TSR's 2023-24 D2 Indoor Top 25 Rankings (Women): Update #3

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Written by Marissa Kuik, Grace McLaughlin & Gavin Struve

Additional edits & commentary by Garrett Zatlin & Gavin Struve

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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, but not strict, guide when determining eligibility.

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KEY

(Unranked):

Was not ranked in our last update.

(#/#):

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

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

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25. Katie Heck (née Fankhouser), Junior, Fort Lewis (0 / 25)

Katie Heck continues to contest the shorter distance events, showcasing improvements in her speed and turnover this season.

We know that Heck is very talented over the mile and metric mile distances, but she continues to be a solid half-miler this winter and recently posted a 2:09 conversion for that event at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational. That mark represented a four-second improvement from when she ran the same distance at the same venue two weeks prior. Heck also ran in the 4x400-meter relay which figures to further aid in her speed development as we head towards the postseason.

Heck’s current momentum and improvement over 800 meters is promising and her 9:32 (3k) conversion from December is very respectable. However, she has yet to post a solid performance in the mile. Heck was the outdoor national meet runner-up finisher over 1500 meters last spring, but she is currently not even in position to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championship in the mile.

For all we know, she could be going “all-in” on the 800 meters this season, but it's hard to move her up in our rankings without a strong performance in the event that best reflects the talent that we know she has. 

24. Aryelle Wright, Rs. Senior, Colorado Mines (-1 / 23)

As this one-spot drop suggest, Aryelle Wright's recent performances have not necessarily been spectacular or surprising. However, they have added to her overall level of reliability and consistency. She's having a solid season thus far for someone with her level of experience and caliber of talent.

Wright ran 2:10 over 800 meters, individually, and on the third leg of Colorado Mine’s NCAA #5 DMR at the Boston U. Valentine Invite. The Oredigger ace then went on to run 2:12 to win the 800 meters at the Mines Pre-Conference Meet the following weekend which converts down to a solid mark of 2:09.  

Looking back at where Wright was last season, she occupied a similar spot with a 2:09 mark, but she has improved over 400 meters and has been much more consistent in running around 2:10 several times for the half-mile. So while there doesn’t appear to be a huge jump in fitness, Wright has seemingly improved in terms of her overall consistency. 

23. Emily Schoellkopf, Junior, Adams State (-4 / 19)

A small drop for Emily Schoellkopf doesn't necessarily indicate concern on our end, although she hasn't exactly wowed us, either. The Adams State junior ran a PR of 9:31 over 3000 meters at the Boston U. Valentine Invite and earned a solid 9:28 altitude conversion in the same event at the Western Colorado Open the following week. 

While those are solid times that show Schoellkopf's consistency, we can’t help but want a bit more from the Grizzly ace. She is admittedly stronger over 5000 meters, and her recent 3k performances are about on par with the level of talent that we saw her display on the cross country course this fall.

That being said, Schoellkopf placed 8th for 5000 meters at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships and was a double All-American in the 3000-meter steeplechase and the 5k on the outdoor oval last spring. 

With that kind of resume, we feel like Schoellkopf is capable of posting more competitive times that could move her up in our rankings...

22. Leah Taylor, Sophomore, Western Colorado (-7 / 15)

Leah Taylor's demotion in our rankings this week is more of a byproduct of impressive marks from other athletes than Schoellkopf's.

The Western Colorado sophomore has been on a hot streak this year, and her most recent PR of 9:34 over 3000 meters at the Husky Classic is certainly part of that. Even so, that time doesn’t exude the same caliber of talent that her 13th place finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships does. 

Taylor might be better over 5000 meters, but we have yet to see her in that event this season. Instead, her best marks this winter have come in the mile. The Mountaineer ace has shown improvement across every distance, and she could likely make a drastic dent in the 16:40 (5k) PR she set last spring.

21. Alaysia Brooks, Junior, Ursuline (OH) (-3 / 18)

There’s not much of an update for Alaysia Brooks this week. She ran on the first leg of Ursuline (OH)'s DMR at the SPIRE Indoor Games, but has not competed in an individual event since our last round of rankings. 

20. Kate Hedlund, Rs. Junior, UC-Colorado Springs (+1 / 21)

After a less-than-ideal postseason this past fall, it's nice to see Kate Hedlund back at full strength and looking more like herself on the indoor oval. 

