TSR's 2023 D1 XC Top 50 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #3

Written by Maura Beattie & Finn Birnie, additional edits & commentary via Garrett Zatlin

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NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at a singular meet or (eventually) at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria.

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KEY

(Unranked):

Was not ranked in our last update.

(#/#):

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

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

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50. Hannah Prosser, Freshman, Boston University (Unranked)

She’s been underrated all season, but after a win at the Patriot League XC Championships this past weekend, Boston University’s Hannah Prosser makes her first appearance in our individual rankings.

Of the three races that Prosser has contested this season, she won the UMDartmouth Invite (a simple rust-buster), finished 2nd at Paul Short and won the Patriot League title by a clear 58 seconds. The freshman ace might not be facing the toughest competition, but she’s held her own all season long, is dominating her competition and is proving herself to be one of the top freshmen of 2023.

Prosser will compete against the women of Harvard, Syracuse, Providence and Columbia in two weeks at the Northeast XC Regional Championships. When she races there, we'll get a better gauge as to how the Terrier fares in a top-heavy field.

49. Leane Willemse, Sophomore, Wisconsin (Unranked)

To be honest, Leane Willemse of Wisconsin had never been on our radar as an option to be ranked in our top-50. Her name didn’t start appearing near the front of meet results until she earned a 34th place finish at Nuttycombe. Yes, it was a crummy day and some of the top women faded, but Willemse held her own.

What moved the Badger sophomore into our rankings this week was her superb runner-up finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships. At the same meet in 2022, Willemse crossed the finish line in 48th place, 1:18 behind the winner, Addie Engel of Ohio State. Fast forward one year later and the Wisconsin standout crossed the line in 2nd place, only 10 seconds behind Engel.

The growth that Willemse has made this fall is incredibly promising. She has held her own in a a variety of different fields, is seemingly getting better with each passing race and her 2023 fall resume is solid across the board. She could be an All-American if she plays her cards right at the NCAA XC Championships.

48. Annastasia Peters, Freshman, Utah (-11 / 37)

A 16th place finish at the PAC-12 XC Championships isn't terrible, but it's not necessarily on par with what we've seen from Annastasia Peters this season. The Utah rookie was tremendous in the regular season, placing 3rd at the Griak Invite and 23rd at Nuttycombe, both of which are major reasons why she is still ranked.

Moving forward, we'll be interested to see how the Utes' star freshman handles future championship stages. She has fared well in a variety of different meets, and Friday's showing was by no means poor, but we've seen Peters offer more scoring potency in prior races.

47. Emily Covert, Rs. Junior, Colorado (-7 / 40)

To be clear, Emily Covert hasn't had a poor season this fall. However, she hasn't run up to her full potential. A 5th place finish at the Virginia Invite was fantastic, but a 42nd place finish at Nuttycombe left us wanting more. And while a 12th place finish at the PAC-12 XC Championships was solid, it was clear that Covert isn't as sharp as she has been in the past.

Even so, for a Colorado squad that has been without multiple heavy-hitters this fall, Covert's ability to step in and offer some significant value has been a welcomed development for the Buffaloes.

46. Chloe Foerster, Sophomore, Washington (Unranked)

45. Sophie O’Sullivan, Junior, Washington (Unranked)

Entering our-top 50 this week after helping the Huskies win their first PAC-12 XC Championship title under Coach Maurica Powell are Sophie O’Sullivan and Chloe Foerster. The Washington pair crossed the line together in 6th (O’Sullivan) and 7th (Foerster) place.

O’Sullivan, who really hasn’t had a true break since the end of the 2022 cross country season, rebounded well after finishing 65th at Nuttycombe. The junior, who is debatably more of a middle distance runner (depending on who you ask), has translated her fitness beautifully to the cross country course. However, she will need to remain more consistent in these last two meets to earn her first cross country All-American honor.

As for Foerster, the sophomore talent improved 37 places from her 2022 conference meet performance. The Washington athlete had posted strong results this season, finishing 18th at the Virginia Invite and 40th at Nuttycombe. However, it was Foerster’s 7th place finish at this past weekend’s PAC-12 XC Championships which proved that her youth-based upside could put her on the fringes of an All-American honor this fall.

