TSR's 2024 D1 XC Top 50 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #2

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Written by Finn Birnie, Rachel Hickey & 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. We will only list a max of 20 names in both our "Just Missed" section and our "Honorable Mentions" section (each).

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KEY

(Unranked):

Was not ranked in our last update.

(#/#):

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

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

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50. Bieke Schipperen, Sophomore, Florida State (Unranked)

The Florida State women have been one of the more pleasant surprises of this season (or at least, from this past weekend). A big reason for that is because Bieke Schipperen is having a huge breakout campaign!

After securing a quietly strong 17th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite, the Seminole star dropped a similarly impressive 24th place finish at Pre-Nationals. That latter performance was validation that FSU truly does have a star low-stick who they can lean on in the postseason.

Yes, we'll admit, we still need to see if these performances can be replicated on championship stages. However, any concern about Schipperen's relative inexperience can largely be countered by the upside and momentum that she has right now.

49. Zofia Dudek, Senior, Stanford (Unranked)

We'll admit, Zofia Dudek has been extremely challenging to figure out throughout her college career. Some seasons, she has looked like one of the five-most talented distance runners in the NCAA. In other seasons, she has struggled greatly and has lacked consistency.

However, after earning a runner-up finish at the Gans Creek Classic and later validating that run with a 23rd place finish at Pre-Nationals, it feels fair to say that Dudek is truly "back." We're still on the cautious side about what she'll be able to do in the postseason, but this is the most optimistic that we've felt about Dudek's All-American hopes in quite some time.

48. Maelle Porcher, Junior, Iowa State (Unranked)

Pairing a recent 21st place performance at Pre-Nationals with a very strong 16th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite shows us that Maelle Porcher has reached a new tier of fitness this fall.

The Iowa State talent has always been a quietly consistent scorer, but now she has evolved into a stronger runner -- and has maintained excellent reliability along the way. With experience also under her side, it's hard to find too many flaws on the resume of the Cyclones' newest low-stick.

47. Aliandrea Upshaw, Senior, Northern Arizona (0 / 47)

After not racing with her team at the Joe Piane Invite a few weeks back, Ali Upshaw finally had her first real test of the season at Pre-Nationals this past weekend. And, for the most part, her 19th place finish roughly aligned with our expectations.

Seeing Upshaw secure a 12th place finish at last year's Nuttycombe Invite was a huge indicator of how much raw talent she has. However, we didn't ever see her produce a result like that again...well, not until Saturday.

The NAU veteran won't have another real test until the NCAA XC Championships. But after earning valuable experience last fall, we like to think that Upshaw's chances of being an All-American in 2024 have risen.

46. Mia Cochran, Junior, Arkansas (Unranked)

We have admired Mia Cochran's role as an impact support scorer behind the low-sticks on her team for the last few years. However, after seeing her place 18th at Pre-Nationals this past weekend, it felt like the Pennsylvania native was beginning to become a low-stick in her own right.

Truthfully, Saturday was the only real challenge that Cochran has had so far this fall. Thankfully, she'll get to fully test herself at the upcoming SEC XC Championships which promises to be loaded with individual stars.

45. Pheline Cheruto, Freshman, Alabama (Unranked)

We have not seen Pheline Cheruto compete since our last rankings update. However, her 5th place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invite looks far more impressive after seeing that she beat multiple breakout stars from this past weekend. That group includes Hannah Gapes (NC State), Mercy Kinyanjui (Toledo) and Ali Weimer (Minnesota).

The performances of those women at Pre-Nationals puts Cheruto's early-season result into better context for us as we craft these rankings. And yet, at the same time, that was only one race. We would like to see how the Alabama rookie fares in the postseason, specifically the SEC XC Championships, before we make any further decisions about where she should be placed in these rankings.

44. Mercy Kinyanjui, Freshman, Toledo (Unranked)

A 7th place performance at the Loyola lakefront Invite earlier this season certainly caught our attention. That result suggested that Mercy Kinyanjui could potentially be a low-stick for Toledo this fall.

Sure enough, this past weekend at Pre-Nationals, Kinyanjui emerged as just that. The rookie Rocket dropped a excellent 17th place finish in Wisconsin, validating her result from Loyola and further proving that she can thrive in a variety of different fields despite her inexperience.

There's still plenty that we don't know about Kinyanjui. However, the fact that she can be competitive in national-caliber fields is a big development for a Toledo squad that has hopes of returning to the national stage next month.

