TSR's 2023 D1 Outdoor Top 25 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #2

Written by Garrett Zatlin, Finn Birnie & Scotty Loughlin

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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.

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25. Kayley DeLay, Rs. Senior, Washington (-15 / 10)

After a slightly surprising steeplechase upset and a downright bad 5k effort, Kayley DeLay slides down in our rankings during this update, but still retains a spot in our top-25 list.

The Yale Bulldog turned Washington Husky has historically excelled in her primary event, the 3000 meter steeplechase, but took a loss to Elise Thorner and Angelina Ellis at the Bryan Clay Invitational, settling for a solid (but unexciting) 9:46 mark in the event.

However, what really sent DeLay tumbling down our rankings was her recent 15:58 (5k) performance at the Payton Jordan Invitational. That was a surprising result given that she owns a 15:36 PR over that distance.

It would be reckless to completely drop DeLay from the rankings given these results, but at this point, we’ll have our eyes more closely on DeLay to see if she can regain the form she had last spring when she dropped the NCAA #3 all-time mark in the steeplechase.

24. Elise Thorner, Junior, New Mexico (Unranked)

Welcome to the rankings, Elise Thorner!

The New Mexico steeplechase standout took down a loaded field at the Bryan Clay Invitational, picking up the victory in a speedy mark of 9:39. This was a statement win for Thorner and she has certainly put herself in the conversation for an NCAA gold (more than she already was). Defeating DeLay in such a comfortable manner was impressive enough, but to do it while clocking 9:39 this early in the season was even more impressive.

The Lobo star ran 9:31 over the water pits and barriers last spring, but improvements over the indoor track season suggest she may put that PR under fire over the next month or so. And if that happens, then we are very excited to see how Thorner progresses -- don’t be surprised to see her move up some spots in the future.

23. Amaris Tyynismaa, Junior, NC State (-2 / 21)

Despite a minor bump in the road at the Duke Invitational (which was more of a brave effort than a bad race), Alabama-turned-NC State superstar, Amaris Tyynismaa, is back on track...no pun intended.

The Wolfpack junior laid down a terrific 15:30 (5k) PR at the Wake Forest Invitational this past weekend, crossing the line as the first collegiate and getting the better of her NC State counterparts, Kelsey Chmiel and Katelyn Tuohy (the latter of whom was on a 30-minute double).

That kind of run gives Tyynismaa some much needed momentum after a few up-and-down performances. And surely that victory over her teammates was a serious confidence booster! While we still see her primary event being the 1500 meters (depending on who you ask), her ability to jump up in distance cannot be understated.

She moves down in our rankings, but that's less her fault and more based on the performances of others.

22. Teagan Schein-Becker, Junior, Rider (Unranked)

It's hard to dislike anything that Teagan Schein-Becker has done over the last few months. She ran 2:02 for 800 meters on the indoor oval to win the IC4A title in that event (which was run after the national qualifying period had ended). She then opened up her outdoor track season with a monster 4:10 mark over 1500 meters at the Raleigh Relays!

And now, it's time to acknowledge that this Rider ace is the real deal.

After running 2:02 for 800 meters at the Virginia Challenge, which allowed her to defeat Rachel Gearing (Penn State), Isabella Giesing (UMass Lowell) and Esther Seeland (Virginia), it seems safe to say that Schein-Becker is a lock to make our rankings.

Only Izzy Thornton-Bott and Michaela Rose have better combined 800 meter and 1500 meter times this season than Schein-Becker -- and that's some exciting company to be in.

21. Izzy Thornton-Bott, Junior, Oregon (+3 / 24)

While her momentum may have cooled off slightly since she hasn’t contested a 1500 meter race since the Australian Championships, a 2:04 (800) mark at the Payton Jordan Invite was still a very solid mark and a quality display of speed for the Duck veteran.

It’s a given that we’ll see Thornton-Bott compete in the 1500 meters in the postseason, so if her recent performance is any indication of ongoing excellent foot-speed off the line (or better yet, at the end of the race), then we shouldn’t be surprised to see the Oregon star run close to her 4:08 (1500) PR during the championship meets.

And if that happens, then we need to ask...what's her ceiling in terms of placement on the national stage?

20. Maia Ramsden, Sophomore, Harvard (+3 / 23)

After taking off last week from competition, the indoor track superstar ventured to the Wake Forest Invitational where she dropped a fantastic time of 4:11 over 1500 meters. In that race, she chased Katelyn Tuohy and multiple pro athletes en route to that one-second PR.

Truthfully, there isn't much to say about this result. We knew that Ramsden was exceptionally talented after she ran 4:30 in the mile this past winter and a 4:11 (1500) PR was well within her reach.