44. Katie Osika, Senior, Michigan State (+1 / 45)

A 4th place finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships isn't ideal for someone of Katie Osika's caliber, but we're not exactly concerned about that result, either. This veteran is one of the most reliable distance runners in the country and she still put together a decent effort.

Let's not forget that this is someone who finished 12th at the Virginia Invite and 27th at the Nuttycombe Invite. Those are two exceptional results on large, highly-important stages. If anything, her chances of being an All-American are likely higher than what this ranking suggests.

43. Lucy Jenks, Junior, Stanford (Unranked)

A 5th place finish at the PAC-12 XC Championships was the result that we knew Lucy Jenks was capable of producing. The Stanford veteran had been running well this season, specifically when she placed 20th at the Virginia Invite, but she didn't have that spark on her resume that allowed her to crack our top-50.

Luckily for her, that has changed. Jenks' has now validated the idea that her exceptional 5000 meter fitness from the spring has translated to the grass. She has plenty of experience and she also has prior moments of nearly being an All-American.

Her finish outside of the top-40 at the Nuttycombe Invite limits her in these rankings, but Friday was what we wanted to see out of the Cardinal standout.

42. Sadie Sigfstead, Rs. Sophomore, Villanova (Unranked)

Possibly one of the more underrated distance talents in the country, Sadie Sigfstead has been quietly excellent this season despite not racing at many big-time meets.

The redshirt sophomore has turned into a competitive problem for her opponents this fall. Sigfstead won the Maine Line Invite, was runner-up at the Battle in Beantown, finished 8th at Pre-Nationals and settled for 4th at the BIG East XC Championships this past weekend.

On paper, those finishes may seem good, but not great. However, every single woman who has beaten Sigfstead this season is currently ranked in our top-50. And for someone who had a very underrated 2021 fall campaign, you can begin to see the mounting number of arguments for this Villanova runner to be ranked.

41. Aubrey Frentheway, Senior, BYU (+2 / 43)

We've been expecting a bit more from Aubrey Frentheway this fall given how outstanding she was during the 2022 cross country season. Even so, a recent 8th place finish in a top-heavy BIG 12 XC Championship field, along with a strong 7th place finish at Pre-Nationals, gives this BYU veteran more than enough reason to be a top-50 talent.

Let's not forget that Frentheway is one of the best women in the nation when it comes to peaking in the postseason. She is, after all, a three-time All-American on the grass. And truthfully, if someone wanted to rank her higher, then we certainly wouldn't argue.

40. Keira Moore, Rs. Freshman, Northern Arizona (-2 / 38)

Keira Moore of Northern Arizona did not compete at the BIG Sky XC Championships.

39. Sydney Thorvaldson, Rs. Sophomore, Arkansas (Unranked)

Razorback ace Sydney Thorvaldson has been flying under the radar this season, recording top-10 finishes left and right. The redshirt sophomore opened her season with a win at the Cowboy Preview and later earned a 2nd place finish at the Chile Pepper XC Festival. Those were solid efforts, but far greater challenges lied ahead.

From there, Thorvaldson ventured to Virginia for Pre-Nationals and returned to Arkansas with a highly promising 6th place finish. That latter performance primed the Razorback standout for a successful stint at the SEC XC Championships where she finished 6th overall to validate the idea that she's a true low-stick.

The redshirt sophomore has always been talented and she has experience competing on the national scene. However, prior inconsistency and a few good-but-not-great performances made it challenging to truly view Thorvaldson as a top-tier name during the summer months.

Luckily for her, that seems to be changing.

38. Gladys Chepngetich, Freshman, Clemson (+10 / 48)

Clemson’s Gladys Chepngetich has been on fire this season, finishing in the top-three in all four of her races. However, for as brilliant as she has been, it was hard to gauge just how good she actually was going into Friday. That was largely due to the fact that she hadn’t toed the line in a loaded field this season.

The ACC XC Championships was the first time that we got to see Chepngetich in a loaded field -- and it's safe to say that she delivered!

A 7th place finish behind some of the NCAA’s finest was serious validation of all the work that we had seen from the Tiger freshman this season. If the rookie can utilize both her momentum and consistency, then she could very well make another significant jump up our rankings.