43. Chloe Foerster, Junior, Washington (Unranked)

Despite producing a very solid 29th place effort at the Nuttycombe Invite, we had to drop Chloe Foerster from our rankings in our first update -- but she stayed in our "Just Missed" section. Thankfully, the Washington standout was able to muster up an even stronger result at Pre-Nationals on Saturday by placing 16th overall.

Foerster is supremely talented. She has some of the best raw fitness in the nation and it seems like she's only beginning to just refine that now. That kind of upside will be very valuable in the postseason and the same could be said for her ongoing reliability that she has shown in two larger fields.

42. Jenny Schilling, Junior, Virginia (0 / 42)

Not much to discuss here. Jenny Schilling easily cruised to the win at her home meet, the Panorama Farms XC Invitational, this past weekend. We'll get a better idea of her current fitness once she competes at the ACC XC Championships.

41. Mckaylie Caesar, Rs. Senior, Utah (+3 / 44)

A 3rd place run at the Bill Dellinger Invite two weekends ago is roughly on par with our expectations for Mckaylie Caesar. The Utah star lost only to Maddy Elmore and teammate Erin Vringer, the latter of whom is having a huge breakout season.

In a race where Caesar and her teammates crowded the top-10, it's hard to draw any significant conclusions from the results of this meet. Eve so, the Ute veteran is looking sharp and continues to stay in the All-American conversation.

40. Maeve Stiles, Junior, Washington (-4 / 36)

Seeing Maeve Stiles post a monster 8th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite left us absolutely stunned. Sure, we knew that she was a talented runner from her days at Penn, but the newest Washington ace had never shown a level of fitness quite like that.

As such, in an effort to not overreact to one early-season result, we placed Stiles at TSR #36 in our last rankings update. And now, following a less exciting 30th place run at Pre-Nationals (which was still very solid), we feel like this spot is the appropriate place for her.

Make no mistake, Stiles has looked great both times that she has run this season, but her Nuttycombe Invite performance was definitively better than this past weekend. But because we already cautious about ranking her in our last update, we didn't feel the need to move her by a dramatic amount this time around.

39. Brynn Brown, Senior, North Carolina (+10 / 49)

A 7th place finish at the Princeton Fall Classic may not seem that great at first glance, but that result is much better than some people may realize. En route to that finish, Brynn Brown had to defeat top names such as Melissa Riggins, Sadie Sigfstead and Shannon Flockhart.

Between that effort and her 10th place performance at the Nuttycombe Invite, it feels like Brown is establishing greater consistency at the highest levels of her fitness. Despite "only" being ranked at TSR #39, we're beginning to feel increasingly more confident in her chances to become an All-American.

38. Carly Wilkes, Junior, Furman (-1 / 37)

Sure, a 22nd place finish at Pre-Nationals wasn't the performance that we were expecting to see from someone who also finished 9th at the Nuttycombe Invite a few weeks prior. Even so, Carly Wilkes still put forth an excellent effort. And more importantly, she validated herself as a national-caliber low-stick who is very clearly at a better level of fitness than she was at last fall.

Wilkes is plenty experienced and has now strung together back-to-back All-American-caliber performances in two fields that have often overwhelmed top athletes. That reliability in larger races should be helpful at the national meet as Furman must retain their firepower if they want to make a run at the top-10 come November.

37. Emily Covert, Rs. Senior, Notre Dame (Unranked)

When we saw Emily Covert place 8th at the Joe Piane Invite, we were encouraged. The recent graduate transfer was plenty accomplished, but in recent seasons, some of her performances had left us wanting more.

Thankfully, Covert was even better at Pre-Nationals posting a tremendous 15th place result to add further value to her role as a low-stick star. That performance, paired with her extensive experience and proven pedigree, makes Covert an easy name to place in our rankings.

36. Karrie Baloga, Sophomore, Northern Arizona (-3 / 33)

Has not competed since our last rankings update.

35. Gladys Chepngetich, Sophomore, Clemson (-13 / 22)

There is no denying that Gladys Chepngetich is a top-tier distance runner who should be able to secure All-American honors yet again in 2024. However, in each of her races this fall, the Clemson sophomore has yet to defeat any standout individuals (excluding rust-busters).

