TSR's 2024 D1 XC Top 50 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #3

TSR Collaboration
Nov 6, 2024
25 min read

Written by Finn Birnie, Rachel Hickey & Garrett Zatlin

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).

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.

50. Maeve Stiles, Junior, Washington (-10 / 40)

Make no mistake, this has been a great season for Maeve Stiles. We've always known that she was talented, but her recent rise has been extremely impressive.

Unfortunately, the version of Stiles who we saw place 8th place at the Nuttycombe Invite earlier this fall has not been present in her last few outings. A 30th place run at Pre-Nationals wasn't quite as strong, but it was still pretty solid. However, a recent 17th place finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships left us wanting so much more.

Given how strong Stiles was at the Nuttycombe Invite earlier this season, we're struggling to drop her entirely from our rankings. We'll see if she can regain momentum going into the final few meets of the season.

49. Agnes McTighe, Junior, Florida State (Unranked)

Slowly but surely, Agnes McTighe has begun to establish very encouraging momentum. Her season debut at Pre-Nationals ended with a quietly respectable 29th place finish. That performance, however, did not indicate that she would earn an excellent 9th place finish at the ACC XC Championships.

En route to that top-10 finish, McTighe defeated the likes of Zofia Dudek, Sophia Kennedy, Gladys Chepngetich, Savannah Roark and Jenny Schilling, many of whom have either been All-Americans or are All-American candidates this season.

Pairing McTighe's recent success with her proven pedigree makes her a great name to enter our rankings in this update.

48. Mia Barnett, Junior, Oregon (Unranked)

Yes, it's true, Michigan State's Rachel Forsyth did earn a tremendous 4th place finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships, beating Mia Barnett who placed 7th. But when you look at Barnett's overall resume this season, it's fair to say that she has simply been the better runner from a wholistic point of view.

Remember, Barnett also earned a strong 18th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite earlier this season. And when you pair her recent result with that big-time effort, it becomes clear that Barnett is the third low-sick in an Oregon lineup that is looking scary-good right now.

47. Zofia Dudek, Senior, Stanford (+2 / 49)

Seeing Zofia Dudek earn a 10th place finish at the ACC XC Championships leaves us shrugging our shoulders and thinking, "Yeah, that's about right."

The Stanford veteran has offered sneaky-good consistency this fall, something that has often alluded her in prior seasons. She may not be the superstar talent that she was in the fall of 2020, but Dudek still looks like a very real All-American candidate for later this month.

Yes, Agnes McTighe did beat Dudek by one spot at the ACC XC Championships, but the latter comfortably beat the former at the more competitive meet that is Pre-Nationals. For that reason, Dudek gets a small bump up in our rankings.

46. Mckaylie Caesar, Rs. Senior, Utah (-5 / 41)

Seeing Mckaylie Caesar earn an 11th place finish at the BIG 12 XC Championships leaves us with mixed feelings. On one hand, that conference meet is stacked. But on the other hand, this is a top-30 All-American who was likely favored to be a top-10 name on Friday.

Caesar has been having a strong season so far, placing 21st at the Nuttycombe Invite and 3rd at the Bill Dellinger Invite. But while those results are very solid, they don't know necessarily stand out in a dramatic way.

That said, we do like the improved consistency that we've seen from Caesar this fall compared to last year.

45. Emily Covert, Rs. Senior, Notre Dame (-8 / 37)

A 36th place finish was brutal outing for Notre Dame's star low-stick who, for the most part, has looked great this season. But for as concerning as that result may be, it is overwhelmingly apparent that her latest effort was simply a fluke.

We do have to bring back Covert in our rankings for that kind of performance, but you could argue that she is still an All-American favorite. If anything, it may have actually be good for her to get this poor race out of the way before she reaches the national meet.

44. Aliandrea Upshaw, Senior, Northern Arizona (+2 / 47)

No surprises here. Ali Upshaw took home a comfortable win over her teammates at the BIG Sky XC Championships. Don't be surprised if she's rested at the Mountain Regional XC Championships as NAU potentially attempts to prepare Upshaw for the "Big Dance."

43. Mercy Kinyanjui, Freshman, Toledo (0 / 44)

One of the more underrated distance runners in the NCAA this season is Toledo freshman Mercy Kinyanjui. She placed 7th at the Loyola Lakefront XC Invite before validating her fitness with a huge 17th place run at Pre-Nationals.