37. Jenna Hutchins, Rs. Freshman, BYU (Unranked)

36. Carmen Alder, Junior, BYU (-8 / 28)

In their first BIG 12 XC Championship appearances, Jenna Hutchins and Carmen Alder finished in 6th and 7th place, respectively. The BYU duo helped their team stand atop the podium in Ames, Iowa, preventing Oklahoma State from repeating as team champions.

For Hutchins, this was yet another solid performance. The redshirt freshman hasn’t faltered this season, consistently finishing amongst the top-10 of competitive fields and within BYU’s scoring five. Finishing 6th at a competitive conference meet finally gave Hutchins the resume to get a bump into our rankings.

Alder, who had a breakout race at Pre-Nationals, falls back this week. The Cougar veteran finished 12 seconds behind 5th place finisher Molly Born. If Alder had run like she did in Virginia a few weeks prior, then we're likely looking at a finish around 3rd place. Even so, the BYU junior still ran plenty well and at least validated the idea that she is, in fact, a nationally competitive talent.

35. Molly Born, Rs. Senior, Oklahoma State (Unranked)

It’s been a long time since we last ranked Oklahoma State’s Molly Born.

Back in 2019, Born finished a remarkable 16th at the cross country national meet, but then she hit the injury bug. Luckily, the redshirt senior appears to be back at her "A" game, just in time to help the Cowgirls go out with bang in her final season.

This past weekend, at the BIG 12 XC Championships, Born finished 5th place overall, only three seconds behind teammate and runner-up finisher, Billah Jepkirui. If Born can replicate her conference meet performance and finish closer to Jepkirui at the NCAA XC Championships come November, then the veteran will be on the verge of earning her second All-American honor on the grass...and Oklahoma State will have a realistic shot at the podium.

34. Lexy Halladay-Lowry, Senior, BYU (+10 / 44)

A 9th place finish at Pre-Nationals was solid. It told us that Lexy Halladay-Lowry was still a nationally competitive name and that she'd be a key talent for BYU this fall. However, it also left us wanting more given how immaculate her last year of racing has been.

Well, on Saturday, we certainly got more. Halladay-Lowry put together a fantastic race, giving chase to the top group to finish 4th overall. In doing so, she took down a top aerobic-centric talent in Molly Born and led her podium-caliber squad to the conference title.

This past weekend, we got the version of Halladay-Lowry that we were expecting to see this season. And if her recent effort is an indication of her peaking for the postseason, then she could be due for her best national meet result yet.

33. Alyson Churchill, Senior, Florida State (+1 / 34)

There's truthfully not much to discuss with Alyson Churchill. Her recent 6th place finish at the ACC XC Championships is right on par with expectations.

The Florida State star has remained in the All-American conversation all season long, although we're still waiting to see her replicate her outstanding performance from the Joe Piane Invite where she placed 3rd and nearly took down Kelsey Chmiel.

32. Paityn Noe, Freshman, Arkansas (+4 / 36)

Arkansas freshman standout Paityn Noe has transitioned to the college ranks seamlessly and her 5th place finish at the SEC XC Championships was yet another stellar result for the rising Razorback star.

With the unfortunate absence of Isabel Van Camp, the Razorbacks were in desperate need of a low-stick star this fall. Luckily for them, Noe came to the rescue. Her 5th place finish was enough to guide the women from Fayetteville, Arkansas to a huge silver medal result.

Noe is someone who is seemingly getting better with every race and her brilliant performances can only be filling her with confidence as November approaches. If the Razorback freshman can consistently produce those types of performances, and she most certainly has so far, then she could be a shoo-in for an All-American accolade.

31. Nicola Jansen, Junior, New Mexico (-1 / 30)

Heading into the Mountain West XC Championships, we predicted that New Mexico’s Nicola Jansen would win the individual title. However, the Lobo front-runner wasn’t able to match Colorado State’s Sarah Carter and she had to settle for 2nd place.

Leading up to the Mountain West XC Championships, Jansen had opened her season with a remarkable 2nd place finish at the Griak Invitational (where she beat Carter) and then backed that up at Nuttycombe when she finished 21st, the deepest field that she had ever faced as a collegiate athlete.

