an outdoor national 800 meter final, but that could change this year.

The Villanova Wildcat has already picked up where she left off following the indoor season. At the Raleigh Relays, Keegan jumped up to the 1500 meters and ran 4:18 in her event debut. Then, a week later, at the Florida Relays, she finished 2nd to Imogen Barrett in the 800 meters with a time of 2:03.

These are both great marks for this early in the season and they set up Keegan nicely for the next two months. She most likely won’t put much emphasis on the 1500 meters this outdoor season, but running a few 1500 efforts can give Keegan (and a us) a greater gauge of her strength which could come in handy for aggressive races at the national meet.

14. Claire Seymour, Junior, BYU

Seymour ran a perfect race at the indoor national meet in the 800 meters and left the track with a runner-up finish and a strong 2:01 performance.

In her last three national meets, Seymour has finished 5th (2021 indoors), 4th (2021 outdoors) and 2nd (2022 indoors). Based on this resume, does the BYU Cougar have what it takes to stand at the top of the podium come June?

Seymour has already opened her outdoor track season with a heat win in the 1500 meters and solid 4:20 debut. Although this mark isn’t anything special for someone with a 2:01 personal best for 800 meters, it’s still a nice start and a solid way to gain extra strength before dropping back to the half-mile distance.

13. Emily Mackay, Senior, Binghamton

Has not yet competed this spring.

12. Katie Camarena, Senior, Portland State*

Has not yet competed this spring. According to TFRRS, Camarena my have already exhausted her outdoor eligibility. For the moment, she will be ranked until verified.

11. Julia Heymach, Senior, Stanford

Has not yet competed this spring.

10. Mercy Chelangat, Junior, Alabama

Chelangat has not yet competed this spring. However, the longer the race, the better she is.

The Alabama star often sees success in the 5k, but when the 10k comes into play, expect to see her near the front. She placed 2nd last spring in the 10k at the outdoor national meet and ran a PR of 32:13 a few weeks prior to that national meet.

She is one of the favorites to take home NCAA gold in the 10k this season. Since she likes to control the pace with surges, this 10k race on the national stage could play perfectly into her hands in 2022.

9. Lauren Ryan, Junior, Florida State

Has not yet competed this spring.

8. Sintayehu Vissa, Junior, Ole Miss

Has not yet competed this spring.

7. Kelsey Chmiel, Junior, NC State

Has not yet competed this spring. However, Chmiel is a strong 10k specialist and was an All-American in the event last spring. Her value, specifically in these rankings, rises because of that.

6. Micaela Degenero, Senior, Colorado

Has not yet competed this spring.

5. Taylor Roe, Junior, Oklahoma State

Has not yet competed this spring.

4. Lindsey Butler, Junior, Virginia Tech

Has not yet competed this spring.

3. Lauren Gregory, Rs. Junior, Arkansas

Gregory has some serious range, running marks of 4:15 (1500), 15:32 (5k) and most recently, a time of 32:34 (10k). Her resume is only getting longer and stronger.

The Arkansas star has experience in the 5k, recently finishing 4th place at the indoor national meet in a PR of 15:32. On the national stage, Gregory often sticks to the front of the chase pack and she continues to prove that she belongs when vying for a top finish.

But, Gregory just added another tool to her racing arsenal.

The Razorback veteran turned some heads this past weekend after debuting in the 10k at the Stanford Invite. She didn’t let her inexperience in the event affect her at all as she went on to win the race by 31 seconds. What can she do if she is in a real race from start to finish?

It goes without saying that Gregory will look to qualify for the outdoor national meet in the 5k this spring, but could we see her go for the 5k/10k double? Right now, the 10k seems somewhat wide-open, and because of that, Gregory gets a minor boost in our rankings.

For someone looking for her first individual national title, the 10k could certainly provide her with that.

2. Katelyn Tuohy, Sophomore, NC State

Will it be the 1500 meters, the 5k or both for Katelyn Tuohy in the postseason? Will she jump up to the 10k? Will she win her first individual NCAA title in only her first outdoor national meet?

NC State’s Katelyn Tuohy, a two-time runner-up at the most recent indoor national meet and a five-time All-American in total, is someone to watch very closely as we enter the outdoor season. She’s one of the strongest NCAA runners and has a kick that should be feared.

If you don't believe us, just watch the replays from the recent indoor national meet in the 3k and the 5k.

