TSR's 2024 D1 Outdoor Top 25 Rankings (Women): Update #2

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

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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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25. Gladys Chepngetich, Freshman, Clemson (Unranked)

After making a few intermittent appearances in our rankings during the winter months, Gladys Chepngetich has continued to make a case that she is a top-25 name in the NCAA.

The Clemson rookie, after a fantastic fall campaign, proved to be just as effective in the middle distances during the indoor track season. And so far this spring, Chepngetich has further strengthened her resume, posting times of 2:00.53 (800) and 4:15 (1500) at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational two weeks ago. In fact, that former mark allowed her to take down Houston's Kelly-Ann Beckford and Texas A&M's Bailey Goggans.

In terms of fitness and talent, Chepngetich is just as good as some of the women who are listed ahead of her. However, as we saw in February and March, the championship season requires a better utilization of tactics, something that she'll need to refine once she reaches May and likely June.

24. Gabija Galvydyte, Senior, Oklahoma State (Unranked)

Few women in the middle distance events have evolved into someone as reliable as Gabija Galvydyte. The Oklahoma State veteran, who had an excellent indoor track season, continues to excel on the oval, running times of 2:01 (800) and 4:10 (1500) at the Bryan Clay Invitational in what turned out to be a very productive weekend of racing.

Not only that, but the Cowgirl star then ventured to the Oregon Relays where she opted to be fairly aggressive early-on. As a result, she posted yet another 4:10 mark for 1500 meters.

Overall, Galvydyte looks like she is ahead of schedule in her fitness. She is showcasing greater consistency than last year and her aerobic strength has also seemingly improved (as evidenced by her metric mile performances). If she can peak for the postseason like she did in 2023, then she may be in contention to replicate her silver medal over 800 meters from last year's outdoor national meet.

23. Shannon Flockhart, Junior, Providence (-5 / 18)

Since her impressive victory over her teammate Kimberley May at the Raleigh Relays, Shannon Flockhart hasn't competed in a legitimate outdoor distance event. Opting for the 3000 meters at her home meet, the Friar veteran secured a commanding 21-second victory, clocking a mark of 9:09.

Putting this performance into perspective is challenging, partly because the distance is not traditionally run on the outdoor oval at the NCAA level and she won by such a large margin. Either way, it's a solid showcase of some aerobic strength.

Having already run 4:08 (1500), Flockhart is a featured name in the discussion of possible All-Americans. And if she is able to match her performance at Raleigh, then she will further solidify her place among those top-eight contenders, especially when you consider how strong she has historically been at the outdoor national meet.

22. Lindsey Butler, Rs. Senior, Virginia Tech (Unranked)

Over the years, Lindsey Butler has built her reputation over 800 meters, winning the 2022 indoor national title in that event and boasting a very strong 2:01 PR at that distance. However, what some may forget is that Butler ran 4:31 in the mile last winter and actually contested that event at the indoor national meet.

Even so, we weren't expecting Butler to throw down a phenomenal 1500-meter PR of 4:07 at the Wake Forest Invitational this past weekend. The Virginia Tech veteran finished as the third-best collegian in the field, but was within arm's reach (or close to it) of both Maia Ramsden and Judy Kosgei who also ran 4:07.

Suddenly, Butler's resume has become more dynamic and loaded with multiple top-tier marks. Whether she'll choose to run the 800 meters or the 1500 meters on the national stage is still unclear, but her aerobic strength is far greater than we expected. And given that Michaela Rose will want to make things fast from the gun on the national stage at the half-mile distance, that strength should only benefit Butler should she choose that event.

21. Margot Appleton, Junior, Virginia (-5 / 16)

After an excellent end to her indoor track season where she ran a 4:29 mile PR to place 5th at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Margot Appleton threw down a new 5k PR of 15:18 at the Raleigh Relays. And naturally, Appleton was rewarded for her excellent racing with a TSR #16 spot in our top-25 list.

However, a 4:11 mark over 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational left us wanting so much more. Sure, a time like that is far from bad, but for someone of her caliber who had the momentum that she did, Appleton was capable of going well under 4:10 (as she has before).

