No Surprises Here: The Women of Oregon, UNC & BYU Continue to Thrive on the Recruiting Trail

Written by Donny Speas, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin

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It’s that time again, more recruiting content!

Way back in October, we broke down some of the top NCAA recruiting classes on the men's side (which you can read here). Now, it’s time to break down some of the top women’s programs and their 2024 recruiting classes.

While certain teams like Notre Dame, Tennessee and Mizzou have all collected a large handful of formidable distance standouts, we ultimately decided to focus on the recruiting efforts of the BYU Cougars, the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Oregon Ducks...

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BYU Cougars

Tessa Buswell (Poway, CA): TSR #27 Recruit

Heading north from Poway up to Provo, Tessa Buswell is a strong middle distance runner who will occasionally have an incredible performance on the grass, typically when it matters most. Busswell is best at the half-mile distance with a personal best of 2:08 and multiple All-American honors to her name.

Part of what makes Buswell such a dangerous athlete in championship settings is her ability to effectively navigate longer postseason stretches. It's no secret that the California postseason is quite lengthy and making the state finals is, in and of itself, a massive achievement.

So far in her high school track career, Buswell has managed to not only qualify for the state finals each year, but has also managed to finish as an All-State athlete each time, with the highest placement (3rd) coming this past spring. Coach Diljeet Taylor likely had that postseason prowess in mind while signing the middle distance ace, but more simply, Buswell's top-tier middle distance prowess will be a fantastic complement to the endurance-heavy identity of this roster.

Eliza White (University Place, WA)

Eliza White is an athlete who has shown flashes of greatness in the mile while putting up solid marks in multiple other events.

Her personal bests currently sit at 2:18 (800), 4:29 (1500), 4:48 (mile), 10:29 (3200) and 18:13 (5k XC). And while most of those times were achieved during her sophomore year, it would be foolish to discount someone with her raw talent and proven pedigree. After all, she was a state champion over 3200 meters her sophomore year and was the runner-up finisher at the state level over 1600 meters and in cross country.

White has yet to open up her 2024 indoor track season, but watch out when she does. Her upcoming performance could be a key indicator of what we may see from her on the collegiate stage. 

Addie Meldrum (Lone Peak, UT)

BYU is known for recruiting heavily from the Utah/Salt Lake Valley area and doing amazing things with local athletes (Casey Clinger, Meghan Hunter, Taylor Rohatinsky, etc.). That's great news for Addie Meldrum who ultimately fits that hometown signee trend.

While maintaining a difficult balance of playing two sports in high school (Meldrum is a defender on Lone Peak’s varsity soccer team), the distance standout ran 2:13 (800), 4:50 (1600) and 17:45 (5k XC).

Most impressively, her 1600-meter personal best came in one of the most dramatic fashions possible. Meldrum set a seven-second PR to win the 1600-meter state title at 4600 feet of elevation. If that doesn’t scream “clutch gene,” then I don’t know what does.

Although she “only” placed 3rd at the Utah XC State Championships (falling to a current teammate and a future teammate), I would still consider that a very solid performance. Pair her state meet result with two top-75 efforts on the national stage and you’ve got someone who can be a year-round threat.

Nelah Roberts (Idaho Falls, ID): TSR #39 Recruit

Heading south from Idaho to Utah is four-time state cross country champion, Nelah Roberts.

It’s incredibly rare for a single athlete to win four state titles in cross country. And when you have that kind of pedigree, history success that someone like Roberts should, in theory, find similar success at the collegiate level.

On the track, the same narrative persists with Roberts owning four state titles on the track (two over 1600 meters and two over 3200 meters). Along with her championship pedigree, the Idaho star also claims some top-tier personal bests such as marks of 4:58 for 1600 meters, 10:30 for 3200 meters and 17:18 for 5000 meters on the grass.

And when I look at those times, I can’t help but think, “What could Roberts do in the 10k?”