Since transferring from Bradley University to New Mexico, Jansen has been on a new level and has acclimated to the altitude and heat of Albuquerque quite well. Assuming she makes it out of the Mountain region, Jansen will be a dangerous name on the national stage now that she has experience in larger, nationally competitive meets.

30. Greta Karinauskaite, Sophomore, California Baptist (+2 / 32)

It was business as usual for California Baptist’s Greta Karinauskaite as she took home the individual title at WAC XC Championships. Entering the race, she was coined as the heavy favorite, and sure enough, she won by a commanding 33 seconds.

While this victory came as no surprise, it was nice to see her find her footing again after what was an underwhelming outing at the Nuttycombe Invite a few weeks prior. Karinauskaite has already proved this season (and during the spring) that she is plenty talented. Her lone struggle in a larger field like Nuttycombe wasn't ideal, but she has shown us enough this fall to suggest that her effort on that stage was a fluke.

29. Maddy Elmore, Rs. Sophomore, Oregon (+6 / 35)

When Maddy Elmore had her breakout 2023 outdoor track season, we were wildly impressed. However, we also came into the fall months under the impression that Elmore was a mile-centric runner and wouldn't be a top name on the grass.

That assumption, of course, was wrong.

The Oregon standout was outstanding at Pre-Nationals where she earned a huge 2nd place finish behind only Carmen Alder. She took down numerous All-Americans in the process and she forced us to ask ourselves, "Just how good is Elmore this season?"

Well, Elmore answered that question with a fantastic 4th place finish at the PAC-12 XC Championships on Friday. The redshirt sophomore validated all of her recent success, both from this season and the spring, and has now become a fairly clear All-American favorite.

28. Sarah Carter, Rs. Senior, Colorado State (+14 / 42)

Going into this weekend, Sarah Carter and New Mexico ace Nicola Jansen were 1-1 against each other this season. Jansen defeated Carter at the Griak Invitational while Carter defeated Jansen at the Nuttycombe Invitational. However, on Friday, Carter broke the tie, securing a huge win to further bolster her resume heading into the final two meets of the season.

This Colorado State runner has been great across the board. We knew that she was talented during the winter and spring months, but we're now seeing Carter improve her fitness while also improving her ability to consistently race at a high level.

That is a very dangerous skillset to have going into the national meet, making Carter a potential must-have in your All-American predictions two and a half weeks from now.

27. Addie Engel, Junior, Ohio State (+12 / 39)

It’s been an up and down season for Ohio State’s Addie Engel, but after a key victory at the BIG 10 XC Championships, the Buckeye ace has begun to climb back up our rankings.

Prior to Friday, Engel suffered losses at the Loyola Lakefront Invite and the Arturo Barrios Invite, finishing 2nd to previously unranked athletes (although both are now in our top-30). And as she entered the BIG 10 XC Championships, Engel's life wasn't going to get any easier. The Buckeye star was set to face the Michigan State duo of Katie Osika and Makenna Veen as well as the rising talent of Wisconsin’s Leane Willemse.

That, however, didn’t seem to faze the Ohio State junior.

Engel distanced herself from the field by 10 seconds en route to her win. And while it's only one race, it's a big one. With that convincing title victory, we need to reevaluate Engel’s ceiling for the 2023 cross country national meet assuming that she makes it out of the Great Lakes region.

26. Juliet Cherubet, Freshman, Texas Tech (+24 / 50)

Texas Tech’s Juliet Cherbut has been flying under the radar this season...but not anymore!

The freshman ace was a surprising 3rd place at the BIG 12 XC Championships on Saturday, finishing just one second behind Oklahoma State’s Billah Jepkirui and ahead of a slew of BYU Cougars.

Cherubet entered the BIG 12 XC Championships following a 2nd place finish at the Wyoming Invite and two 1st place finishes at the Gans Creek Invite and the Arturo Barrios Invite (where she beat Addie Engel). Despite her youth, the Texas Tech standout opted to employ an aggressive front-running approach on Saturday. And while that didn't produce a win, it still put her ahead of numerous top-ranked women.