At the Louisville XC Classic, Chepngetich dropped to 5th placed behind her two teammates and West Virginia's 1-2 punch. And this past weekend, at the Crimson Classic, Chepngetich lost to teammate Silvia Jelego while Alabama's top-two women comfortably pulled away.

We can very clearly see that this Tiger sophomore has tons of raw talent and she certainly hasn't faced any easy competition as of late. Even so, for someone who was a 24th place All-American last fall, we expected her to take down one or two key names by now.

34. Brenda Jepchirchir, Freshman, Auburn (-2 / 32)

Truthfully, we didn't learn a whole lot about Brenda Jepchirchir this past weekend as she easily won the "B" race at Pre-Nationals. Make no mistake, she faced good competition, but none of those women were expected to defeat the Auburn freshman.

We'll get a better idea of Jepchirchir's true talent when she ventures to the SEC XC Championships. Thankfully, we do know that she's an All-American-caliber name after defeating both Zofia Dudek and Sophia Kennedy at the Gans Creek Classic earlier this season.

33. Judy Chepkoech, Freshman, Arizona State (Unranked)

When it was first announced that Judy Chepkoech was entering the NCAA, we figured that she would be a nationally competitive name. She did, after all, hold a rumored 5k PR of 15:21.

However, despite earning two wins before this past weekend, Chepkoech had not faced any competition that would allow us to properly gauge her talent. Thankfully, the Sun Devil rookie competed at the Arturo Barrios Invite this past weekend and thrived against a very top-heavy field.

Snagging a 3rd place result behind Juliet Cherubet and Leah Jeruto is mightily impressive, especially when you realize that she defeated Rosina Machu in the process. We still want to see how she fares at the BIG 12 XC Championships before we rank her any higher than this, but we were very pleased with her latest effort.

32. Melissa Riggins, Senior, Georgetown (-13 / 19)

Melissa Riggins takes a bit of a tumble down our individual rankings to TSR #32 after her 8th place outing at the Princeton Fall Classic. Considering this field was not nearly as deep or as Pre-Nationals or the Nuttycombe Invite, this performance left a bit to be desired.

Teammates Chloe Scrimgeour and Lucy Jenks bettered Riggins this time out, which is not necessarily surprising, although we may have expected Riggins to finish closer to Scrimgeour. And sure, her placement is not a poor performance by any means, but it is safe to say it fell short of expectations established by her early-season performances and breakout year last fall and spring.

Even so, we are confident that this Georgetown veteran possesses the talent and fitness combination to be a fringe All-American on her worst day.

31. Erin Vringer, Sophomore, Utah (+4 / 35)

Two weekends ago, rising Utah talent Erin Vringer proved to us that her impressive finish at the Nuttycombe Invite was absolutely no fluke.

Vringer posted another outstanding run at the Bill Dellinger Invite to take the runner-up slot behind Oregon standout Maddy Elmore. She led her Ute contingent to a dominant victory over the Ducks on their home course, beating out former All-American teammate Mckaylie Caesar in the process.

The demonstrated consistency of Vringer this fall has solidified some confidence in her ability to produce a national-caliber performance in Madison, Wisconsin come November. For that reason, she gets a slight bump up.

30. Carmen Alder, Junior, BYU (Unranked)

Last year’s surprise Pre-Nationals champion Carmen Alder proved that she can be a reliable low-stick for the BYU women this past weekend with her excellent 14th place effort in Madison, Wisconsin. Alder was the second scorer for the Cougars and competed toe-to-toe with numerous All-American favorites in the process.

Alder’s consistency has improved tremendously this fall which is a primary factor in her being placed at TSR #30. Her presence as BYU’s second or third low-stick bolsters the Cougar’s scoring potency in a massive way, something that should be credited for the program’s Pre-Nationals victory and increased NCAA title hopes.

29. Sophia Kennedy, Sophomore, Stanford (Unranked)

Welcome back to our rankings, Sophia Kennedy!

After a strong, but largely negligible, result at the Gans Creek Classic, Kennedy made a true statement with her tremendous 13th place individual finish at Pre-Nationals this past weekend! The young and still-rising distance talent has emerged as an impressive low-stick for the Stanford women, something that they very much need with Amy Bunnage still absent.

Kennedy's performance at Pre-Nationals affirms her presence among the best in the NCAA this fall. With her next challenge in a couple weeks at the ACC XC Championships, Kennedy will be in good company and could be a (very deep) sleeper for the individual title.