The Mountain Lion recently veteran ran a 2:09 conversion over 800 meters at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational. That performance, combined with her impressive 4:43 mile conversion, makes her one of the more dangerous middle distance runners in Division Two.

Hedlund’s experience and consistency in both of those events are also huge strengths that can’t be understated as she progresses deeper into this season and her NCAA career.

19. Katherine Marsh, Senior, Adelphi (Unranked)

The name "Katherine Marsh" has floated around national meet previews and our “Just Missed” rankings list for about a year, but she’s finally made an entrance in our top-25 rankings. 

And it's not just a humble entrance, either.

Marsh goes straight into our top-20 after her performances over the past few weeks. She ran 2:08 for 800 meters to win her heat against fierce competition at the Boston U. Valentine Invite. While that performance wasn’t quite a PR, it still showed a level of competitive prowess that elevated her overall stock. Marsh also ran the anchor leg of Adelphi’s DMR during her successful weekend in Beantown. 

Not only that, but Marsh was quite impressive the following weekend as well. The Adelphi senior won the 800 meters (2:14), the mile (4:59), the DMR, the 4x800-meter relay and the 4x400-meter relay at the Northeast-10 Indoor Championships. We’ve seen impressive doubles and triples at conference meets before, but running five events (plus prelims in the 800 meters), let alone winning each, is virtually unheard of.

Marsh did not reach the half-mile finals at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships after running a time of 2:11. But so far this season, she’s run faster than that on several occasions and is on a winning streak. We think it's safe to say that Marsh is the new dark horse national title pick over 800 meters.

18. Zoe Baker, Rs. Senior, Colorado Mines (-2 / 16)

We’ve been waiting for Zoe Baker to run her main event this season, and she finally did so at the Boston U. Valentine Invite two weeks ago. The Oredigger veteran ran 16:12 over 5000 meters which is an indoor track PR in the event and five seconds faster than what she ran at the same meet a year ago. 

That performance pairs well with her 9:31 (3k) conversion from earlier this month and adds to the idea that Baker looks better than ever this season. And yet, despite those strong marks, the Colorado Mines veteran moves down two spots this week due to more impressive performances from other athletes.

Baker is an elite endurance athlete who has consistently earned All-American honors over the past few seasons. But compared to other top runners, her range appears relatively limited on the indoor oval. 

17. Precious Robinson, Junior, Adams State (0 / 17)

Precious Robinson maintains her TSR #17 ranking after two impressive performances since our last rankings update. The Adams State junior ran 16:27 for 5000 meters at Boston U. and then posted a strong 9:24 (3k) conversion in a win at the Western Colorado Open.

The latter was only a slight improvement from her 3k time in December, but it was much more promising than her races at the New Mexico Team Open in January. 

Surprisingly, the only event Robinson has registered a PR in this season is the mile. Even so, her consistency in the longer events is shining through, and she appears to have substantial momentum as we head into championship season. 

16. Lauren Kiley, Sophomore, Grand Valley State (-2 / 14)

Grand Valley State’s top underclassman distance star has run three races so far this season and has recorded three wins and one PR. 

Lauren Kiley most recently won the 5000 meters at the GVSU Big Meet in an impressive time of 16:22. Her 3000-meter PR of 9:27 from earlier in the season was also strong, and it's these performances which indicate that the end of her winter season should be drastically better than how she finished her last indoor track season.

Her respective 11th (5k) and 14th (3k) finishes at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships were great for a true freshman, but Kiley is going into this year's postseason with much more experience under her belt. 

The Laker ace’s current momentum and competitiveness show an increase in both confidence and reliability which should aid in closing the gap between her resume on the grass versus the oval. 

15. Riley McGrath, Rs. Senior, Colorado Mines (Unranked)

Welcome back, Riley McGrath!

The newest Oredigger standout skyrockets from being a “Just Missed” name to our TSR #15 runner after her outstanding 4:42 mile effort at Boston University which is the third-fastest mark in Division Two this winter. It also represents a five-second PR.

That jump in fitness is impressive and it elevates McGrath from being a fringe All-American to an All-American favorite in that event. 