With the way that this Red Raider youngster has been racing, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see her throwing elbows en route to an All-American honor -- and potentially a top-half honor at that.

25. Ali Upshaw, Junior, Northern Arizona (+4 / 29)

There's not much to discuss with Ali Upshaw who placed 3rd at the BIG Sky XC Championships. The Northern Arizona women easily dominated that race and there wasn't any competition other than her teammates to compare her against. Even so, the NAU junior seemingly held her own and gave us a bit more validation when it comes to her impressive Nuttycombe effort from earlier season.

24. Melissa Riggins, Sophomore, Georgetown (+3 / 27)

Seeing Melissa Riggins snag bronze at the BIG East XC Championships was one of the more predictable results of the weekend. Even so, that strong performance only adds to the phenomenal breakout season that this Georgetown sophomore has been having.

It's one thing to make a major jump in fitness, but consistently delivering on that newfound talent isn't always a guarantee.

23. Kimberley May, Junior, Providence (+10 / 33)

Providence’s Kimberly May makes a significant jump in our rankings as she continues her marvelous season with a fantastic 2nd place finish behind Georgetown’s Chloe Scrimgeour at the BIG East XC Championships. And while that result didn’t necessarily come as a shock, it was further validation of her being a breakout All-American candidate this fall.

The Friar junior is quickly turning into one of the most consistent runners in the nation and her low-stick performances have been crucial for a Providence team that has been without lead ace, Jane Buckley. With the business end of the season fast approaching, there aren't many individuals who are as primed for a postseason peak as May is right now. If she can hold on to this momentum, then she could be a sure-fire pick for an All-American honor.

22. Leah Stephens, Freshman, NC State (-6 / 16)

An 8th place finish at the ACC XC Championships is hardly a poor result, especially for a freshman. Even so, for someone listed in the top-20 portion of our rankings, we would expect something closer to/within the top-five.

Regardless, the emergence of Leah Stephens this fall has been monumental for an NC State squad that needs every weapon that they can find to take down NAU. And if Friday was Stephens' "worst" race of the season, then that's a good problem to have.

21. Billah Jepkirui, Sophomore, Oklahoma State (+10 / 31)

The raw fitness of Billah Jepkirui isn't much of a secret. However, there were very few opportunities for us to see that from her last fall, especially when she had a clear "off" day at the 2022 cross country national meet.

But on Saturday, Jepkirui was outstanding at the BIG 12 XC Championships. The Oklahoma State sophomore was patient while racing alongside Taylor Roe and she outran a loaded field to finish runner-up behind her superstar teammate.

Admittedly, we still have very few competitive data points to look at when gauging just how good Jepkirui is. Even so, Saturday was a strong indication that this 1500 meter All-American may also be an upper-half All-American on the grass.

20. Margot Appleton, Junior, Virginia (-1 / 19)

During Friday's ACC XC Championships, Margot Appleton crossed the line in 5th place. And if you had asked us what to expect from the Cavalier front-runner prior to then, we probably would have told you a result almost identical to that.

Appleton beat many of the women whom she has taken on all season long. And truthfully, at the end of the day, that’s all that we needed her to do in order to remain among the top-20 portion of our rankings.

19. Flomena Asekol, Senior, Florida (-2 / 17)

Flomena Asekol has needed next-to-no time to acclimate to her new training setup in Gainesville, Florida. The Gator newcomer followed her unsurprisingly strong 16th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational with an equally strong 4th place effort at the SEC XC Championships.

Once again, Asekol was the Gator’s second scorer behind Parker Valby and her low-stick performance was pivotal in guiding Florida's quintet to the team victory.

With the Gators eyeing up a national team title, Asekol will have to maintain this high-level of consistency as we roll into November. This, however, should be no problem for someone who finished in the top-15 of last fall's NCAA XC Championships. And given that this is the most consistent that we've seen her be prior to the national meet, we have plenty of reason to be optimistic about her next two races (despite her two-spot drop).

18. Phoebe Anderson, Junior, Columbia (0 / 18)

Columbia’s Phoebe Anderson has been one of the biggest breakout stars of the season so far and her 2nd place finish behind Maia Ramsden at the Ivy League XC Championships further validates the success that we have seen from her this fall.