28. Silvia Jelego, Freshman, Clemson (+1 / 29)

At one of the smaller races of the weekend, NCAA newcomer Silvia Jelego quietly asserted herself as an All-American favorite even further.

Jelego finished 3rd at the Crimson Classic behind only two Alabama stars to flex veteran-like consistency in her fourth race of the fall season. In fact, this actually marks her lowest finish in the NCAA yet! Jelego has been a top-three finisher in every collegiate cross country race that she has competed in thus far.

Of course, relative to meets like Nuttycombe and Pre-Nationals, this result doesn't really tell us as much about her ability to replicate these performances in a larger fields. Thankfully, with the ACC XC Championships around the corner, the Clemson standout will face her biggest challenge yet and truly be able to prove herself against a few more experienced competitors.

27. Ali Weimer, Junior, Minnesota (Unranked)

It’s about time Ali Weimer made her way into our TSR rankings after a string of consistent breakthrough performances!

After reigning victorious at the Roy Griak Invite and earning a respectable 9th-place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invite, Weimer proved herself to be a genuine All-American threat with a highly potent 11th-place outing at Pre-Nationals. At that meet, Weimer out-leaned Siona Chisholm of Notre Dame, an already-ranked name, to validate her rise as star-caliber name.

With reigning BIG 10 champion Addie Engel of Ohio State out for the season, the individual conference title at this year's meet is seemingly up for grabs. And with new, national-caliber faces contending for the title, Weimer will be able to truly establish herself among some of the best in the country ahead of the NCAA XC Championships.

26. Jenna Hutchins, Rs. Sophomore, BYU (-12 / 14)

A top-20 finish at Pre-Nationals is nothing short of respectable, but it does suggest that Jenna Hutchins is still be a bit more variable than we initially thought.

After her strong 4th-place showing at the Joe Piane Invite, Hutchins looked to be on the rise as one of BYU’s low-sticks. However, it's safe to say that her 20th-place finish at Pre-Nationals left us shrugging our shoulders a bit. Yes, she was still a fantastic middle-lineup scorer for the Cougars, but the former high school standout has certainly shown flashes of greater potential.

The BIG 12 XC Championships in Waco, Texas will truly reveal if her Pre-Nationals outing was a better representation of her floor than anything else. And if that's true, then that should solidify her standing within the top-40 of the NCAA this fall.

25. Alexandra Millard, Junior, Providence (-1 / 24)

Did Alex Millard's 5th-place showing at the Princeton Fall Classic this past weekend tell us anything new about the Providence star? No, not particularly.

Even so, Millard arguably improved upon her performance from the Nuttycombe Invite by beating out several ranked names in a sneaky-good field, including Phoebe Anderson of Columbia and Nuttycombe Invite champion, Sadie Sigfstead of Villanova.

Millard provides reliable, consistent scoring potency for the Friars. And with the talent that we know she possesses, Millard could only get better and better as she continues to race. With her next test being the BIG East XC Championships, we will see if we learn anything new about Millard ahead of the NCAA circuit.

24. Siona Chisholm, Senior, Notre Dame (+16 / 40)

Siona Chisholm climbs her way up our rankings to our TSR #24 spot following her 12th-place finish at Pre-Nationals. Chisholm’s run marked her as a great low-stick for the Fighting Irish and a legitimate top-half All-American threat.

Finishing just outside the top-10 in the nation's largest regular season meet is no small feat, and it makes us turn our heads just a little bit in Chisholm’s direction. Yes, we figured she had crazy-good potential, but ahead of this weekend, she had yet to show it outright on the grass.

Now, the question becomes whether or not she can replicate this success at the ACC XC Championships and beyond.

23. Joy Naukot, Freshman, West Virginia (+18 / 41)

The Mountaineers have been building quite the lineup this fall and one of their newest additions is Joy Naukot. So far, the NCAA newcomer has proven that she is having zero problems acclimating to the collegiate scene. This past weekend, she earned a top-10 finish at Pre-Nationals to help West Virginia shock the nation with their 4th-place performance.

When paired with Ceili McCabe, the Mountaineers have a lethal 1-2 punch of All-American talents who can instill increased confidence in their lineup. But will Naukot continue her breakout rookie campaign in the postseason? A strong All-BIG 12 performance would certainly establish this newbie among the veteran greats in the NCAA, but it's her youth-based upside that truly makes her a dangerous name as the rest of the season unfolds.