Tuohy missed out on qualifying for the outdoor national meet last spring in both the 1500 meters and the 5k, but since then, the young athlete has only improved.

Her marks 4:12 (1500) and 15:30 (5k) set her up nicely in either event. A sub-4:10 isn’t out of the question for Tuohy this outdoor season and she’s already opened up her season by matching her 1500 meter personal best.

And as for the 5k, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Tuohy shave off more time and continue to put her name in the national title conversation.

1. Courtney Wayment, Rs. Senior, BYU

It seems like we’ve been here before. Wayment ranked at TSR #1 and ready to vie for another NCAA title or two. The BYU Cougar is a title favorite in the steeplechase and the 5k this outdoor season when you consider her 9:23 steeplechase PR and her 15:15 (5k) PR.

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Wayment is coming off of winning a 5k title from the indoor national meet, handling Mercy Chelangat’s surges and holding off a charging Katelyn Tuohy. Her ability to stay calm and hold her own against her competitors continues to give Wayment an advantage in any race.

As for the steeplechase, Wayment was the favorite last year, but Mahala Norris had something to say about that as the BYU star faded to 4th place following a minor stumble in the final water pit. She then went on to finish 4th at the U.S. Olympic Trials and ran faster than the current NCAA record of 9:24.

Will Wayment rewrite the record books this season?

Already off to a solid start after a three second PR in the 1500 meters, running 4:12 over the weekend at the Stanford Invite, Wayment is just continuing to add speed to benefit her aerobic-heavy resume.

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Olivia Howell (Illinois)

Rachel McArthur (Colorado)

Greta Karinauskaite (California Baptist)

Nicole Fegans (Georgia Tech)

Grace Forbes (Rice)

Joyce Kimeli (Auburn)

Kayley DeLay (Yale)

Lucy Jenks (Stanford)

Emma Heckel (New Mexico)

Lydia Olivere (Villanova)

Bethany Hasz (Minnesota)

Aurora Rydna (Michigan)

Sarah Hendrick (Kennesaw State)

Allison Johnson (Penn State)

Bethany Hasz (Minnesota)

Mia Barnett (Virginia)

Valery Tobias (Texas)

Brooke Jaworski (Texas)

Grace Fetherstonehaugh (Oregon State)

Kaylee Mitchell (Oregon State)

Katy-Ann McDonald (LSU)

Gabija Galvydyte (Oklahoma State)

Kassidy Johnson (Kansas State)

Emily Covert (Colorado)

Eusila Chepkemei (Middle Tennessee State)

Madison Boreman (Colorado)

Alexandra Hays (NC State)

Avi'Tal Wilson-Perteete (Texas A&M)

Gabrielle Wilkinson (Florida)

Maudie Skyring (Florida State)

Haley Herberg (Washington)

Amanda Vestri (Syracuse)

Logan Jolly (Arkansas)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Hannah Steelman (NC State)

Cailie Logue (Iowa State)

Parker Valby (Florida)

Purity Sanga (Louisville)

Dom Clairmonte (NC State)

Kennedy Thomson (Arkansas)

Bailey Hertenstein (Indiana)

Lauren Ellsworth (BYU)

Kayla Johnson (Miami)

Savannah Shaw (NC State)

Melissa Riggins (Georgetown)

India Johnson (Colorado)

Christina Aragon (Stanford)

Cara Woolnough (Utah)

Kayla Windemueller (Michigan)

Lauren Ellsworth (BYU)

Abbe Goldstein (New Mexico)

Kate Hunter (BYU)

Isabel Van Camp (Arkansas)

Izzy Thornton-Bott (Oregon)

Amaris Tyynismaa (Alabama)

Carmen Riano (Miami (OH))

Tori Herman (Kentucky)

Laura Pellicoro (Portland)

Ruby Smee (San Francisco)

Gracelyn Larkin (New Mexico)

Taryn O'Neill (Northern Arizona)

Maggie Donahue (Georgetown)

Madison Heisterman (Washington)

Adva Cohen (New Mexico)

Brooke Fazio (Richmond)

Notes

• There are certain names who were highly ranked during our indoor track rankings have been omitted. This is simply due to a lack of space in our top-25 with the inclusion of 10k runners and steeplechasers. Performances from this early outdoor track season also play a role.

• Yes, we are aware how long and extensive our "Just Missed" and "Honorable Mentions" lists are. However, this is simply what happens at the beginning of a certain season as many names return to a level playing field in terms of expectations (to an extent).