In what was effectively a one-vs-one battle, Anderson took the race to Ramsden, not relenting until the final stages of their battle. And while we didn’t expect her to come out on top, it was still great to see the Lioness continue to flex her newfound fitness.

Anderson has been on top of her game all season and her ability to consistently show up cannot be understated. If she can carry this momentum and furious racing style into November, then she is going to be tough to take down.

17. Rosina Machu, Sophomore, Gonzaga (-2 / 15)

Gonzaga’s Rosina Machu continues her hot streak with a dominant win at the West Coast Conference XC Championships. What makes this victory remarkably impressive is the fact that Machu put 24 seconds on cross country All-American, Laura Pellicoro, en route to gold.

That's right, 24 seconds over someone who finished in the top-25 at the NCAA XC Championships last fall. The Bulldog sophomore has been turning heads all season long and her latest run should only act as validation (if you still needed it) as to how talented she is.

That being said, we have yet to see how Machu will fare against larger fields with far more elite competition spread throughout. If she can flex this kind of fitness come November on a far more crowded stage, then she could very well outperform her rank.

16. Grace Fetherstonhaugh, Rs. Senior, Oregon State (+10 / 26)

Oregon State's redshirt senior, Grace Fetherstonhaugh, kicked-off her fall campaign with a respectable 22nd place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite. Of course, we knew that wasn’t the best result that we were going to see from the Beaver star. After all, it was a “rust-buster” effort for her.

And sure enough, we were right in our initial assessment which is why she takes a giant leap up our rankings.

A 3rd place finish at the PAC-12 XC Championships behind Amy Bunnage and fellow Beaver Kaylee Mitchell was much more on par with the expectations that we had for her entering the season. This performance suggests that Fetherstonhaugh is rounding into form at just the right time. And given her experience, we can fully expect her to utilize this fitness and earn another All-American honor two and a half weeks from now.

15. Taylor Roe, Rs. Senior, Oklahoma State (+10 / 25)

Don’t call it a rust-buster! Taylor Roe started her season on a high note by securing the win at the BIG 12 XC Championships, taking down the field by a solid seven seconds.

This was a nice opener for Roe after a disappointing end to her 2022 outdoor track season, one that ended at the West Regional Championships. The Oklahoma State redshirt senior has experience on the national scene as she’s been a three-time All-American on the grass as well as an indoor NCAA champion.

Roe will face a fairly easy Midwest Regional XC Championship field in two weeks on her home course. If the Cowgirl star is in top form, then she’ll eventually be knocking on the door of a top-10 finish at the cross country national meet.

14. Annika Reiss, Senior, Northern Arizona (-2 / 12)

13. Gracelyn Larkin, Senior, Northern Arizona (-2 / 11)

As they have been all season long, the dynamic duo of Annika Reiss and Gracelyn Larkin finished within spitting distance of one another. At the BIG Sky XC Championships, Reiss finished runner-up while Larkin finished three seconds back in 4th place.

The Lumberjacks have greatly benefited from adding Larkin to the team this fall after she transferred from New Mexico. Reiss, meanwhile, has not only elevated her fitness, but she has become far more consistent as well.

12. Olivia Markezich, Senior, Notre Dame (-2 / 10)

Notre Dame standout Olivia Markezich takes a small step back in our rankings, largely due to the performances of those around her rather than anything that she's done.

A 4th place finish at the ACC XC Championships was another strong performance against a top-heavy field. That being said, we anticipated her being slightly more competitive with the likes of Amina Maatoug and Kelsey Chmiel.

The Fighting Irish senior has put together a very respectable fall campaign thus far, but it also seems fair to suggest that she has yet to run her best race yet. With the season approaching its finale, we are still left wondering whether or not we will see that.

11. Kaylee Mitchell, Senior, Oregon State (-4 / 7)

Oregon State veteran Kaylee Mitchell finds herself just outside of our top-10 after defeat to Stanford freshman Amy Bunnage at the PAC-12 XC Championships this past weekend. And yet, despite coming up short, this was still a very respectable performance from the lead Beaver star.