Even so, Appleton has proven time and time again that she is a juggernaut who is brilliant in the mile, specifically on the national stage. We can't forget about that even if a rainy regular season race didn't go her way.

20. Chloe Foerster, Sophomore, Washington (Unranked)

After being left out of the top 1500-meter section at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Washington sophomore Chloe Foerster battled to the line in her heat. In the end, she ran 4:07, a significant PR which allowed her to essentially tie with Melissa Riggins for the fastest collegiate time of the weekend.

This past winter, Foerster stunned the NCAA when she threw down a huge 4:28 mile PR. However, her youth and inexperience caught up to her in the preliminary rounds at the indoor national meet as she failed to advance to the finals.

Thankfully, Foerster's latest metric mile performance at the Bryan Clay Invitational validates that tremendous 4:28 mile effort from the winter. Not only that, but the Husky sophomore was also able to throw down a great kick in an aggressively paced race, a promising development for a variety of scenarios that she may see in the postseason.

19. Greta Karinauskaite, Senior, California Baptist (-9 / 10)

It hasn't been the greatest start to Greta Karinauskaite's outdoor track season. The California Baptist veteran ran 16:11 for 5000 meters at the Stanford Invitational in her first real challenge of the spring months. And while she did post a promising 9:37 (steeple) effort at the Bryan Clay Invitational, she faded from the lead and finished 6th place overall.

Despite the less-than-inspiring pair of performances that we've seen from this Lithuanian distance ace, there's still reason to be encouraged. Karinauskaite's steeplechase effort at last year's Bryan Clay Invitational yielded only a 9:46 mark (which was a PR at the time). She would then go on to peak beautifully for the postseason.

On paper, Karinauskaite is well ahead of where she was at this time last year. However, with this year's steeplechase field looking far more loaded, returning to contention for NCAA gold will not be an easy task by any means.

18. Judy Kosgei, Freshman, South Carolina (Unranked)

Ever since her arrival to the NCAA in the fall, South Carolina freshman Judy Kogei has had the NCAA on high alert. The Gamecock newcomer impressed on the grass, garnering a 19th place All-American finish at the NCAA XC Championships, a result which suggested that she would favor the longer distances.

Yet, as the indoor track season rolled around, it was clear that the freshman had a taste for the middle distances as she posted times of 2:02 (800) and 4:34 (mile). And while those marks were more than solid, the Gamecock rookie has seemingly taken her fitness to a whole new level this spring.

After kicking off her outdoor track campaign with a great 2:01 (800) PR at the Florida Relays, Kosgei followed up that performance with an arguably more impressive 4:07 (1500) PR at the Wake Forest Invitational to barely finish behind two-time NCAA champion and 4:24 miler, Maia Ramsden.

Kosegi has been elevating her fitness with every race and her range is now up there with the very best in the nation. The only thing that she has going against her is a lack of championship experience. Of course, with the way that she is racing, there aren't many women who can straight-up match her outstanding raw fitness.

17. Klaudia Kazimierska, Sophomore, Oregon (Unranked)

In her first race of the 2024 outdoor track season, Klaudia Kazimierska was excellent. In a loaded 1500-meter field at the Bryan Clay Invitational, it was the Duck sophomore who avoided the madness of the pack in front of her and laid down a big kick to finish as the top collegian in her section with a time of 4:08.

However, both Melissa Riggins and Chloe Foerster ran faster in a separate heat.

Kazimierska didn't walk away from the meet as the fastest collegian, she didn't get the overall win and her time wasn't necessarily going to make major headlines. Even so, there is something to be said about someone who executes a great race plan, runs a top-tier time and takes down multiple upper-echelon stars in the biggest regular season meet of the year.

And after earning yet another All-American honor at the indoor national meet this past winter, the arguments against Kazimierska being listed in our top-20 are few and far between.

16. Silan Ayyildiz, Junior, Oregon (Unranked)

Make no mistake, Silan Ayyildiz was already a nationally competitive runner prior to coming to Oregon. However, ever since transferring from South Carolina to join the Ducks, Ayyildiz has reached a new tier of poise, range and talent.