On top of her excellent mile race, the Oredigger star ran the anchor leg on Colorado Mines' DMR for the NCAA #5 mark this season. McGrath’s performances were a little shaky for a moment, but we knew that they were not a true reflection of her talent. And now, she's not only back, she’s better than ever. 

14. Elena Carey, Junior, Adams State (-1 / 13)

Our understanding of Elena Carey hasn't changed much despite her running a respectable PR over 3000 meters and contributing to Adams State's NCAA #2 mark of 9:35 (DMR) as the lead-off leg for the Grizzlies' "B" team at Boston U.

Carey has only contested three races this season, but all three efforts have been pretty strong. Her 4:42 mile conversion is easily the most impressive, but her 3k and DMR performances add solid value to her overall stock. 

One could argue that Carey should be higher in our rankings on the strength of her mile effort, although her 3k time isn’t at the same level and she's still building NCAA experience on the oval.

That's to say, this Grizzly star is a bit of a wild card as we head into championship season. 

13. Tristian Spence, Rs. Freshman, Adams State (+7 / 20)

Tristian Spence makes a dramatic leap in our rankings this week. Despite only being a redshirt freshman, Spence is performing like a veteran and is getting better and better with each race. 

She recently ran 9:20 for 3000 meters at the Boston U. Valentine Invite and a 4:49 mile conversion to win that event at the Western Colorado Open. Oh, and don't forget that Spence also ran a jaw-dropping 16:08 (5k) mark earlier this season. The Grizzly rookie has recorded PRs in each of those three events this season and is firing on all cylinders.  

Spence has an insane amount of momentum going at the moment, and these performances show that she is ready to shake things up at her first NCAA Indoor Championships in a couple of weeks. 

12. Eleonora Curtabbi, Senior, West Texas A&M (-2 / 10)

Full transparency: Eleonora Curtabbi's body of work this season doesn't warrant a spot in the top-half of our rankings. However, we've seen this story -- in which she gains steam and momentum in the postseason for another sterling finish -- play out before.

Curtabbi was, after all, the runner-up finisher at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships. The six-time All-American will more likely than not earn a top finish again at the indoor national meet in under a month, but she hasn't exactly wowed us on her way there.

After a modest 4:56 mile effort and a "DNF" in the 3k back in January, this Italian ace has picked up the proverbial pace in recent weeks with a solid double at Boston U. Curtabbi contributed to what figures to be a national qualifying DMR and she posted a 9:21 (3k) effort, individually.

That latter mark is still 13 seconds off of the PR that she set over that distance less than a year ago. And while she recorded a "DNF" in that event at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships, it figures to align with her talents as a cross country star with mile speed and a pair of steeplechase national titles over the same 3k distance.

11. Jessica Simon, Senior, Adams State (Unranked)

Welcome to the national title picture, Jessica Simon!

While she has yet to earn All-American honors, this veteran Grizzly talent is on a virtually unrivaled heater. She raced the half-mile at the past three national meets on the track, but appears primed to truly break through this winter.

Simon opened with a 2:13 (800) mark in December, produced a 2:10 performance in a race where she was the top Division Two runner in mid-January, ran another (albeit faster) 2:10 result at Boston U. and then finally dropped a stunning 2:07 altitude-converted mark in a five-second win at Western Colorado.

That latter mark is the fastest time (via conversion) run by any Division Two woman this season by over a second! Needless to say, Simon should be able to take advantage of a wide-open 800-meter picture on the national stage come March.

10. Ava O'Connor, Junior, Adams State (-2 / 8)

Has not competed since our last rankings update

9. Taryn Chapko, Junior, Grand Valley State (+2 / 11)

It feels like we have been talking about Taryn Chapko for a long time, but she may be a mainstay in our conversation for the 800-meter national title more than ever this winter. And once again, Chapko is coming into form at the right time of the season. 

After being a part of a great DMR lineup at Grand Valley’s Big Meet on Saturday, Chapko also ran a time of 2:09 in the open 800 meters on Friday, putting her right in the mix with the best of Division Two. She took home the win ahead of some other prominent names in Division Two like Lina Hanich and Ines Macadam. 

Even with Simon recently emerging slightly ahead of the rest of the field time-wise, the 800 meters is still an open race. Chapko is a veteran when it comes to racing the half-mile distance at the national meet, so she has as good of a chance of taking home the gold as any other woman.