Roberts looks destined to succeed in such a strong cross country environment. After all, the Cougars have already won a national title under Coach Diljeet Taylor and have logged multiple podium finishes. In my mind, the pairing between this program and Nelah Roberts makes perfect sense.  

Avalon Mecham (American Fork, UT): TSR #40 Recruit

The latest in the long line of American Fork athletes who have evolved into BYU Cougars, Avalon Mecham is a true cross country athlete who excels over the 5000-meter distance.

Of course, that isn’t to say that her reputation on the track isn’t strong, either.

Mecham holds an elite 3200-meter personal best of 10:19 and her 1600-meter PR of 4:56 (which was contested at 4500 feet) isn’t anything to scoff at, either. Additionally, she’s grabbed numerous top placements at the always-competitive Utah 6A Track & Field State Championships.

However, it’s on the cross country course where Mecham has truly shined. She’s a two-time national qualifier and has twice finished in the top-25 on the national stage (NXN, specifically), boasting a best-ever finish of 15th place in 2022.

Admittedly, the BYU women didn’t end the 2022 cross country season on the highest note, falling to 14th place at the national meet. That, of course, was a clear outlier result compared to their dominant fall campaign.

The Cougars are undeniably a top-level program with numerous podium finishes, seemingly a perfect fit for a cross country-based star like Mecham. And who knows what Mecham could do in a track 5k or, maybe eventually, the 10k during her time as a Cougar.

Oregon Ducks

Isabel Con De Frankenberg (Cedar Park, TX): TSR #7 Recruit

Isabel Con De Frankenberg has such an impressive resume that I don’t even know where to start. So let’s rewind to the end of last track season, specifically to the U20 Pan-American Games, where Con De Frankenberg finished 4th place over 1500 meters.

Due to Con De Frankenberg’s Argentinian citizenship, we’ll more than likely to continue see her gain more and more championship experience over the years. Of course, domestically, she shines just as bright. In fact, her best race undoubtedly came on American soil in 2022 when she won the 2022 New Balance Nationals half-mile title in an elite time of 2:05 (800)!

The 800 meters seems to be Con De Frankenberg’s best event. In the last two years, she’s recorded six results of 2:08 or faster. And at the collegiate level, that kind of consistency is way more valuable than some people realize.

The incoming Duck had a bit of a "down" season in cross country this past fall, but she’s always been at her best on the track and it would be foolish to think that she's not going to find more success on the oval in 2024.

Charlotte Sinke (Canada)

Another international athlete who will be heading to Eugene this fall, Charlotte Sinke brings a wealth of championship experience to the Ducks.

Sinke is no stranger to US competition as she routinely travels to national meets such as New Balance Indoor Nationals and Nike Outdoor Nationals. At the 2023 edition of Nike Outdoor Nationals, she made a huge statement, securing a runner-up finish over two-miles, running a phenomenal time of 9:56. Not only that, but the rest of Sinke’s personal bests are almost equally as strong, holding times of 2:12 (800), 4:22 (1500) and 9:32 (3k).

After looking at those personal bests, I get the feeling that Sinke could be competitive in any event that she chooses (although that may sound obvious). She could add even more competitive depth to an elite middle distance group or focus on helping on the Ducks' cross country team that is fresh off of a top-10 performance at the national meet.

Or she could do both! That, ladies and gentlemen, is fantastic recruiting value.

Landen LeBlond (Goodyear, AZ): TSR #36 Recruit

Another athlete who looks to continue the rich heritage of Oregon Ducks finding major success in the mile (or 1500 meters) is Landen LeBlond. She'll venture to Eugene sporting a flashy 4:44 mile PR. And while that’s far and away her strongest personal best, she is also capable of moving up and holding her own for 3200 meters (10:22 PRR) or dropping down and finding success over 800 meters (2:10 PR).

On the grass, LeBlond performances may not be on the same tier as her track efforts, but they are still more than solid. After all, she was this year’s AIA cross country champion!