22. Hannah Gapes, Rs. Junior, NC State (Unranked)

The NC State women desperately needed someone on their roster to answer the call for a new low-stick star, especially with the ongoing absence of Leah Stephens.

Enter Hannah Gapes.

The junior enters our TSR rankings in grand fashion following her 8th-place individual showing at Pre-Nationals to massively bolster NC State’s scoring potency. Gapes provides another much-needed low-stick alongside teammate Grace Hartman.

Gapes also placed 6th back at the Loyola Lakefront Invite and after seeing how well she fared at Pre-Nationals, we like the consistency that she has shown so far this fall. Of course, the bigger question is, how effective of a scorer will Gapes be in the postseason? Regardless, her presence has been exactly what the Wolfpack have been looking for.

21. Maddy Elmore, Senior, Oregon (-1 / 20)

The only thing that we really learned about Maddy Elmore since our last rankings update is that she is healthy and ready to race.

Elmore comfortably ran away with the Bill Dellinger title over Erin Vringer of Utah in her return to the cross country course. The Oregon ace has been a consistent force in the NCAA for the last year or two and we knew that if she returned healthy this season, that she would be a top-half All-American threat.

Her return to racing has simply affirmed what we already knew about her, leaving Elmore with very little movement in our rankings this week.

20. Phoebe Anderson, Senior, Columbia (-5 / 15)

The first woman in our top-20 section is Columbia’s Phoebe Anderson who fell a handful of spots following her 6th-place performance at the Princeton Fall Classic.

After placing 4th at the Nuttycombe Invite, Anderson is another name who we expected a bit more from in her last major regular season meet -- which feels redundant. But while that Princeton meet was certainly not as deep as the Nuttycombe Invite or Pre-Nationals, it was still sneaky-good!

In fact, the top-nine women from that race are all ranked within the top-32 of our list, making it a smaller-scale showdown of national-caliber talents.

Anderson falling right in the middle of this grouping highlights her veteran experience and proven talent. We also can't ignore how impressive she was earlier this season at the always-loaded Nuttycombe Invite. We expect to see this 2023 All-American emerge as the clear Ivy League champion in a couple of weeks.

19. Lucy Jenks, Senior, Georgetown (+19 / 38)

Another athlete who has skyrocketed through our rankings, Lucy Jenks jumps up 19 spots to land herself right at TSR #19.

Jenks' move from Stanford to Georgetown has proven to be a great one as she has replicated consistently excellent results for the Hoyas. Most recently, Jenks was 4th at the Princeton Fall Classic in a quietly loaded field which included many East Coast names who can be found in these rankings.

Sure, Jenks flashed great talent while racing with Stanford, but ever since moving across the country, she has been outright fantastic. If she continues the consistency that she has shown in every outing this fall, then Jenks will join teammate Chloe Scirmgeour in the hunt for a top-three individual at the upcoming BIG East XC Championships, a meet which will essentially be a rematch from this past weekend.

18. Rosina Machu, Junior, Gonzaga (-9 / 9)

After a 3rd-place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite, Rosina Machu was likely the favorite to take home the win this past weekend at the Arturo Barrios Invitational, a race that is not nearly as deep as the Nuttycombe Invite. In fact, she had established herself as a top-10 talent in the NCAA before this past weekend.

But while her 4th place performance this past weekend was respectable, we expected more from the Gonzaga standout in her final regular season race. There is certainly no shame in losing to low-stick standouts such as Juliet Cherubet, Leah Jeruto and Judy Chepkoech, but the best version of Machu was likely capable of defeating at least those latter two women.

17. Sadie Sigfstead, Rs. Junior, Villanova (-5 / 12)

After her stunning breakthrough victory at the Nuttycombe Invite, Villanova’s Sadie Sigfstead should have been a favorite to win the not-as-deep Princeton Fall Classic.

Instead, she barely cracked the top-10.

Sigfstead ended up placing 9th against familiar national-caliber talents after running away from everyone a few weeks prior. Naturally, that result leaves us wondering which of her results are better indications of her true talent? We still believe that Sigfstead is the real deal, but the upcoming BIG East XC Championships will likely give us better clarity as to where her fitness is at.