During the winter months, Ayyildiz produced times of 4:30 (mile) and 8:54 (3k). And after an outdoor track rust-buster, the newest Oregon standout threw down an incredible 15:15 (5k) personal best at the Bryan Clay Invitational! She would later run 4:10 for 1500 meters at the Oregon Relays.

Ayyildiz was already one of the nation's better milers before this year. Sure, she maybe wasn't an All-American, but she was consistently in the conversation to earn that honor. Now, her aerobic strength has reached an entirely new level as shown by her 3k and 5k personal bests. The Turkish distance star is on a massive hot streak and is slowly becoming one of the more well-rounded runners in the NCAA.

15. Riley Chamberlain, Sophomore, BYU (-3 / 12)

Rising BYU star Riley Chamberlain slips back in our rankings ever-so-slightly after a somewhat underwhelming 1500-meter performance at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

The Cougar sophomore’s time of 4:12 (1500) was good enough for 23rd place overall. And while a mark of 4:12 is by no means bad, we were expecting her to go slightly faster, especially after seeing how good she looked running 4:11 a few weeks prior.

Of course, this performance is absolutely nothing to worry about. Chamberlain has shown great consistency during her career so far, and with youth on her side, she is only likely to improve from here. With plenty of the season remaining, we fully expect the sophomore to get back on her upwards trajectory and vie for an All-American accolade.

14. Maddy Elmore, Rs. Sophomore, Oregon (0 / 14)

After a tremendous performance in the 5k to kick-off her outdoor track season, Oregon's Maddy Elmore returned to the distance that she has historically favored the most throughout her career: the 1500 meters.

The Duck ace posted a very competitive mark of 4:09 (1500) at the Bryan Clay Invite and a respectable 4:11 (1500) mark the following weekend on her home track. And while both of these marks are just shy of her 4:08 PR from last spring, there is no doubt that Elmore is in terrific shape, especially after seeing her 15:15 (5k) personal best at the Stanford Invite.

That being said, if Elmore wants to contend for the podium over the metric mile distance, then she is going to have to elevate her game in order to match the likes of Ramsden, Jepkirui and Riggins. Of course, with a 5000-meter time as good as that in her back pocket, who's to say that she may not opt to step up in distance come June?

13. Hayley Kitching, Sophomore, Penn State (+2 / 15)

Penn State’s Hayley Kitching has not competed on US soil since our last rankings update. However, the Nittany Lion standout did travel to Australia to race the 800 meters at the Australian Championships. Down under, Kitching ran a shiny PR of 2:00 (800). 

The 800-meter distance is becoming increasingly more top-heavy this season as nearly a dozen women have run 2:01 or faster already. Kitching has experience and unwavering consistency, but we're still looking to see if her ceiling extends high enough to legitimately challenge LSU’s Michaela Rose and Stanford’s Juliette Whittaker.

If the still-rising sophomore can maintain her current momentum and reliability until the end of the outdoor track season, then she will be a legitimate contender for a top-three finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. 

12. Elise Thorner, Senior, Florida (Unranked)

Lobo-turned-Gator star Elise Thorner has always been one of the more reliable steeplechasers in the NCAA over the last few years. But at the Bryan Clay Invite, the two-time All-American showed us that she has reached another level.

The senior distance talent took on a very top-heavy field and her patience within that race paid off. Over the final few laps, Thorner powered home, crossing the line a hair behind Division Two record holder, Gracie Hyde. Her finishing time of 9:28 (steeple) was a four-second personal best and a true breakthrough for the British steeplechase star.

Thorner’s new PR now puts her in the upper-echelon of colligate steeplechasers. And given her historical reliability over the barriers, she could very well be a name to put in the medal conversation for June. 

11. Billah Jepkirui, Sophomore, Oklahoma State (-2 / 9)

Billah Jepkirui’s movement in our rankings can largely be attributed to the performances of others rather than anything that she has done wrong. In fact, over the past few weekends, the Oklahoma State talent has been racing very solidly.

The Cowgirl standout kicked-off her spring campaign at the Bryan Clay Invite with a two-second PR over 1500 meters. Her clocking of 4:08 was good enough to emerge as the second-fastest collegian in the top section, being narrowly beaten by Oregon’s Klaudia Kazimierska. 