When looking over LeBlond’s resume of work, it stood out to me that she seemed a little inexperienced on the national stage with only one national meet on her resume. And while that may seem like a negative, I could argue that the lack of championship experience could be a good thing. In theory, that leaves a lot of room for further development to take place during her next few years in Eugene. 

Samantha Humphries (Lewisville Flower Mound, TX): TSR #11 Recruit

Nine-time national qualifier, Samantha Humphries, is headed to Oregon this coming fall.

That just sounds right, doesn’t it?

As you may have inferred from the first sentence, Samantha Humphries will bring a wealth of championship experience to Oregon, ultimately adding tons of value to an already-experienced class. However, what helps Humphries stand out in a class of this caliber is how well-rounded she is. I can’t think of very many names who can claim All-American honors for both the 800 meters and in cross country.

That being said, I truly have no idea which events that Humphries will gravitate towards in college. She clearly has elite potential at whatever event she chooses and her development will be one of the biggest rookie storylines come 2025 track season. 

Nicole Humphries (Lewisville Flower Mound, TX): TSR #25 Recruit

It makes sense that if the coaching staff at Oregon had signed Samantha Humphries, that they would also sign her sister, Nicole, as well.

This past cross country season, Nicole Humphries unfortunately seemed to be dealing with an injury. Even so, she still managed to finish 15th overall at the Foot Locker South Regional XC Championships. Previously in her career, she’s reached the top of the sport, placing as high as 13th at the 2022 NXN Championships. Her personal bests currently stand at 2:06 (800), 4:46 (mile), 10:11 (3200) and 17:07 (5k XC).

Just like her twin sister, Humphries appears to have potential across all distances. But unlike her twin, she appears to be a little bit stronger over shorter distances. At worst, Humphries will be a valuable addition to Oregon’s depth, someone who can provide a heightened level of competition during workouts, and at her best, she’s an All-American talent lying in the wings. 

Allison Ince (Normal Community, IL): TSR #1 Recruit

I think Allison Ince is the best runner in the Class of 2024 -- and I don’t think that’s a terribly bold statement. It’s no wonder that Coach Shalane Flanagan and the rest of the Oregon coaching staff made Ince a priority in this recruiting cycle.

Ince holds personal bests of 54 (400), 2:03 (800), 4:40 (1600) and 10:40 (3200). However, it’s not just her elite times that make Ince an attractive recruit, but more so how she races.

The Illinois native has won the last three Brooks PR titles over 800 meters (the only athlete to win three titles in any event) and has proven that she doesn’t fear taking a race from the front. Just look at 2023’s HOKA Festival of Miles where she took the race from the gun and held the lead until the final 200 meters.

There’s not much more to say about Ince. She’s simply the best middle distance runner in this class and looks to be the crowning jewel in an absolutely loaded 2024 group of soon-to-be collegiate rookies.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Julia Scrudato (Montgomery, NJ)

Julia Scrudato is the New Jersey state champion over 1600 meters, boasting a blazing 4:45 PR and consistent top finishes over that distance during her junior year. Her personal bests stand at 2:15 (800), 4:45 (1600) and 10:43 (3200).

Scrudato has something of a “clutch gene," at the state level. The best race of her career at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions last spring where she managed to hit a huge eight-second PR! A performance like that makes me think that she is capable of producing faster times or, put another way, that she hasn't hit her ceiling as a prep athlete.

More recently, Scrudato has quietly picked up wins at smaller meets on the indoor oval, recording modest times of 2:18 (800), 5:01 (1600) and 11:05 (3200). If she chooses to venture to either of the indoor national meets this winter, then I think we could see her run something much closer to her PRs.

Reese Dalton (Covenant School, VA): TSR #17 Recruit

It’s hard to classify Reese Dalton as a track runner or a cross country runner. She has simply run so dang well during both seasons. On the track, Dalton has produced times of 2:13 (800), 4:47 (1600) and 10:25 (3200). In addition to her elite times, Dalton also has championship experience, finishing 5th at the USATF U20 Championships over 1500 meters.