After seeing those two results, we're not at all surprised that Kinyanjui was able to take home the win at the Mid-American (MAC) XC Championships this past weekend. That was a field that she was supposed to comfortably defeat -- and for the most part, she did.

42. Melissa Riggins, Senior, Georgetown (-10 / 32)

It has admittedly been a challenge to properly analyze Melissa Riggins' 2024 cross country season.

Truthfully, the Georgetown standout hasn't been quite as impressive since her fantastic 7th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite. Of course, the competition that she has faced in her last two outings has also been VERY strong.

In her last two races -- the Princeton Fall Classic and the BIG East XC Championships -- the women whom Riggins has lost to include teammates Chloe Scrimgeour and Lucy Jenks as well as Phoebe Anderson, Sadie Sigfstead, Alex Millard, Kimberley May, Brynn Brown and Chloe Thomas. That's why it's hard to fault Riggins for fading to 7th place on Friday.

In the grand scheme of things, Riggins' placement in these rankings largely depends on how talented and accomplished you think those above-mentioned women are. We're still trying to figure out the right spot for her, but until then, we'll keep her at TSR #42.

41. Brynn Brown, Senior, North Carolina (-2 / 39)

She may be dropping slightly in our rankings, but we really liked the 8th place finish that Brynn Brown posted at the ACC XC Championships. Of the seven women in that field who beat her, five of them are listed in the top-30 portion of these rankings.

The overall value of Brown's resume has been quietly great. She has remained extremely consistent at the highest levels of her fitness. The UNC veteran has fared well in a variety of different fields and it's impossible to forget about her 10th place finish from the Nuttycombe Invite. That kind of result suggests that she could be an All-American in a couple of weeks.

The only reason why Brown is moving back is because other women had big performances which sent them soaring ahead of her. But if you're looking for a reliable ace to be a top-40 finisher at the national meet, then Brown may actually be one of your safer bets.

40. Chloe Foerster, Junior, Washington (+3 / 43)

A 6th place finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships is a strong result for Chloe Foerster, but it also doesn't change our opinion of her in any dramatic way. Instead, it simply showcases her consistency and further validates her as an All-American candidate.

Foerster's 13th place finish from Pre-Nationals is still the result that rings loudest in our head. And frankly, that kind of result suggested that Foerster was capable of being a top-five name on Friday. Of course, when you look at the women who beat her, the only surprise was Michigan State rookie Rachel Forsyth.

It seems like this Washington ace has a ceiling that slightly fluctuates from race to race. But at the very least, she is a consistent distance talent who appears to have a very high floor as well.

39. Margot Appleton, Senior, Virginia (Unranked)

We truthfully didn't think that we were going to see Margot Appleton race this fall. She was, after all, absent from racing up until this past Friday. But at the ACC XC Championships, Appleton's return was announced with a very strong 7th place finish.

That result isn't necessarily shocking for Appleton given her credentials and vast experience in nationally competitive fields. Even so, Friday was a great way for her to reenter the All-American mix. And if that's how she performed in a rust-buster, then there's a good chance that her ceiling can go even higher come the national meet.

38. Fatima Alanis, Senior, North Carolina (Unranked)

You could potentially argue that Fatima Alanis' 5th place finish at the ACC XC Championships this past Friday was even better than her 32nd place All-American finish from last fall.

But regardless of whether or not that is actually the case, it largely doesn't matter. Alanis had a brilliant performance this past weekend, offering tons of lethal low-stick scoring. She posted very strong results earlier this season, but her latest effort felt like a step up. That result also leaves us to wonder if she's beginning to peak for the postseason just like she did in 2023.

The difference, however, is that Alanis is simply having a better overall season, showcasing her upside a bit more often than she did last fall.

37. Karrie Baloga, Sophomore, Northern Arizona (-1 / 36)

Has not competed since our last rankings update.

36. Jenna Hutchins, Rs. Sophomore, BYU (-10 / 26)

It was a flat-out bad day for Jenna Hutchins at the BIG 12 XC Championships as she dropped to 36th place on Friday.