8. Morgan Hykes, Junior, Adams State (+1 / 9)

Morgan Hykes is a jack-of-all-trades type of athlete. She holds top-10 times this season in the mile, the 3k and the 5k, making her dangerous at almost any distance. And sure enough, she proved that once again over the past weekend. 

At the Boston U. Valentine Invite, Hykes raced to a fantastic 9:17 PR over 3000 meters, improving upon her previous PR of 9:23. She also was the anchor leg of Adams State’s "B" team in the DMR which ran a strong time of 11:16.

Though the Grizzlies' "B" team got overshadowed by their "A" team (which ran the Division Two record), it should be noted that Hykes helped her group to the fifth-fastest time in Division Two history! 

While Hykes has been inconsistent on the national stage in the past, she is looking sharper than ever before. The Grizzly star has shown that she can not only run fast, but also compete in varying styles of races and distances...which is sometimes even more important.

7. Klaudia O'Malley, Senior, Grand Valley State (0 / 7)

In some ways, it feels crazy to say that Klaudia O’Malley "only" ran a 4:45 in the mile at the Lakers’ home meet on Friday. But with the current state of elite times in Division Two, that mark may not be good enough to make her a top contender at the indoor national meet. 

Nevertheless, just like her teammate, Taryn Chapko, O’Malley is a veteran who you can pretty much pencil-in as an All-American lock regardless of the season. Plus, a 4:45 mile effort is right where we would expect her to be at this point in the winter months.

We should also note that the GVSU standout took home the win en route to that 4:45 mark. And even though racing in front of the home crowd can be exhilarating, the environment and competition were probably not on the same level as Boston U. 

If O’Malley can find a way to win a big race like she did a couple of weekends ago, then she will once again be in the mix for a top podium finish. 

6. Florance Uwajeneza, Senior, West Texas A&M (0 / 6)

Following such an exciting weekend in Division Two, Florance Uwajeneza is a name that people may be forgetting, but definitely should not be. After not racing in the fall due to exhausted eligibility, it's natural that this Buffalo star would slip towards the back of mind.

That, however, should no longer be the case.

Uwajeneza just ran an outstanding 5k time of 16:07, only one second off of her personal best, at Boston U. She also anchored West Texas A&M’s DMR team which ran an impressive time of 11:24. For a traditional long distance runner, Uwajeneza showed some serious speed on her the anchor leg. 

Though the national 5k field is filled with veterans just like Uwajeneza, she is showing some previously unseen range which could be a differentiator. While a few women in our top-five look like the title favorites in that event, we'd be foolish to count Uwajeneza out from being at the front of that field at the bell lap.  

5. Natalie Graber, Junior, Grand Valley State (-1 / 4)

Another jack-of-all-trades runner is Natalie Graber. She holds incredible PRs in the mile, the 3k and the 5k. She also finds herself near the top of Division Two in all three events. 

This past weekend, Graber anchored her team to a great mark of 11:23 in a DMR win at their home meet. If the Lakers can put together a time like that without one of their star performers in Klaudia O'Malley, then Graber must have had a pretty impressive leg.

It also suggests that Graber may be somewhat closer to Gracie Hyde on the final leg of the DMR at the indoor national meet if the Lakers and Grizzlies clash like they did last year.

Of course, the GVSU superstar also ran 9:27 (3k) since our last rankings update and should be an All-American favorite in whichever individual event she chooses to contest on the national stage alongside the DMR.

4. Lindsay Cunningham, Junior, Winona State (-3 / 1)

After an otherwise great showing at Boston U. over 5000 meters, Lindsay Cunningham drops from her long-held perch atop our rankings largely because the names above have arguably been even better.

We debated keeping Cunningham at TSR #1 after she posted an elite 16:05 (5k) in her return to action, but she has recently lost to our TSR #2 and TSR #3 names -- and our TSR #1 athlete now holds two NCAA records.

It's a little unlike Cunningham to lose a distance race, especially after the dominant cross country season that she enjoyed this past fall. She was, after all, 24 seconds off of her PR over 5000 meters.

Nevertheless, Cunningham is a serious competitor who will still make her presence known at the front of the pack at the indoor national meet. Even if this season has not been as dominant, she has strong odds of defending her 5k title.