Mitchell has already proved her worth this season after an excellent 5th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite. Given her lengthy resume, we have little reason to doubt her as we transition into the climax of the season. A top-10 performance is most certainly still in the cards for the Oregon State standout.

10. Amy Bunnage, Freshman, Stanford (+4 / 14)

Stanford star Amy Bunnage has been simply superb this season and her victory at the PAC-12 XC Championships validates everything that we have seen from her thus far. Taking down Oregon State superstar Kaylee Mitchell is no small feat, but the Aussie youngster did so fairly convincingly.

Bunnage has shown that she isn’t one to shy away from a challenge and her aggressive racing style (which she didn't necessarily employ like she did at Nuttycombe) has been surprisingly effective this fall. The Stanford true freshman has shown glimpses of being a top-10-caliber athlete and if she can maintain this momentum, then she could well achieve that honor.

9. Amina Maatoug, Junior, Duke (+4 / 13)

What a fantastic run by Duke megastar, Amina Maatoug!

A 2nd place finish at the ACC XC Championships was wildly impressive and somewhat unexpected. Yes, Maatoug has been terrific on the grass, but we weren't expecting her to topple someone as proven and as reliable as Kelsey Chmiel. Not only that, but she was only a mere seven seconds behind Katelyn Tuohy (the overall winner) as well.

The Dutch distance standout has been remarkably consistent this season and a performance of this standard should give the Blue Devil star a huge boost in confidence as we creep closer to the NCAA XC Championships. Maatoug is someone who seems to be peaking at just the right time. And for that reason, she finally cracks our top-10.

8. Chloe Scrimgeour, Junior, Georgetown (+1 / 9)

Are you even surprised?

Georgetown’s Chloe Scrimgeour won her first BIG East XC Championship title on a cold morning in Wisconsin. The junior, who finished 14th in 2022, has made a massive jump this season and has maintained that success all season long.

Scrimgeour is the leader of the Hoyas, a team that is also on the rise. A finish amongst the top-10 on November 18th will not only give her an All-American honor, but it could also fuel a Georgetown podium finish.

7. Maia Ramsden, Junior, Harvard (+1 / 8)

Maia Ramsden of Harvard moves up one spot following her win at the Ivy league XC Championships this past weekend. The Crimson junior was pushed through the 4k mark by Columbia’s Phoebe Anderson and Harvard teammate Ella Gilson before sprinting away for a six-second win.

Ramsden winning her second-consecutive Ivy League title on the grass isn’t shocking. The Harvard star had already won two races this season and was coming off of a solid 6th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite two weeks prior. With 4:08 (1500) speed and 15:40 (5k) endurance, Ramsden has all of the tools to be a threat in any race scenario.

6. Hilda Olemomoi, Sophomore, Alabama (0 / 6)

Alabama’s Hilda Olemomoi has been quietly stacking positive performance after positive performance and this past weekend was no different. A bronze medal at the SEC XC Championships behind Parker Valby and her Crimson Tide counterpart Doris Lemngole was another strong run, albeit expected.

Olemomoi is another woman who we know exactly what to expect from. And truth be told, this weekend's performance didn't tell us anything that we didn't already know about her.

5. Kelsey Chmiel, Senior, NC State (-1 / 4)

There isn’t isn’t much to discuss when it comes to NC State star, Kelsey Chmiel. She took home a bronze medal at the ACC XC Championship this past weekend, and while she was probably expected to beat Duke’s Amina Maatoug, you can’t really fault her for her performance. Chmiel is someone who turns up time and time again in the postseason and we expect nothing different from her two and a half weeks from now.

4. Elise Stearns, Junior, Northern Arizona (+1 / 5)

There’s not too much to say here as Northern Arizona’s Elise Stearns won her second-consecutive BIG Sky XC Championship title this past weekend, outpacing the field by 23 seconds.

Stearns has been on a roll this fall, consistently flexing her talents en route to four top-four finishes. Her best race of the season came at the Virginia Invitational in mid-September where she took home the title, but a 4th place finish at Nuttycombe was no walk in the park, either.

If the leading lady for the Lumberjacks continues to follow this trajectory, then she will surely be in contention for a top-three finish at the NCAA XC Championships later this November.