16. Paityn Noe, Sophomore, Arkansas (+7 / 23)

Coming into the season, we were high on Paityn Noe -- and for good reason. She had just finished 9th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships over 10,000 meters. Her previous fall campaign was very solid for a freshman, although inexperience got the best of her at the national meet.

Thankfully, with far greater experience now in her back pocket, we fully expected her to make the sophomore leap -- and that's exactly what we saw at Pre-Nationals.

A 7th-place finish against a stacked field is exactly the type of performance that Noe's most recent track season indicated that she was capable of. Not only that, but she also took down BYU superstar Lexy Halladay-Lowry in the process!

An effort of this quality should fill Noe with confidence, especially as we transition into the championship portion of the season. If she can utilize this momentum come November, then she won’t just be an All-American contender -- she’ll likely be a top-half All-American favorite.

15. Leah Jeruto, Freshman, Oklahoma (+13 / 28)

Oklahoma newcomer Leah Jeruto proved that her 3rd-place finish in her NCAA debut at the Joe Piane Invitational was no fluke. That's because the Sooner rookie followed up that run with a strong 2nd-place showing at the Arturo Barrios Invitational this past weekend.

While that field may not have been as deep as the one that she saw in South Bend, Jeruto still successfully defeated All-American star Rosina Machu, clocking a blistering 19:00 (6k), just two seconds shy of former NCAA champion Parker Valby’s course record.

Although Jeruto distance talent finished over 20 seconds behind race winner Juliet Cherubet, she showed us that, despite her inexperience in the NCAA, she’s not afraid to compete with the best, including those known for being aggressive front-runners.

14. Grace Hartman, Sophomore, NC State (+3 / 17)

To be honest, we didn’t really learn anything new about NC State’s Grace Hartman.

As expected, she emerged as the Wolfpack’s much-needed top-tier low-stick this past weekend, crossing the line in 6th place at Pre-Nationals. In our last rankings update, we mentioned that Hartman would have to bring her “A” game to match the leaps in fitness that we’ve seen from others around the country. And so far, she is seemingly doing so with every opportunity.

With NC State's podium hopes hanging in the balance, Hartman will need to continue her impressive form to keep those hopes alive. Fortunately, given her impressive consistency and proven experience, maintaining this form should be no problem for her.

13. Brenda Tuwei, Sophomore, Alabama (+17 / 30)

Is Brenda Tuwei an elite long distance star? We don't have a definitive answer to that question yet, but we may have more evidence to suggest that that she is approaching that tier.

The Crimson Tide star excelled at her home meet this past weekend, crossing the line in tandem with teammate and national title favorite, Doris Lemngole. Not only did she run exceptionally fast again, but Tuwei also comfortably beat a very talented Clemson duo of Silvia Jelego and Gladys Chepngetich -- the latter of whom was featured in the top-25 at last fall's NCAA XC Championships.

While the two meets Tuwei has contested certainly haven’t boasted the deepest fields, the caliber of athletes who she has finished ahead of cannot be disputed. Now, with two consistent performances under her belt, we feel it's safe to say that she is operating at a fitness level far beyond what we saw from her on the oval.

If Tuwei can consistently keep pace with her standout teammate, then she may well feature closer to the top-10 than we initially thought.

12. Judy Kosgei, Sophomore, Clemson (-1 / 11)

Judy Kosgei has not competed since our last rankings update.

11. Florence Caron, Sophomore, Penn State (+2 / 13)

Florence Caron has truly come into her own this fall, and the best part is that she is excelling with remarkable consistency.

The Penn State star delivered another excellent performance at the Princeton Fall Classic this past weekend, finishing 3rd behind Kimberley May and Chloe Scrimgeour, two athletes who will be gunning for top-10 finishes at the NCAA XC Championships in November.

If this Nittany Lion ace can continue to ride this momentum, then she may find herself knocking on the door for a top-10 finish at the national meet. With the Thomas Zimmer course playing host in November, Caron should be filled with confidence, especially considering how well she performed at the Nuttycombe Invite earlier this fall.

10. Chloe Thomas, Senior, UConn (+21 / 31)

Connecticut senior Chloe Thomas skyrockets up our rankings as her incredible cross country season just keeps getting better.

The Husky veteran was on fire in the early portion of this season, taking down fellow top-half All-American favorite Florence Caron at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invite and later dominating the Paul Short Invitational. However, with those fields lacking the depth expected at the national meet, we were intrigued to see how Thomas' success would translate to a more competitive field.