Just one week later, Jepkirui ventured to the Oregon Relay to take on a stacked pro field that also featured Kazimierska’s talent teammates, Maddy Elmore and Silan Ayyildiz. And in what ended up being a fairly tight battle, the Cowgirl crossed the line as the first collegian recording a very solid 4:10 (1500) mark in the process.

Jepkirui has been showcasing great consistency and an ongoing willingness to be competitive at the top of strong fields no matter who she is up against. The Oklahoma State star has proven that she is a force to be reckoned with at the championship level, so don't be surprised to see her among the medalists come June.

10. Kimberley May, Junior, Providence (+1 / 11)

Providence star Kimberley May breaks into our top-10 after recording a brand new PR in the 800 meters of 2:03. And while that result doesn’t necessarily tell us anything new about the Friar star, it is a very promising display of speed coming from an athlete who has shown such success over the metric mile distance and had further built her aerobic base this year.

With momentum still on her side, May has proven to be a concrete medal contender and one of the more all-around complete distance runners in the NCAA.

9. Melissa Riggins, Junior, Georgetown (+11 / 20)

In our last rankings update, we asked the question “How low can Riggins bring her 1500-meter PR down to this season?” Well, within one race, the Georgetown middle distance star lowered that time to a blistering 4:07!

At the Bryan Clay Invitational, Riggins battled against a stacked field of both pros and collegians in the second-fastest section. And despite wet conditions, the Hoya took home the honor of the first NCAA athlete across the line (even ahead of the next section) as she narrowly beat Washington's Chloe Foerster by four one-thousandths of a second.

As quick as her time was, a major takeaway from this victory was the manner in which she achieved it. Riggins' fearless front-running approach paid dividends, an approach that should allow her to thrive no matter what the race scenario is at NCAA Outdoor Championships. 

A 4:07 clocking is certainly good enough for a significant jump in our rankings, but that isn't the only achievement that the Georgetown star has made since our last rankings update. This past weekend, the junior threw down a huge 2:01 (800) PR at the Wake Forest Invitational, a result that earned her a 4th place finish.

This is a significant display of speed, a skill that only adds to her already impressive racing arsenal. But frankly, given her history of success in that event and obvious leap in fitness this year, that recent development shouldn't be too surprising. With flexibility on her side, Riggins is going to be a tough competitor to face-off against in the postseason.

8. Taylor Roe, Senior, Oklahoma State (0 / 8)

It seems fairly obvious that Taylor Roe's most recent visit to California was intended to qualify her for the West Regional Championships rather than assert her dominance.

That's because the Cowgirl veteran ran respectable times of 15:36 (5k) and 33:17 (10k) at the Bryan Clay Invitational, but it was apparent that she was capable of more. Roe won both of the races and has solidified a spot in the top-48 of both of those events for a qualifying bid to the West Regional Championships. 

Given that we didn't really learn anything new about Roe since her last race (the indoor national meet), we didn't feel the need to change her ranking.

7. Juliette Whittaker, Sophomore, Stanford (-1 / 6)

In her first 800-meter race since being crowned the national champion in said event at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Juliette Whittaker finished a respectable 5th place at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Her finishing time of 2:01 (800) was a solid event opener, but was still three seconds shy of Michaela Rose’s winning mark from the top section. 

Despite her relative youth, the Stanford sophomore has plenty of experience and accolades to her name. However, to beat Rose at her own game (again) in June, Whittaker's raw fitness may need to keep pace with the rapid ascent that her LSU counterpart has been on.

It’s not going to be easy for the Cardinal ace to repeat at 800 meter national meet, but she is arguably the most complete half-miler (in terms of her skillset) that the NCAA has right now.

6. Olivia Markezich, Senior, Notre Dame (-3 / 3)

We can’t penalize Olivia Markezich too much after finishing a distant 2nd place to Alabama’s Doris Lemngole in the steeplechase this past weekend. The Notre Dame senior was racing for the first time since her 3k and DMR runner-up finishes at the indoor national meet. And naturally, there was some rust busting needed when it came to jumping over barriers and water pits. 

A 2nd place finish at the Wake Forest Invitational with a time of 9:36 (steeple) is a solid season debut, especially considering that she will likely extend her season into the late summer for the Olympic Trials. 