3. Doris Lemngole, Freshman, Alabama (0 / 3)

The 2023 SEC XC Championships was the first time this season that we have really seen Alabama’s Doris Lemngole tested. The Crimson Tide newcomer kept things competitive as she went toe-to-toe with Florida’s Parker Valby through 4000 meters. Unfortunately for Lemngole, she didn't have the final gear to contend for the victory.

While I don't think any of us expected Lemngole to take down Valby, it was still a very respectable effort in what was their first-ever showdown. With the NCAA XC Championships looming, we feel like we now have an accurate gauge as to just how good Lemongole can be -- and this performance played a huge role in helping us come to that conclusion.

2. Katelyn Tuohy, Junior, NC State (0 / 2)

Surprise, surprise! Katelyn Tuohy won yet another ACC XC Championship title.

The NC State ace was able to bounce back after a stunning loss to Florida’s Parker Valby at Nuttycombe two weeks prior. Tuohy used her strength to out-sprint the field, taking down Duke’s Amina Maatoug by seven seconds.

This was a good confidence booster for the Wolfpack junior as she heads into the Southeast Regional XC Championships and the cross country national meet.

1. Parker Valby, Junior, Florida (0 / 1)

The way that Parker Valby controlled the final 2000 meters of the SEC XC Championships was incredible. The junior superstar was passed by Alabama’s Doris Lemngole, but that didn't last very long. The Florida ace put in a massive surge, putting 14 seconds on Lemngole. That gap only increased by the finish as Valby won by 33 seconds.

Sure, we didn't learn anything new about Valby, but after soundly defeating an elite talent in Doris Lemngole, this Florida ace has done everything that we could ask of her this fall.

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ADDED

Hannah Prosser (Boston University)

Molly Born (Oklahoma State)

Sophie O'Sullivan (Washington)

Jenna Hutchins (BYU)

Sydney Thorvaldson (Arkansas)

Sadie Sigfstead (Villanova)

Leane Williams (Wisconsin)

Lucy Jenks (Stanford)

Chloe Foerster (Washington)

KICKED OFF

Amelia Mazza-Downie (Florida)

Izzy Thornton-Bott (Oregon)

Ella Baran (Colorado)

Siona Chisholm (Notre Dame)

Amaris Tyynismaa (NC State)

Natalie Cook (Colorado)

Bailey Hertenstein (Colorado)

Ceili McCabe (West Virginia)

Judy Kosgei (South Carolina)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Savannah Roark (Syracuse)

Laura Pellicoro (Portland)

Bethany Graham (Furman)

Judy Kosgei (South Carolina)

Amelia Mazza-Downie (Florida)

Silan Ayyildiz (South Carolina)

Izzy Thornton-Bott (Oregon)

Ella Baran (Colorado)

Siona Chisholm (Notre Dame)

Amaris Tyynismaa (NC State)

Loral Winn (Ole Miss)

Ruby Smee (Northern Arizona)

Grace Hartman (NC State)

Karrie Baloga (Colorado)

Grace McLaughlin (California Baptist)

Jenny Schilling (Virginia)

Makenna Veen (Michigan State)

Madelynn Hill (Iowa State)

Riley Chamberlain (BYU)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Samantha Bush (NC State)

Sierra Atkins (UC-Davis)

Brianna Weidler (UC-Davis)

Emily Boutin (Navy)

Elise Thorner (Florida)

Ryann Helmers (Ole Miss)

Mckaylie Caesar (Utah)

Julia David-Smith (Washington)

Yasna Petrova (California Baptist)

Carly Wilkes (Furman)

Anna Workman (Virginia)

Fatima Alanis (North Carolina)

Gionna Quarzo (NC State)

Maggie Donahue (Georgetown)

Ashley Jones (Tennessee)

Notes

• Natalie Cook (Colorado) and Bailey Hertenstein (Colorado) have been removed from our rankings after not competing at the PAC-12 XC Championships.

• Ceili McCabe (West Virginia) has been removed from our rankings after not competing at the BIG 12 XC Championships.

• Amaris Tyynismaa (NC State) has been removed from our rankings after recording a DNF result at the ACC XC Championships.