For the most part, we aren't too concerned about Hutchins' latest performance. She has proven over the last year that she is a nationally competitive name and it's been clear at both the Joe Piane Invite and at Pre-Nationals that she's a strong All-American candidate for later this month.

Even so, Hutchins' past postseason struggles to remain in the back of our minds as we inch closer and closer to the national meet.

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

An 8th place finish at the BIG 12 XC Championships is a good result for Erin Vringer, but you could also argue that this was her "worst" race of the season.

Of course, when you place 6th at the Nuttycombe Invite and finish runner-up to Maddy Elmore at the Bill Dellinger Invite, it's hard to continuously match the lofty expectations that she has set for herself.

The highest end of Vringer's fitness makes her a bit more dangerous than what we saw this past weekend. But in the grand scheme of things, our opinion of this Utah sophomore hasn't really changed in any significant way.

34. Sophia Kennedy, Sophomore, Stanford (-5 / 29)

Sure, we would have liked Sophia Kennedy to earn a slightly better finish than 11th place at the ACC XC Championships. However, each of the women whom she lost to are all plenty accomplished (to varying extents).

Kennedy did need to drop a bit in our rankings for a "good" performance that had the potential to be "great." Even so, it's hard to forget that this still-rising Stanford star was 13th at Pre-Nationals earlier this fall. That result is the biggest reason why she remains in the top-35 portion of our rankings...for now.

33. Carly Wilkes, Junior, Furman (+5 / 38)

It was all Carly Wilkes and the Furman women for the SoCon title this past weekend.

The Paladin junior stormed away over the 5k course to win her first conference individual title and lead her Furman squad to a dominant score of 19 points en route to a win over Samford.

The Paladin star has demonstrated impressive consistency on every stage this season and has handled her new position as team's focal front-runner with poise. This run truthfully didn't tell us anything new about her, but the natural flow of our rankings allowed her to move up a decent bit in this update.

32. Leah Jeruto, Freshman, Oklahoma (-17 / 15)

For anyone else, 9th place at the SEC XC Championships might be a performance that would bolster their standing within the NCAA.

But for Oklahoma freshman Leah Jeruto? Well, that kind of effort simply fell short of expectations.

Leading up to the SEC XC Championships, Jeruto had secured a huge 3rd place finish at the Joe Piane Invite to defeat two top-ranked names. She also placed 2nd at the Arturo Barrios Invitational, losing only to Texas Tech’s Juliet Cherubet while defeating two star-caliber names in Rosina Machu and Judy Chepkoech.

We expected Jeruto to be in the hunt for a top-five finish this past Friday. Instead, she fell off the very hot pace set by Doris Lemongole of Alabama, Hilda Olemomoi of Florida and Paityn Noe of Arkansas. We are confident in her top-end talent, but the NCAA newcomer’s inexperience may raise some yellow (not quite red) flags in the postseason.

31. Carmen Alder, Junior, BYU (-1 / 30)

When you look at BYU’s performance at the BIG 12 XC Championships from this past weekend, it’s safe to say that the Cougars had far from a perfect day.

Thankfully, Carmen Alder’s improved consistency delivered a strong enough 10th place result. In turn, we didn't feel the need to drop her too much in our rankings.

BYU's star front-runner, Lexy Halladay-Lowry, fell a bit short of expectations while teammate Jenna Hutchins simply had an "off" day in 36th place. However, it was Alder and Destiny Everett who offered great backend scoring stability to secure the Cougars' second-consecutive BIG 12 title.

With fellow teammates Halladay-Lowry, Riley Chamberlain and Taylor Rohatinsky going 5-6-7, respectively, in front of Alder, there wasn't necessarily a ton of urgency to catch her teammates (it wouldn't have made much of a difference in the team scoring). Sure, Alder has usually been BYU’s second or third scorer this fall, but her ongoing consistency allows her to settle in at our TSR #31 spot.

30. Elise Stearns, Rs. Senior, Northern Arizona (Unranked)

After on-and-off rumors that Elise Stearns would return to racing this fall, she finally did so this past weekend at the BIG Sky XC Championships. There, she secured a runner-up result in a fairly honest time to defeat all but one of her teammates.