3. Kaylee Beyer, Senior, Winona State (0 / 3)

In all of the excitement of Gracie Hyde breaking the Division Two record for 3000 meters, some people may have forgotten about Kaylee Beyer. At the same meet, Beyer ran a time of 9:06 which tied the previous Division Two record before Hyde nabbed the record in her own heat.

Without Hyde’s performance, everyone would be talking about Beyer’s race. 

This Winona State ace has elite times in both the mile and the 3k, and if it was not for Hyde, she might have the best combination of PRs in those events. Beyer hinted, after all, that she was primed to produce some era-defining times after soundly defeating her teammate, Cunningham, in a January race over 3000 meters.

Though Hyde will be a tough name to take down, Beyer has the ability to do so if anyone. Keep in mind that she most likely will not have to race in the DMR and may not have as busy of a schedule as a result.

2. Brianna Robles, Senior, Adams State (0 / 2)

Another sub-16:00 (5k) performance for Brianna Robles feels like a typical day for this Grizzly veteran. However, what makes her 15:53 performance at Boston U. even more impressive is the names she beat. 

Robles comfortably outperformed all of the Division Two women in that race, including Cunningham, Uwajeneza and Baker. A win like that just feels like a precursor to grand success at the indoor national meet.

Beyond a return to form for Cunningham, the biggest factor that Robles may have to look out for is her own teammate, Tristian Spence. Even so, this long-time Adams State star definitely has the experience edge over her. 

1. Gracie Hyde, Senior, Adams State (+4 / 5)

There really isn't much to say or even analyze about why Gracie Hyde is our new TSR #1 name. To put it simply, Hyde put together one of the most historic weekends in Division Two history earlier this month. 

On the first day of racing at Boston U., Hyde shattered the Division Two 3k record and became the first D2 woman to break nine minutes, running 8:58. She continued her hot streak the next day, breaking the D2 DMR record along with her teammates. Though she had a great supporting cast, she ran the fourth and arguably most important leg, anchoring her team to the win. 

On top of that, Hyde has the NCAA #1 time in the mile this season, an event that she has not raced since the end of January. Going forward, the question for Hyde will not be how fast she can run, but how many national titles she can take home come March.

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ADDED

Jessica Simon (Adams State)

Riley McGrath (Colorado Mines)

Katherine Marsh (Adelphi)

KICKED OFF

Ana Tucker (Grand Valley State)

Maggie McCleskey (Adams State)

Mckenna Cavanaugh (Lee (Tenn.))

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Ana Tucker (Grand Valley State)

Maggie McCleskey (Adams State)

Mckenna Cavanaugh (Lee (Tenn.))

Anna Fauske (UC-Colorado Springs)

Sarah Koomson (West Texas A&M)

Molly Maksin (Colorado Mines)

Peyton Weiss (Western Colorado)

Holly Moser (Colorado Mines)

Maria Mitchell (Grand Valley State)

Alexa Keiser (Saginaw Valley)

Lina Hanich (Academy of Art)

Kaela Dishion (Stanislaus State)

Elizabeth Acheson (U-Mary)

Lieke Hoogsteen (Adams State)

Marian Ledesma (Western Washington)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Kayce Rypma (Grand Valley State)

Allie Arnsman (Grand Valley State)

Savannah Ackley (Cedarville)

Katja Bauerle (UW-Parkside)

Ines Macadam (Tiffin)

Najwa Chouati (Stanislaus State)

Erin Dorn (Davenport)

Taylor Stone (Flagler)

MaKenna Thurston (Minnesota State)

Hannah Smrcka (Lewis)

Lainy Williams (Southwest Baptist)

Lydia McGlocklin (NW Missouri)

Kate Dawson (Pittsburg State)

Emma Kjellsen (Western Colorado)

Margaux Basart (Colorado Mines)

Fiona Hawkins (Adams State)

Luisarys Toledo (NW Missouri)

Isabel Marsh (Adelphi)

Shannon King (Colorado Christian)

Kaylee Harp (Adams State)

Vienna Lahner (Adams State)

Elizabeth Wamsley (Hillsdale)

Annika Esvelt (Seattle Pacific)

Khot Juac (Sioux Falls)

Notes

- N/A