Well, after a tremendous 5th-place finish at Pre-Nationals, we think it's safe to say that she will fare just fine!

Thomas' performance in Madison, Wisconsin proves that she has the aerobic talent to compete with the very best in the nation. And given the caliber of athletes who she beat, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Thomas could crack the top-10 at then national meet if everything breaks her way.

9. Chloe Scrimgeour, Senior, Georgetown (-3 / 6)

Georgetown superstar Chloe Scrimgeour kicked-off her season with a very respectable 2nd-place finish at the Princeton Fall Classic.

While many fans may have expected her to claim the individual victory, her performance is far from disappointing, especially considering the woman who beat her was none other than fellow top-10 hopeful and conference rival, Kimberley May.

Despite starting her season later, it’s clear that the Hoya star is in as good form as the one that garnered her a 7th-place finish at last fall's NCAA XC Championships. Scrimgeour’s next challenge will be a rematch with May and Nuttycombe Invite champion, Sadie Sigfstead. And now that the rust has been shaken off, could we see her turn the tables on May?

8. Kimberley May, Senior, Providence (+10 / 18)

Seeing Kimberley May crack the top-five at the Nuttycombe Invite was exactly the kind of run that we felt she was capable of given how exceptional she was on the track. However, her recent statement victory at the Princeton Fall Classic may be her best cross country race to date.

This past weekend, the Friar superstar took down Chloe Scrimgeour (7th at the 2023 national meet), Sadie Sigfstead (2024 Nuttycombe Invitational champion), Florence Caron (2nd at the 2024 Nuttycombe Invitational) and Phoebe Anderson (2023 XC All-American)...just to name a few standout names.

Not only did she beat all of those women, but she beat them handily, crossing the line seven seconds ahead of Scrimgeour. That kind of performance is indicative of a top-10 finish at the national meet. Of course, before we get ahead of ourselves, May will need to put her cross country postseason struggles behind her and translate that regular season success to November.

7. Lexy Halladay-Lowry, Senior, BYU (-3 / 4)

Lexy Halladay-Lowry slips slightly in our rankings after a somewhat sub-par run at Pre-Nationals. A 9th-place finish is by no means a bad result, but it’s not quite in line with the stellar victory that she delivered at the Joe Piane Invitational just a few weeks prior.

Even so, if a 9th place finish at one of the biggest meets of the season is considered an "off" day, then it’s safe to say that the Cougar’s fitness is in a fantastic spot.

The BYU veteran was still extremely valuable when it came to the Cougars' scoring potency, spearheading them to the overall team victory. Despite not reaching the same heights as she did in South Bend, Halladay-Lowry has shown enough to remain very much in the top-five conversation -- something that if achieved, would significantly boost BYU’s team title hopes.

6. Juliet Cherubet, Sophomore, Texas Tech (+2 / 8)

We aren’t ones to put a great deal of stock in cross country times...but Juliet Cherubet’s mark at the Arturo Barrios Invitational was absolutely phenomenal.

Running 18:37 (6k) is superb and what makes it even more impressive is that it’s 21 seconds faster than Parker Valby’s course record. No matter how you look at it, her victory was extremely impressive.

When you pair this win with her runner-up finish at the Joe Piane Invitational, it becomes clear why this Red Raider is climbing so high in our rankings. This performance proves that she has the aerobic talent to hang with nearly all of the top women in the country, no matter how aggressive the pace may be. That is something that should fill her with confidence, especially given the racing style of some of the other podium hopefuls.

5. Ceili McCabe, Rs. Senior, West Virginia (0 / 5)

With every race, we are getting closer and closer to seeing the same version of Ceili McCabe that placed 3rd at the 2022 national meet and took home a victory at the Nuttycombe Invitational that same season.

A 4th-place finish at Pre-Nationals is a fantastic result and not all that surprising for McCabe given her proven talent. The Mountaineer veteran has reestablished herself as a major upper-echelon threat, but what’s even more exciting is that she is leading a potential West Virginia team podium charge, too!

McCabe's low-stick effort was a key driver in the Mountaineers' stunning 4th-place team finish at Pre-Nationals this past weekend. Another effort like that in her return to Madison, Wisconsin could mean that she heads home with two podium honors.