The actual result that Stearns produced on Friday isn't really important. What's more important is that Northern Arizona has their superstar low-stick back. We don't know what form she is in after taking such a long hiatus from racing, but if the Lumberjacks are fielding her this fall, then they likely believe that she has retained All-American qualities...right?

29. Brenda Jepchirchir, Freshman, Auburn (+5 / 34)

This NCAA newbie did not let her inexperience get in her way at the SEC XC Championships this past Friday.

Auburn freshman Brenda Jepchirchir extended her impressive fall campaign with a top-five finish at the SEC XC Championships, hanging with a hot early pace long enough to fend off some highly-talented, more experienced veterans.

With the conference meet marking the biggest challenge of her still-young career, Jepchirchir met and exceeded all expectations to put the nation on notice. She thrived in an aerobic-centric and all-out-type of race against some of the most formidable individuals in the nation. For that reason, she cracks our top-30.

28. Siona Chisholm, Senior, Notre Dame (-4 / 24)

Siona Chisholm continues to be a great talent to lead the Notre Dame women and we're beginning to see her veteran experience give her more consistency on a week-to-week basis.

The Fighting Irish senior continued a very solid fall campaign by finishing 6th at the ACC XC Championships this past Friday. That was roughly on par with where she was expected to finish. Her low-stick performance, combined with an impressive backend pack-running contingent, helped the Fighting Irish women reign victorious this past Friday.

It doesn’t necessarily feel like we learned too much more about Chisholm with her latest ACC outing. And when you look at the individuals who finished in front of her, we can't say that we're too surprised.

27. Ali Weimer, Junior, Minnesota (0 / 27)

Our TSR #27 spot belongs to Ali Weimer of Minnesota…or at least, it has for the last couple of weeks.

Weimer continued her breakout fall season this past Friday by placing 3rd overall at the BIG 10 XC Championships, finishing only behind the Oregon duo of Silan Ayyildiz and Maddy Elmore. That is arguably her most impressive performance yet as the conference was much more loaded than it has been in previous years.

En route to her bronze medal performance, Weimer finished ahead of multiple ranked names such as Penn State’s Florence Caron who finished 2nd at the Nuttycombe Invite earlier this fall.

Weimer’s improvement this year has been phenomenal as she was 23rd at last year’s BIG 10 XC Championships. And with new powerhouse teams welcomed to the conference this year, her 3rd place performance looks even more impressive.

We wouldn't argue with anyone who wanted to put Weimer a bit higher. She has not only remained incredibly consistent, but she has also become an even stronger runner with each passing week.

26. Phoebe Anderson, Senior, Columbia (-6 / 20)

Finally, an Ivy League individual title for Phoebe Anderson!

After settling for the runner-up slot behind Harvard’s Maia Ramsden last fall, Anderson claimed what was rightfully hers in 2024 by winning the league by eight seconds over Princeton’s Mena Scatchard.

The main thing pulling her down in the rankings? Her victory probably should have been much more dominant than it was. Well, that and other women around the NCAA simply had better results.

Anderson's victory was truthfully expected, so we don’t feel like we have learned anything new about the Columbia star relative to athletes who competed at stronger conference meets. That is ultimately why she falls just a tad to TSR #26.

25. Judy Kosgei, Sophomore, Clemson (-13 / 12)

Heading into the postseason, Clemson’s Judy Kosgei was favored to win the individual ACC crown -- or at least be in contention for a runner-up finish.

In fact, prior to the ACC XC Championships, Kosgei had placed within the top-three at every outing thus far, showing incredible poise against quietly top-heavy fields with other high-octane stars.

However, in what was her lowest finish of her Clemson career, Kosgei settled for 4th at the ACC XC Championships.

NC State’s Grace Hartman and Hannah Gapes had breakout days for 1st place and 3rd place, respectively. They offered a much greater challenge to Kosgei and her teammate, Silvia Jelego, than what was likely anticipated by the Tiger duo.

We have to give credit where credit is due to the Wolfpack pairing, but Kosgei’s prior performances indicated that she was on another level altogether and should have been able to handle whatever challenges were thrown her way. We will be anxious to see how she learns and improves heading into the remainder of the postseason.

24. Florence Caron, Sophomore, Penn State (-13 / 11)

A 13-spot fall in our rankings might make it look like Penn State’s Florence Caron flopped at the BIG 10 XC Championships -- but that isn't necessarily the case.