Her final ranking will largely hinge on how she performs in the postseason, but right now, there isn't a singular flaw on the resume of this Harvard star.

19. Flomena Asekol, Junior, Alabama (0 / 19)

After a somewhat steady start to the outdoor track season, Alabama Ace Flomena Asekol is back in full swing.

The Crimson Tide junior clocked an impressive new 1500 meter PR of 4:11.38 (1500) at the Bryan Clay Invitational to take 5th place among the collegiates. And while this result doesn't come as a surprise to us (since Asekol has run similar times before), it's still nice to see her emulating the impeccable form that we saw from her over the winter months.

Asekol has shown over the last few months that she can produce top results on numerous occasions. She has shown a terrific improvement in not just her overall fitness, but her tactical prowess as well. We think this run is a great stepping stone as we creep closer to championship season yet again.

18. Alexandra Hays, Rs. Senior, NC State (0 / 18)

Alexandra Hays has not competed since our last update.

17. Everlyn Kemboi, Junior, Utah Valley (Unranked)

At The Stride Report, we are massive fans of Everlyn Kemboi. She has always been a talented distance runner, but she looks like she's in a completely new tier this spring.

Running 32:03 for 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational was a surprise, but it was also a result that made sense. Kemboi naturally favors the longer distances and thrived in that event in the spring of 2022. Yes, that time was certainly faster than we were expecting her to run, but in a year where everyone was posting all-time marks, we were able to reconcile that result.

But then Kemboi ran 15:20 over 5000 meters. She hit the gas and simply out-ran a VERY good field. And even when it looked like Simone Plourde was going to catch her in-state rival on the final straightaway, it was Kemboi who had another gear for the overall win.

The conversation around this UVU star has shifted. We should no longer be asking if Everlyn Kemboi can be an All-American. Instead, we should be asking if she can be a double All-American at the end of this spring.

16. Kelsey Chmiel, Junior, NC State (-2 / 14)

NC State’s Kelsey Chmiel hasn’t unleashed any marks indicative of her full talent level thus far this outdoor track season, but she hasn’t necessarily had to.

Following her season opening 10k race at the Raleigh Relays, Chmiel recently traveled to the Wake Forest Invitational where she recorded a modest time of 15:43 (5k), finishing as the second-best collegiate behind teammate, Amaris Tyynismaa.

Chmiel remains in the top-20 portion of our rankings due to her experience and ability to peak when it matters. And now that she’s been able to check the box for two likely regional qualifying marks, we can expect to see her at her best in the near future.

15. Margot Appleton, Sophomore, Virginia (+2 / 17)

We're not sure if anyone in the NCAA has built momentum quite like Virginia’s Margot Appleton has right now!

The Cavalier superstar just dropped an incredibly impressive 15:36 mark for 5000 meters at the Virginia Challenge. That spectacular performance flexes her seriously underrated endurance-based potential -- and what makes that result even more impressive is that it was run pretty much solo!

This result, paired with her monster 4:08 (1500) PR from a few weeks ago, proves that Appleton has the range and the fitness to compete with those at the very top of the NCAA's hierarchy of elites.

The question now remains: What event does she choose when it comes to the regional and national stages? While we feel like the 1500 meter may be in her best interest, her current fitness suggests that she will be All-American caliber runner in whatever event she chooses to pursue.

And in a tactical 5k race on a championship stage, Appleton's 4:08 (1500) turnover could prove to be wildly lethal.

14. Taylor Roe, Junior, Oklahoma State (-2 / 12)

Honestly, we have no idea how to rank Taylor Roe right now. Since our last rankings update, this Oklahoma State superstar has only raced once. And yes, she did earn a win, but we can't help but wonder why she didn't run in the hot heat of the women's 5k at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

Don't get us wrong, running 15:47 for 5000 meters to take down Annika Reiss is a very solid result. But why was Roe not racing in the top section? Are we just looking too heavily into this? Nico Young did the same thing on the men's side, so could this just be a unique way to knock out a regional qualifying mark without putting much emphasis on all-out efforts?

I have no idea, but a TSR #14 ranking, for now, seems appropriate for Roe.

13. Claire Seymour, Senior, BYU (+2 / 15)

We closed our previous rankings update with this regarding Claire Seymour:

"If Seymour is already showing this level of form in April, then she’ll certainly have an opportunity to move up our rankings in the coming weeks/months if she finds yet another gear in the postseason...as she normally does."

Sure enough, this Cougar veteran has already found herself trending upwards after setting a new 800 meter PR of 2:00 in a star-studded field at the Bryan Clay Invite where she took down a strong contingent of NCAA All-Americans! She also upended Nike pro Elise Cranny and finished as the second-best collegiate behind Michaela Rose.