4. Caroline Jeptanui, Freshman, Tulane (+12 / 16)

Caroline Jeptanui is quickly establishing herself as an elite distance standout. Her 2nd-place finish behind Alabama’s Doris Lemngole at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational was impressive, but we were eager to see how the Tulane newcomer would perform in a stronger field.

Well, let's just say a 3rd-place finish at Pre-Nationals not only exceeded our expectations, but also elevated her status from an All-American contender to a fringe national title threat.

The Green Wave's newest star didn’t shy away from the furious pace set by Hilda Olemomoi and Pamela Kosgei this past weekend, only being dropped in the closing stages. With an aerobic prowess matched by only a handful of athletes in the NCAA, the only question remaining about Jeptanui is whether or not her NCAA inexperience will affect her as the stakes rise in the postseason.

3. Hilda Olemomoi, Junior, Florida (-1 / 2)

Repping the orange and blue of Florida for the first time, Hilda Olemomoi opened up her season with a predictably brilliant 2nd-place finish at Pre-Nationals. The former Crimson Tide star, now a Gator, was edged out in a sprint finish by the NCAA’s newest sensation, Pamela Kosgei.

While this performance didn’t reveal much that we didn’t already know about last fall’s 4th-place finisher at the NCAA XC Championships, it was a clear signal that Olemomoi is just as sharp -- if not sharper -- than ever.

Her next test will come at the SEC XC Championships where she’ll face off against her former teammate, Doris Lemngole. But this time, they’ll be racing in different colors, adding a whole new layer of excitement to what was already an eagerly anticipated showdown.

2. Pamela Kosgei, Freshman, New Mexico (+1 / 3)

New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei handled her first true NCAA test in style, taking down fellow podium favorite Hilda Olemomoi at Pre-Nationals to claim victory in a course-record time of 18:59 (6k).

Given her already exceptional credentials, a performance of this caliber isn't too surprising. That said, it’s still impressive to see her triumph over a much more competitive field than that of the Cowboy Jamboree.

The Lobo freshman will undoubtedly be in the hunt for individual gold this fall and what we saw on Saturday only solidified that.

1. Doris Lemngole, Sophomore, Alabama (0 / 1)

It was a low-key weekend for Alabama’s Doris Lemngole. After two dominant wins earlier this season, the sophomore star ran alongside teammate Brenda Tuwei at the Crimson Classic with the pair virtually crossing the line together (though Lemngole was given the edge).

The Crimson Tide ace remains the one to watch as we enter the championship portion of the season. Next on the agenda is a highly anticipated battle with former teammate Hilda Olemomoi at the SEC XC Championships.

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ADDED

Bieke Schipperen (Florida State)

Zofia Dudek (Stanford)

Maelle Porcher (Iowa State)

Mia Cochran (Arkansas)

Pheline Cheruto (Alabama)

Mercy Kinyanjui (Toledo)

Chloe Foerster (Washington)

Emily Covert (Notre Dame)

Judy Chepkoech (Arizona State)

Carmen Alder (BYU)

Sophia Kennedy (Stanford)

Ali Weimer (Minnesota)

Hannah Gapes (NC State)

KICKED OFF

Nicole Vanasse (Villanova)

Annastasia Peters (Utah)

Brianna Weidler (UC-Davis)

Laura Pellicoro (Portland)

Amina Maatoug (Washington)

Fatima Alanis (North Carolina)

Alyson Churchill (Northern Arizona)

Nicola Jansen (New Mexico)

Margot Appleton (Virginia)

Amy Bunnage (Stanford)

Addie Engel (Ohio State)

Sydney Thorvaldson (Arkansas)

Elise Stearns (Northern Arizona)

JUST MISSED (in no particular order)

Mia Barnett (Oregon)

Nicole Vanasse (Villanova)

Fatima Alanis (North Carolina)

Shannon Flockhart (Providence)

Vera Sjoberg (Boston U.)

Savannah Roark (Syracuse)

Alex Carlson (Northern Arizona)

India Weir (Washington)

Agnes McTighe (Florida State)

Teresa Cherotich (South Carolina)

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)

Keira Moore (Northern Arizona)

Elizabeth Khatevi (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi)

Kaiya Robertson (Boise State)

Rose Coats (Maryland)

Riley Chamberlain (BYU)

Olivia Howell (Texas)

Maggi Congdon (Northern Arizona)

Jenna Zydanowicz (UConn)

Zenah Cheptoo (Washington State)

Notes

- N/A