Even though Markezich didn’t win this past weekend, she’s still the reigning NCAA steeplechase champion. Her 9:17 (steeple) PR is still one of the best we’ve ever seen amongst collegiate athletes and it keeps the experienced veteran in the running for a second consecutive title. Even so, there is going to be plenty of work her to do as she attempts to eventually match the overwhelming fitness of Alabama's latest megastar.

5. Hilda Olemomoi, Junior, Alabama (+2 / 7)

It's very much been California Dreamin’ for Alabama’s Hilda Olemomoi this spring. 

The Crimson Tide star returned to the Golden State after her terrific season opener over the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational. This time, however, the junior only had to contest half the number of laps. That step down in distance was no problem for the Kenyan distance athlete as she clocked a blistering 15:06 (5k) mark to take a huge five-second win at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

Olemomoi currently holds the NCAA #2 all-time mark (for the outdoor track season), just three seconds shy of Katelyn Tuohy's NCAA outdoor 5k record of 15:03. However, more importantly, the junior has demonstrated not only an ability to run fast times, but also to take down nationally competitive fields.

If Parker Valby opts to compete in only one event in June (the 5k or the 10k), Olemomoi will undoubtedly be one of the national title favorites depending on Valby's choice of event. Sure, the Alabama ace will still need to improve her speed and late-rate turnover, but all signs are pointing up for Olemomoi as we inch closer to May.

4. Michaela Rose, Junior, LSU (0 / 4)

Kudos goes out to LSU’s Michaela Rose! 

At the Bryan Clay Invitational, the Tiger superstar ran away from the field en route to a 1:58 (800) win, taking down a slew of professionals and collegian in the process. Rose’s time was not only a new PR, but it was also the NCAA #2 all-time mark (in-season) just behind Athing Mu’s 1:57 (800) mark.

Rose is on a redemption tour after coming in as the favorite to win the 800-meter title at the NCAA Indoor Championships, but having to leave as runner-up. She’s got a great set of wheels under her and that pairs nicely with the strength that she’s displayed over 1500 meters. Her front-running approach does carry risk (as we saw in March), but for someone with her skillset, it may be the most effective race tactic she has.

The Tiger is leaving everything she’s got on the track and could be a threat to Mu’s 800-meter collegiate record by the time the championship season arrives. 

3. Doris Lemngole, Freshman, Alabama (+2 / 5)

Gosh, it's getting harder and harder to dislike Doris Lemngole. The freshman entered this past weekend with a headline match-up between her and on Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich, the reigning NCAA steeplechase champion.

But at the end of the day, that didn’t seem to faze Lemngole at all. 

The Crimson Tide newcomer made a big move after the 1600-meter mark, pulling away from Markezich. Lemngole maintained pace before ultimately finishing her steeplechase season debut in a stellar mark of 9:22, a finishing time that was 14 seconds ahead of the field. 

It’s hard to determine what event, or events, the Alabama ace will focus on come the championship portion of the season. Her best bet at medaling will come in the steeplechase and the 5k, but will Lemngole put all her eggs into one basket or opt for a tough double?

Regardless, Lemngole now has two NCAA #2 all-time marks on her resume (indoor 5k and steeple). Her raw fitness has reached a point where she may not even need tactics to be considered as a favorite for NCAA gold -- she's just that good.

2. Maia Ramsden, Junior, Harvard (0 / 2)

The NCAA indoor mile champion and defending outdoor 1500-meter champion, Maia Ramsden, began her 2024 NCAA spring campaign with a strong showing at the Wake Forest Invitational. The Harvard junior recorded a swift 4:07 (1500) time in her premier event, crossing the finish line as the first collegiate by a narrow margin. 

Although she didn't claim the overall victory (which was earned by Puma pro Dorcus Ewoi), Ramsden's performance aligned closely with our expectations. Her time virtually mirrors the 4:06 mark that she achieved at the World Indoor Championships last month. Simply put, she has been able to successfully maintain the same form over the last month and a half that was good enough to secure her an NCAA indoor title.