The BYU ace recently finished 4th at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the half-mile, and at that time, her performance felt like a somewhat underappreciated result given the names that populated the top-three.

It’s starting to feel like Seymour belongs in the same discussion as Michaela Rose and the Stanford duo. Perhaps not as a national title favorite, but certainly as a contender to break up 1-2-3 finish for that trio of women.

12. Ceili McCabe, Junior, West Virginia (+1 / 13)

In a solo effort where no other runner finished within two minutes of her (yes, you read that correctly), Ceili McCabe dropped a mark of 9:45 (steeple) which sits at NCAA #3 on the national leaderboard.

Despite a delay to the beginning of McCabe’s outdoor track competition, this is a great sign of things to come. If she can run 9:45 in what was essentially a time trial environment (while lapping every other competitor), then there’s almost no doubt that McCabe is in sub-9:40 shape as soon as next week. And truthfully, a sub-9:30 result should really be something that we're monitoring.

For now, we’ll slot her in at TSR #12 knowing that her ceiling is definitely that of a top-10 talent.

11. Simone Plourde, Junior, Utah (+5 / 16)

Between her most recent winter campaign and the early portions of this outdoor track season, Simone Plourde has been arguably the most improved long distance runner in the entire country throughout the entirety of this year.

The debate regarding whether she should pursue the 1500 meters or the 5k in the postseason has become more and more difficult as the spring season has progressed.

Why? Well, because she’s absolutely wrecking shop in both events.

Most recently, Plourde recorded a 15:21 (5k) mark at the Bryan Clay Invite, finishing ever-so-slightly behind in-state rival Everlyn Kemboi. She now sits near the top of the 5k national leaderboard at NCAA #2.

When factoring in both her incredible foot-speed late in races and the 5k strength that’s been on recent display, it’s beginning to feel like Plourde could contend for a top-three national meet finish in either event.

10. Emily Venters, Rs. Senior, Utah (+1 / 11)

Truthfully, there really isn't much to talk about when it comes to Emily Venters. Everyone knows how incredible she was at the Stanford Invitational when she ran 31:48 for 10,000 meters, but that was all the way back on March 31st.

Since then, the Utah superstar has run 15:26 for 5000 meters, emerging as the top collegiate at the Payton Jordan Invite for that distance this past weekend.

In the grand scheme of things, that result doesn't tell us anything new about Venters. We thought she would run a little bit faster (her 5k PR is 15:20), but that performance allows her to maintain and extend her seasonal momentum.

For now, a top-10 spot seems appropriate for this breakout star.

9. Hilda Olemomoi, Sophomore, Alabama (-1 / 8)

8. Mercy Chelangat, Senior, Alabama (+1 / 9)

What a devastating duo these two women are proving to be!

The pair opened up their outdoor track seasons with an impressive 10k result at the Bryan Clay Invitational. In that race, Mercy Chelangat took home the win with a big-time 10k PR of 31:55 which now sits her at NCAA #7 all-time for the event. Meanwhile, newcomer Hilda Olemomoi finished 2nd overall with a shiny new 10k PR of 32:05.

Admittedly, these results didn’t come as a surprise. Chelangat is still the national title contender that she was last year and Olemomoi will certainly be a threat in years to come as she keeps going from strength to strength.

What makes this duo so formidable, however, is their ability to key off of one another. Their ability to work in tandem is going to make them a real threat come June.

7. Olivia Howell, Junior, Illinois (0 / 7)

Olivia Howell's 2:03/4:13 (800/1500) weekend double at the Mt. SAC Relays deserves a lot of respect, especially when you realize that she had to face the Stanford duo of Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker in both of those races.

On paper, neither of those times are surprising, but that weekend double further showcases Howell's consistency, reliability and durability. Taking down Willis in the metric mile also has to give her some confidence given how revered the the Cardinal rookie is.

That weekend did show us that Howell can't necessarily run away from her competition like certain national champions can/have, but it also shows us that she can be competitive with essentially everyone.

It's a weird dichotomy, but it's one that we respect.

6. Lauren Gregory, Rs. Senior, Arkansas (-4 / 2)

Lauren Gregory is yet to open up her outdoor track season. Her drop in our rankings stems more from the performances of others rather than what she has done (or has not done).

5. Olivia Markezich, Junior, Notre Dame (0 / 5)

Olivia Markezich has not competed since our last update.

4. Roisin Willis, Freshman, Stanford (-1 / 3)

3. Juliette Whittaker, Freshman, Stanford (+1 / 4)

The freshman phenoms have switched places in our rankings once again!