On the grass, this Virginia native is arguably just as good as she was one of very few runners who qualified for both national meets. And once she reached those stages, Dalton made sure to make each trip worth it, finishing 27th at NXN and 12th at Foot Locker.

On paper, the three-season utility that the UNC coaching could/will get out of Dalton in the future almost mimics that of Taryn Parks, an ACC mile champion who is also an effective scorer on the grass.

Maddie Gardiner (Covenant School, VA): TSR #20 Recruit

Reese Dalton isn’t the only Covenant School Eagle who will be attending North Carolina next year. That's because her current and future teammate, Maddie Gardiner, will also be making the trip and bringing a significant amount national meet experience to the Tar Heels.

During her high school career, Gardiner has qualified for the national meet a staggering 11 times, including three-straight Foot Locker XC National Championships (with a highest finish of 15th in 2023). That level of experience on high-pressure stages is something that can take athletes years of racing to acquire, but Gardiner is seemingly ahead of the curve on that front. 

In addition to her extensive championship experience, Gardiner also holds some solid personal bests which currently stand at 4:56 (1600), 10:26 (two-miles) and 16:53 (5k XC). Keep your eye out for Gardiner’s name next year, I wouldn’t be surprised if she finds her way to the 2024 NCAA XC Championships as a varsity contributor to UNC's lineup.

Cassidy Scott (Fauquier, VA)

Cassidy Scott is an outlier in this recruiting class. While every other athlete in this soon-to-be rookie group is someone who I’d either classify as a cross country runner or a mile specialist, I’d classify Scott as a middle distance runner who moves up to the mile, often to phenomenal results.

That, of course, is not to say that she has bad endurance. I'd say her 10:44 (3200) personal best quickly dispels that myth. But how many runners in North Carolina's signing class can claim a 400-meter personal best of 56 seconds?

I’ll give you a hint: it’s zero.

If Scott can continue to hone her foot-speed over the shorter distances, then I don’t think it’ll be too long before she’s utilizing her lethal speed to steal a race in the final 100 meters or fill a crucial role for the Tar Heels' DMR. 

Logan St. John Kletter (Mount Lebanon, PA): TSR #33 Recruit

Logan St. John Kletter has been on an absolute tear this season. In fact, so much so that we dedicated a good chunk of this article about her recent exploits on the indoor oval.

However, It would be foolish to say that St. John Kletter only recently exploded onto the national scene. This past spring, she finished 7th in the two-mile at New Balance Nationals, picking up her first All-American honor. She was also a Foot Locker national qualifier this past fall.

As of the time of writing St. John Kletter’s personal bests stand at 2:13 (800), 4:44 (mile), 10:12 (3200) and 17:19 (5k XC), though I firmly believe that Logan St. John Kletter is one of the top candidates to break the 10-minute barrier over 3200 meters later this year. And depending on what event(s) she chooses at the indoor national meet, she may very well break the 10:00 barrier before the season comes to a close.

Grace Hanson (Weddington, NC)

I always like it when a school signs at least one athlete from their home state. And for this year's North Carolina recruiting class, that happens to be Grace Hanson.

But make no mistake, recruiting Hanson wasn’t a passive favor to establish goodwill with local coaches. She's the real deal. The Weddington High School ace holds personal bests of 2:19 (800), 4:53 (mile), 10:30 (3200) and 17:44 (5k XC) which are vey much deserving of a roster spot, even on a team as competitive as North Carolina’s.

Although she hasn’t yet won a state title, Hanson has routinely found ways to finish on the podium in a variety of events in one of the strongest states in the country. At the very least, Grace Hanson will be a strong depth piece, and at best -- well, we don’t know quite yet -- but by the looks of it, she’s due for a breakout race real soon.