Is a 5th place performance poor? No, not at all. But is it safe to say that we expected more from the Nittany Lion star based on her previous performances this fall? Yes, almost certainly so.

After a string of 2nd or 3rd-place finishes at every meet that she has toed the line for this fall, we truly did not see her finishing lower than the bronze medal position this past weekend.

Minnesota’s Ali Weimer and Michigan State true freshman Rachel Forsyth put together very composed and complete races, to their credit, but their resumes still aren't quite as strong as what Caron has done this fall. But while this does not make us doubt Caron’s ability to perform on a big stage, it does make us shift her position further back from the top-10 portion of our rankings.

23. Sadie Sigfstead, Rs. Junior, Villanova (-6 / 17)

Villanova’s Sadie Sigfstead takes another slight dip in our rankings following her 4th place individual finish at the BIG East XC Championships. While that was by no means a poor performance, Sigfstead's huge win at the Nuttycombe Invite earlier this fall suggested that she could have won the individual title on Friday...or at least secured silver.

But since then, we have yet to see that same level of stardom from the Wildcat ace.

Her BIG East outing is for sure an improvement relative to her showing at the Princeton Fall Classic where she fell to 9th place. But with so many athletes meeting or exceeding their expectations at their conference championship meets this past weekend, we were forced to push the Villanova star to TSR #23.

22. Rosina Machu, Junior, Gonzaga (-4 / 18)

The Gonzaga ace ran away with her second-straight West Coast Conference individual title on Saturday to help the 'Zags earn their first conference title since 2015. Machu dominated the field by 18 seconds to secure her back-to-back title.

Machu looks to be just as dominant this fall as she did in 2023, a season that culminated in a 16th-place All-American finish. Of course, the level of talent around the NCAA this fall is incredible, meaning Machu sees a slight bump down to our TSR #22 spot.

But fear not, we have no qualms about her ability to perform in the postseason.

21. Judy Chepkoech, Freshman, Arizona State (+12 / 33)

Judy Chepkoech came to play at the BIG 12 XC Championships this past weekend!

The Arizona State star ran a gutsy race, going with a very hot early pace set by the Mountaineer duo of Ceili McCabe and Joy Naukot. She eventually hung on for 4th place overall.

In a field filled with elite distance stars, Chepkoech could have faded against the overwhelming group. Instead, the inexperienced freshman answered the call and proved that she can absolutely hang with the biggest names in the NCAA right now. She did, after all, defeat BIG 12 title contender Lexy Halladay-Lowry of BYU.

Her ability to be aggressive early-on and cling to the front pack in the late stages of a race will serve her well in the postseason. With a similar strategy at the national meet in a few weeks, Chepkoech could surprise some people who may not be watching her as closely as we have.

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

Oregon veteran Maddy Elmore is two-for-two on outstanding performances this season.

The Duck veteran proved that her season opening win was no fluke at all with a runner-up finish at her first BIG 10 XC Championship. There, she finished behind only her teammate SIlan Ayyildiz whose return we have been anxiously anticipating.

This latest race further highlighted Elmore's experience and poise on big stages, as she handled the higher caliber of competition with relative ease. Florence Caron, Ali Weimer and all of the Washington women fell to the Oregon star who has had some great races on the grass, but this may be her best yet.

On her worst day, Elmore should be within the top-half All-American honors. Her upside and pedigree could allow her to end her season at a spot even higher than this.

19. Lucy Jenks, Senior, Georgetown (0 / 19)

Lucy Jenks continues to be unbelievably clutch for the Georgetown women. Her 5th place performance at the BIG East XC Championships helped the Hoyas secure victory over Providence by a singular point. Without the success of Jenks’ transfer, the Hoyas likely would have fallen to the Friars.

Even so, did we really learn anything new about Jenks?

No, not really.

Her BIG East XC Championship performance is on par with the consistency that we have witnessed from her all season. She did, after all, placing 4th at the Princeton Fall Classic against a very similar field a couple of weeks ago.

18. Silan Ayyildiz, Junior, Oregon (Unranked)

Silan Ayyildiz, you have been missed!

We never had any questions regarding Ayyildiz’s talent level. Instead, we just were not sure if she would return this season. And if she did, we didn't know where her fitness would be at.