Despite Roisin Willis being the sole individual national title winner of these two incredible talents, Juliette Whittaker had her teammate’s number at the Mt. SAC Relays in both the 800 meters and the 1500 meters.

At the longer distance, Whittaker masterfully crossed the line in a mark of 4:12 (1500), taking down the indoor national champion in the mile, Olivia Howell, as well as Willis who ran a huge lifetime PR of 4:13.

In their primary event, Whittaker had the edge yet again as both women recorded marks of 2:01 (800), holding off Howell as well as Adidas professional runner, Sammy Watson.

These 1500 meter results catch our eye as they show an improved level of range for these women compared to the indoor track seasons that they had. That's especially true for Willis who has traditionally been known as strictly an 800 meter specialist with 400 meter tendencies.

2. Michaela Rose, Sophomore, LSU (+4 / 6)

It feels weird, doesn't it? Seeing Michaela Rose ranked at TSR #2 ahead of both Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker? Don't worry, we understand, but allow us to explain.

After the indoor track season, there was no argument for that Stanford duo being ranked behind Rose. But that was during the winter months. The spring is a different season and right now, Rose has just been flat-out better than her west coast counterparts in two middle distance events.

Rose ran 1:59.08 for 800 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational, just barely missing out on the overall win and taking down what may end up being the best regular season women's half-mile field of the spring months.

The LSU star now sits at NCAA #2 all-time in the event on the outdoor oval.

Of course, it was what Rose did the next day that stunned us. The true sophomore dropped a shockingly great time of 4:11 for 1500 meters! That's incredible considering that many fans of the sport believed that she would be more of a 400 meter talent in college who occasionally moved up to the 800 meters.

But now, Rose has run 4:11 (1500) and 1:59 (800) this season, a combination of marks that I can't ever remember seeing during my tenure at The Stride Report.

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

In a normal world, you wouldn’t expect to see the reigning indoor 3k/5k double national champion atop of the 1500 meter national leaderboard, but that’s exactly what you get from the otherworldly talent known as Katelyn Tuohy.

At the Wake Forest Invitational, Tuohy battled professionals Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Angel Piccirillo to the tune of a 4:08 (1500) mark. While the result was unsurprising given the all-time-great resume that Tuohy possesses, the manner in which she competed against some world class talents further solidified the fearlessness that we’ve come to expect from her.

The, just about a half of an hour after that monster effort, Tuohy doubled back to run a regional qualifying mark of 15:50 over 5000 meters. She didn’t need to overextend herself and she simply got the job done.

There isn’t much more to say here as Tuohy continues to sit on the throne as our undisputed top distance runner in the NCAA this year.

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ADDED

Elise Thorner (New Mexico)

Teagan Schein-Becker (Rider)

Everlyn Kemboi (Utah Valley)

KICKED OFF

Lindsey Butler (Virginia Tech)

Amina Maatoug (Duke)

Parker Valby (Florida)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Lindsey Butler (Virginia Tech)

Amina Maatoug (Duke)

Parker Valby (Florida)

Melissa Riggins (Georgetown)

Rylee Penn (Cincinnati)

Valery Tobias (Texas)

Grace Fetherstonhaugh (Oregon State)

Yasmin Austridge (Lamar)

Lucy Jenks (Stanford)

Zofia Dudek (Stanford)

Sarah Hendrick (Kennesaw State)

Greta Karinauskaite (California Baptist)

Imogen Barrett (Florida)

Kaylee Mitchell (Oregon State)

Klaudia Kazimierska (Oregon)

Billah Jepkirui (Oklahoma State)

Silan Ayyildiz (South Carolina)

Amelia Mazza-Downie (New Mexico)

Annamaria Kostarellis (Baylor)

Amanda Vestri (Syracuse)

Mia Barnett (UCLA)

Angelina Ellis (Butler)

Katie Thronson (Notre Dame)

Laura Pellicoro (Portland)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Carley Thomas (Washington)

Esther Seeland (Virginia)

Emma Heckel (New Mexico)

Gracelyn Larkin (New Mexico)

Cailie Logue (Iowa State)

Anna Gibson (Washington)

Kassidy Johnson (Rutgers)

Katherine Mitchell (Boston College)

Sylvia Chelangat (South Carolina)

Aurora Rynda (Michigan)

Lorena Rangel Batres (LSU)

Rachel Gearing (Penn State)

Abbe Goldstein (New Mexico)

Dorcus Ewoi (Campbell)

Katelyn Mitchem (Wyoming)

Ruby Smee (San Francisco)

Jenna Hutchins (BYU)

Samantha Bush (NC State)

Lexy Halladay-Lowry (BYU)