However, the Kiwi’s night didn't end there as she returned to the oval just over an hour after her 1500 meters to achieve the regional qualifying mark for the 5000 meters. Under the lights, the collegiate superstar registered a respectable 15:44 (5k) mark, a time that was good enough to secure 4th place.

It's clear that Ramsden is in the form of her life and it's promising to see her maintain this at such a high level. Her consistency and longevity are two tools that are going to greatly favor the Kiwi as she embarks on what will certainly be a long spring/summer season.

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

What can’t Parker Valby do?

The Florida phenom, in her 10k debut, absolutely demolished the field and the NCAA record en route to a 30:50 victory. Valby not only lapped the entire field, some women multiple times, but her finishing time was a clear two minutes ahead of the 2nd place finisher. 

And then, when looking at the NCAA record, Valby chopped 28 seconds off Iowa State’s Lisa Koll’s 31:18 (10k) mark, a record that had stood for 14 years since it was set. Heading into this 10k, we knew the Gator star would continue to produce fireworks, but we weren’t necessarily expecting Valby to become the 11th-fastest American in that event. 

Valby has yet to lose a race this academic year and there’s no reason to think that trend will stop anytime soon. Coach Will Palmer probably won’t have his superstar talent race again until the 5k at the SEC Outdoor Championships as Valby is most likely hoping to extend her track season to the Olympics.

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ADDED

Gladys Chepngetich (Clemson)

Chloe Foerster (Washington)

Gabija Galvydyte (Oklahoma State)

Elise Thorner (Florida)

Silan Ayyildiz (Oregon)

Klaudia Kazimierska (Oregon)

Lindsey Butler (Virginia Tech)

KICKED OFF

Meghan Hunter (BYU)

Roisin Willis (Stanford)

Flomena Asekol (Florida)

Chloe Scrimgeour (Georgetown)

Amina Maatoug (Duke)

Ceili McCabe (West Virginia)

Grace Hartman (NC State)

Victoria Bossong (Harvard)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Roisin Willis (Stanford)

Flomena Asekol (Florida)

Chloe Scrimgeour (Georgetown)

Amina Maatoug (Duke)

Grace Hartman (NC State)

Victoria Bossong (Harvard)

Carley Thomas (Washington) Makayla Paige (North Carolina)

Sydney Thorvaldson (Arkansas)

Juliet Cherubet (Texas Tech)

Molly Born (Oklahoma State)

Amy Bunnage (Stanford)

Sam Bush (NC State)

Sophia Gorriaran (Harvard)

Kelly-Ann Beckford (Houston)

Maggi Congdon (Northern Arizona)

Wilma Nielsen (Washington)

Jenna Hutchins (BYU)

Phoebe Anderson (Columbia)

Rylee Penn (Louisville)

Julia Nielsen (Bradley)

Janette Schraft (Iowa State)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Taylor Lovell (BYU)

Emma Tavella (Boston College)

Laura Taborda (Arkansas)

Florance Caron (Penn State)

Chloe Thomas (UConn)

Andrea Markezich (Notre Dame)

Gracelyn Larkin (Northern Arizona)

Sylvia Chelangat (South Carolina)

Lorena Rangel Batres (LSU)

Gracie Morris (TCU)

Yasna Petrova (California Baptist)

Mena Scatchard (Princeton)

Nicole Vanasse (Columbia)

Sanu Jallow (Arkansas)

Sadie Sargent (BYU)

Teagan Schein-Becker (Rider)

Star Price (Virginia Tech)

Kate Jendrezak (UCLA)

Marlena Preigh (Washington)

Bailey Goggans (Texas A&M)

Molly Hudson (Boston College)

Esther Seeland (Virginia)

Anna Workman (Virginia)

Kileigh Kane (Penn State)

Notes

• BYU’s Meghan Hunter has been removed from our rankings after it was recently discovered that she will be redshirting the outdoor track season. Fellow teammates Lexy Halladay-Lowry and Carlee Hansen will also be redshirting this outdoor track season.

• Northern Arizona’s Alyson Churchill competed unattached earlier this season. As a result, she has been removed from the "Honorable Mentions" section.

• West Virginia’s Ceili McCabe was removed from our rankings after competing unattached since our last rankings update.