But on Friday, Ayyildiz put all questions that we could have had to rest with a dominant return to racing, running away with the BIG 10 title over teammate Maddy Elmore. Additionally, her return marks a substantial increase in Oregon’s potential in the postseason, as the Ducks defeated Washington for the BIG 10 team title.

It’s safe to say that Ayyildiz is one of the biggest impact players of the cross country season. We saw how incredible she can be in the longer distances when she ran 15:15 (5k) in the spring, although her consistency at that level, specifically in the postseason, needed improvement.

But when she's at her best, this Oregon star can be top-10 talent in country. However, it's still tough to figure out where her floor is going into the final two races of the season.

17. Alexandra Millard, Junior, Providence (+9 / 25)

This is the version of Alex Millard that we've been waiting to see!

Before arriving in the 'States, Millard had already showcased her raw fitness on the track, posting times of 4:05 (1500) and 15:18 (5k). She was also plenty proven on the grass with a 3rd place finish at the European U23 XC Championships. However, in her first few NCAA races, we didn’t quite see her reach that same level.

Fast forward to this past weekend, and it’s safe to say that Millard has officially arrived.

Her outstanding 2nd place finish at the BIG East XC Championships suggests that she’s finally adjusting to the demands of NCAA competition. Beating top talents like Chloe Scrimgeour and Kimberley May is a huge achievement. And if this British distance star can carry this momentum through the postseason, then she could be a serious contender for a top-10 finish in three weeks' time.

16. Hannah Gapes, Rs. Junior, NC State (+6 / 22)

Have yourself a day, Hannah Gapes!

Or truthfully...multiple days.

NC State's newest star validated her Pre-Nationals performance with a shocking bronze medal showing at the ACC Championships, upsetting Clemson’s Judy Kosgei in the process. Her consistent ability to rise to challenges thrown her way has allowed her to crack our top-20.

With every passing week, we become more confident in Gapes’ potential to place near her teammate, Grace Hartman, at the NCAA XC Championships. The Wolfpack duo has grown into one of the more impressive 1-2 punches in the country and there may be an argument that we're even underrated Gapes at TSR #16.

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

Georgetown’s Chloe Scrimgeour slips back in our rankings again this week. While part of this drop is due to the movement and results of those around her, it’s also because she hasn’t quite looked like the top-10 national meet finisher who we saw last fall.

A 3rd-place finish in the front-loaded BIG East XC Championships is a more-than-solid result. However, the Hoya star comfortably won this race last year and while has no doubt been great this fall, she also seems to be at 90% or 95% of her peak fitness.

Scrimgeour has proven her ability on the big stage, so it would be no surprise to see her return to the top-10 in Madison, Wisconsin. However, her recent results aren’t quite reflective of her true capabilities which is why she currently finds herself at TSR #15.

14. Kimberley May, Senior, Providence (-6 / 8)

It just wasn’t quite Kimberley May’s day at the BIG East XC Championships. The Friar star crossed the line in a respectable 6th place. It was a solid effort, but it was also a far cry from her performances that she had posted earlier this season.

The New Zealand native looked phenomenal at the Princeton Fall Classic just two weeks prior. There, she defeated top talents like Chloe Scrimgeour, Sadie Sigfstead, Lucy Jenks, and Alexandra Millard. However, all of those athletes finished ahead of her at the BIG East XC Championships this past weekend.

This latest result is by no means a reason to panic. May has been remarkably consistent this fall. Given how top-heavy the BIG East is, this outcome isn’t quite as disappointing as it may seem. That said, if May wants to find herself in the top-10 in Madison, Wisconsin, then she’ll need to return to the form we saw from her at Princeton.

13. Brenda Tuwei, Sophomore, Alabama (0 / 13)

Brenda Tuwei remains steadfast in our rankings after yet another excellent performance.

The Crimson Tide’s latest star finished 4th at the SEC XC Championships behind Doris Lemngole, Hilda Olemomoi and Paityn Noe – a trio that has firmly established themselves in the upper-echelon of NCAA distance stars.

In truth, this result didn’t surprise us. Tuwei has consistently positioned herself among the nation’s best this fall, a testament to her impressive capabilities. Her unwavering performances suggest that she has an exceptionally high floor, making her one of the most reliable competitors in the country.

12. Paityn Noe, Sophomore, Arkansas (+4 / 16)

Arkansas’s Paityn Noe just keeps getting better and better.

The Razorback finished in a sublime 3rd place at the SEC XC Championships, only being beaten by last fall’s NCAA XC Championship silver medalist, Doris Lemngole, and national meet 4th-place finisher, Hilda Olemomoi. That performance aligns with what we saw from her at Pre-Nationals (7th), suggesting that she is comfortably able to maintain this newfound level of elite fitness in different settings.

With greater consistency and added experience from her exceptional outdoor track campaign, we feel confident that Noe can overturn the poor result that we saw from her at last fall’s national meet. The question is, by how many spots will she improve?

11. Joy Naukot, Freshman, West Virginia (+12 / 23)

In our last rankings update, we asked, “Will Naukot continue her breakout rookie campaign in the postseason?” Well, so far, the answer has been a resounding yes!

Her 3rd-place finish at the BIG 12 XC Championships is monumental, establishing the West Virginia newcomer among the sport’s veterans. Naukot has been a crucial part of this revamped Mountaineer squad and her performance at the BIG 12 XC Championships was instrumental in helping them secure the team silver.

With Ceili McCabe and Naukot forming a formidable 1-2 punch, the West Virginia women are now eyeing a potential podium finish in Madison, Wisconsin. Despite her youth, Naukot has shown remarkable composure on big stages. If she can maintain this level of consistency, then she could be on her way to a top-10 finish at the NCAA XC Championships.

10. Silvia Jelego, Freshman, Clemson (+18 / 28)

Welcome to our top-10, Silvia Jelego!

The Clemson newcomer has been quietly stacking up impressive results this season, but her recent performance at the ACC XC Championships is truly next level as it resulted in her earning her a well-deserved leap up our rankings.

A silver medal at one of the NCAA's premier conference meets is an exceptional outcome, especially in her first major test against a crazy-deep field. Not only did she take down a host of All-American talents, but she also validated the promise that she had shown in lower-profile meets earlier in the season.

Jelego has the aerobic prowess to go toe-to-toe with the nation’s best and so far, she has risen to every challenge. The only question remaining is whether her limited experience at major NCAA championship meets will impact her potential -- a ceiling that, at this point, seems exceptionally high.

9. Lexy Halladay-Lowry, Senior, BYU (-2 / 7)

BYU’s Lexy Halladay-Lowry drops in our rankings after finishing 6th at the BIG 12 XC Championships.

While 6th place is by no means a poor performance, it doesn’t quite align with the high-level version of Halladay-Lowry that we saw earlier this fall. She also finished a significant distance behind Texas Tech’s Juliet Cherubet whom she had previously beaten at the Joe Piane Invitational.

The Cougar standout has shown glimpses of being a top-five contender on the national stage, but has unfortunately struggled to reach that level consistently.

Even so, if Halladay-Lowry can recapture the elite form that she displayed earlier in the season, it would greatly bolster the Cougars' chances of securing a national title. And even if she doesn't, then is still more than capable of being a top-10 name in the country this fall.

8. Grace Hartman, Rs. Sophomore, NC State (+6 / 14)

After losing a mass number of All-American stars, NC State needed someone to step up to the plate in 2024 -- Grace Hartman (along with Hannah Gapes) has done exactly that.

The Wolfpack redshirt sophomore has been excellent all season long, but her victory at the ACC XC Championships validated the superstar potential that we saw in her. In turn, she established herself as the new face of NC State's distance program.

While the Wolfpack may not quite be reaching the same heights as in recent years, Hartman has put herself in a position to make a real splash in three weeks' time. If she can maintain this level of fitness then her floor may end up being a top-half All-American finish.

7. Chloe Thomas, Senior, UConn (+3 / 10)

Chloe Thomas’ stock is skyrocketing!

The UConn senior has been sensational this season, improving with each race. Thomas first began to turn heads with her impressive 5th-place finish at Pre-Nationals where she toppled a host of All-American talent.

But despite the impressive depth at Pre-Nationals, her recent victory at the BIG East XC Championships might be her finest run of the season. Remember, she didn’t just win -- she dominated, finishing 14 seconds ahead of the runner-up and taking down some of the nation’s best. Among those women were Kimberley May, last year’s NCAA XC Championship 7th-place finisher Chloe Scrimgeour and this year's Nuttycombe Invite champion, Sadie Sigfstead.

This conference win is monumental as it affirms all that we’ve seen from Thomas this season -- and then some. With exceptional aerobic strength and that much-desired blend of consistency and momentum, Thomas will dive deeper into championship season with a very, very slim chance to win the national title.

6. Juliet Cherubet, Sophomore, Texas Tech (0 / 6)

Texas Tech star Juliet Cherubet was excellent once again this past weekend, finishing 2nd behind Ceili McCabe at the BIG 12 XC Championships. This was another huge step forward for the sophomore as she managed to turn the tides on BYU’s Lexy Halladay-Lowry, someone who narrowly beat her at the Joe Piane Invitational.

The Red Raider star proved last year that she has what it takes to excel on the national stage. And so far this year, she has been just as consistent and arguably even more fit than what we saw last fall.

This exceptional consistency and her recent silver-medal performance validate our suspicions that she can feature in the top-10 at the national meet.

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

At the start of the season, we wondered whether Ceili McCabe could return to the heights that saw her capture bronze at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships. Well, with three exceptional performances under her belt, it’s safe to say that she’s operating at that level -- or perhaps even exceeding it.

On Friday, the Mountaineer veteran took down a stacked field to claim victory at the BIG 12 XC Championships. That win marks her third performance of the season in which she defeated multiple top-30 athletes in our rankings.

With momentum on her side and a wealth of experience in her corner, McCabe heads to Madison, Wisconsin with the confidence to reach the lofty heights that she achieved in 2022. But the question remains: Can she upgrade that bronze medal?

4. Caroline Jeptanui, Freshman, Tulane (0 / 4)

Despite her youth and relative inexperience at the NCAA level, Caroline Jeptanui has risen to every challenge this season. The Tulane rookie has yet to finish outside the top-three of any meet, most notably placing an impressive 3rd at the highly competitive Pre-Nationals.

Her victory at the American Athletic Conference Championships, though expected, was an excellent start to the postseason. It is a result that should give her the necessary momentum as we move deeper into championship season.

With her steady composure under pressure, Jeptanui is proving herself to be a legitimate national podium contender -- and, dare we say it, perhaps even a national title threat.

3. Hilda Olemomoi, Junior, Florida (0 / 3)

Hilda Olemomoi continues to be one of the most consistent athletes in the nation.

The Florida superstar finished an unsurprising 2nd place at the SEC XC Championships behind none other than former teammate Doris Lemngole. Despite not picking up the victory, that is still an excellent result as it only strengthens her position in the national title conversation.

With reliability being one of Olemomoi’s strong suits, those vying for the national title better bring their "A" game as there is little doubt the Gator ace will bring hers to Madison, Wisconsin.

2. Pamela Kosgei, Freshman, New Mexico (0 / 2)

Surprise, surprise! Pamela Kosgei is your Mountain West champion!

After watching the New Mexico star cruise to victory at Pre-Nationals, we anticipated that she’d have little trouble claiming her first conference title -- and we were right. The Lobo newcomer dominated the field, finishing a full 47 seconds ahead of her closest competitor.

With victories over national title contenders like Hilda Olemomoi, Caroline Jeptanui, and Ceili McCabe, Kosgei has proven that she's a force to be reckoned with. Now, only one competitor remains on her path to NCAA gold. That, of course, would be Doris Lemngole, the athlete many consider to be this year's title favorite.

With both athletes undefeated, the stage is set for a thrilling showdown in Madison, Wisconsin.

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

Doris Lemngole has tackled every challenge this season with remarkable ease. Her comfortable victory at the SEC XC Championships extends her unbeaten campaign, marking what many considered her toughest test yet.

In College Station, the Crimson Tide standout went head-to-head with former teammate and fellow elite talent, Hilda Olemomoi. However, the highly anticipated reunion proved to be less challenging than expected, as Lemngole claimed the race in dominant fashion, crossing the line five seconds ahead of the newly minted Gator, Olemomoi.

While Lemngole didn’t reveal anything new about her capabilities, her decisive victory over a national title contender shows that this Alabama ace has met every expectation set for her this fall.