TSR's 2024 D1 XC Top 50 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #4

TSR Collaboration
Nov 19, 2024
22 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.

ANOTHER NOTE: The Stride Report does not typically put much ranking weight on the regional meet results. Oftentimes, certain teams and individuals will not place much emphasis on these races and will simply run with the goal of advancing to the national meet. This is not to say that all regional results are negligible (as you'll see below). However, you may notice less movement within our top-50 lists than usual in this week's update.

50. Regina Mpigachai, Junior, Northern Colorado (Unranked)

We will fully admit that we do not place a heavy amount of emphasis on regional results. And while a 3rd place finish at the Mountain regional meet is impressive, that result alone was not going to be enough to rank Regina Mpigachai.

However, that performance did force us to look at her overall season up and to this point. And with the exception of a flukey race at the BIG Sky XC Championships, there is a decent enough argument for Mpigachai to be ranked.

Truthfully, the NCAA XC Championships will be the first major test that the Northern Colorado ace has faced all season long. That does leave us a little concerned going into Saturday, but we feel like we've seen enough in order for her to be a top-50 name...for now.

49. Brynn Brown, Senior, North Carolina (-8 / 41)

48. Fatima Alanis, Senior, North Carolina (-10 / 38)

Finishes of 11th place (Brown) and 12th place (Alanis) at the Southeast regional meet weren't ideal for women as talented and as accomplished as these two. Even so, the North Carolina veterans have been exceptionally consistent this year. Both women have faced a wide variety of distance stars and they have often held their own each time they have toed the line.

It's hard to put much stock into a regional race where the sole goal was to qualify for the NCAA XC Championships (something that the North Carolina women did fairly easily). Yes, we did feel like we had to drop Brown and Alanis a bit, but there also wasn't any reason for both of them to drop out of our rankings, entirely.

47. Riley Chamberlain, Junior, BYU (Unranked)

Very quietly, Riley Chamberlain is beginning to collect more and more momentum. Her showing at the Joe Piane Invite was fairly underwhelming, but after that race, the BYU star has become better and better.

Now, it appears that the Cougar star is beginning to peak perfectly after placing 6th at the BIG 12 XC Championships and now 5th at the Mountain regional meet. That's an extremely encouraging development when you look at some of the women who she finished near/ahead of.

Sure, one regional result isn't exactly the best indicator of someone's fitness. But when paired with the rest of her resume, it's hard to deny that Chamberlain is a top-50 name.

46. Chloe Foerster, Junior, Washington (-6 / 40)

At the beginning of the season, Chloe Foerster looked great. She earned a 29th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite and then improved to an even more impressive 16th place finish at Pre-Nationals!

But since then, Foerster hasn't quite replicated that same kind of fitness. Make no mistake, a 6th place finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships demands respect, but finishing 19th at the West regional meet wasn't ideal.

Up until Friday, Foerster has proven to be a very reliable low-stick ace who has thrived in larger fields. In theory, that should serve her well at the national meet this Saturday.

45. Melissa Riggins, Senior, Georgetown (-3 / 42)

Melissa Riggins has not competed since our last rankings update.

44. Bieke Schipperen, Junior, Florida State (Unranked)

43. Agnes McTighe, Junior, Florida State (+6 / 49)

The Florida State women seem to have established a low-stick duo between Agnes McTighe and Bieke Schipperen. That was evident this past Friday at the South regional meet as the two Seminoles placed 4th and 5th, respectively.

Not only that, but the only women who McTighe and Schipperen lost to were two national title favorites one fringe top-10 runner!

While some of their races have been better than others, both of these Florida State women look like very realistic All-American candidates in 2024. McTighe has great experience and better credentials than some people may realize. Schipperen, meanwhile, has tons of momentum from what has been a breakout season.

42. Carly Wilkes, Junior, Furman (-9 / 33)

To put it simply, Friday was a rough outing for pretty much all of the Furman women.

The backend of the Paladins' lineup struggled greatly at the Southeast regional meet, forcing Furman to finish all the way back in 8th place and fall out of the national qualifying conversation. To make matters worse, Carly Wilkes settled for 14th place, a result which would not allow her to individually qualify for the NCAA XC Championships.

Seeing someone as talented as Wilkes miss the national meet on both the individual and team side is brutal. Remember, this is someone who was 9th at the Nuttycombe Invite and 22nd at Pre-Nationals! There is a very real chance that she would have entered Madison, Wisconsin as an All-American favorite.

41. Karrie Baloga, Sophomore, Northern Arizona (-4 / 37)

A 23rd place finish at the Mountain regional meet is not at all indicative of what Karrie Baloga is actually capable of. And for that reason, she needed to drop a bit in our rankings (especially after not racing at Pre-Nationals or the BIG Sky XC Championships).

Even so, it didn't feel like the Northern Arizona women were going all-out on Friday. And truthfully, they didn't need to. We'll admit, Baloga's hiatus in the middle of the season was far from encouraging, but seeing her return and finish around a few key teammates was enough for us to keep her at TSR #41.

40. Rachel Forsyth, Freshman, Michigan State (Unranked)

Despite her freshman status, Rachel Forsyth has actually become even better in the postseason than she was in the regular season.

The Michigan State rookie had been holding her own prior to the championship portion of the season, placing 31st at the Joe Piane Invite and then 53rd at Pre-Nationals. And while none of those results were poor, they also weren't enough to put her in our rankings at that time.

After a shockingly great 4th place finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships, Forsyth validated that result with a runner-up effort at the Great Lakes regional meet. And regardless of how much stock you put into regional results, seeing a true rookie secure silver on that kind of stage is a big deal.

If Forsyth hadn't produced such a fantastic performance at the BIG 10 XC Championships, then we'd be less inclined to rank her in this update. But now we have two races which say that she is beginning to peak beautifully.

39. Brenda Jepchirchir, Freshman, Auburn (-10 / 29)

Going into Friday, Brenda Jepchirchir had done everything that you could have realistically asked for out of an international freshmen. She won two key regular season races and then placed 5th at the very top-heavy SEC XC Championships.

However, the Auburn freshman seemingly took a step back at the South regional meet. There, she settled for 11th place. And if Tennessee had not qualified for the national meet, then Jepchirchir would not have qualified for the NCAA XC Championships.

We'll admit, that latest performance from Jepchirchir has left us a little hesitant as we near the national meet. There's no denying that she tons of raw fitness, but Friday was the first time where it seemed like the Kenyan rookie was overwhelmed by the field that she was racing.

38. Erin Vringer, Sophomore, Utah (-3 / 35)

Sure, we thought Erin Vringer would have finished a little bit higher than 12th place at the Mountain regional meet, but that result isn't really a cause for concern. After all, the Utah women just had to do enough to qualify for the national meet.

Given some of the performances that we've seen from Vringer so far this season, it's hard to suggest that she isn't an All-American favorite going into Saturday.

37. Aliandrea Upshaw, Senior, Northern Arizona (+7 / 44)

A 6th place finish at the Mountain regional meet was a repeat result of what we saw from Ali Upshaw at the 2023 Mountain regional meet. And yes, Upshaw ended that season outside of the top-50 at the national meet. That, in turn, should leave us plenty cautious going into the season finale.

Even so, Upshaw has looked as good as she ever has, giving us reason to believe that last year's 57th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships was more of a fluke than anything else. And when you consider how certain women in this portion of our rankings have struggled as of late, we felt more than justified in putting Upshaw at this spot in our rankings.

36. Jenna Hutchins, Rs. Sophomore, BYU (0 / 36)

Jenna Hutchins has not competed since our last rankings update.

According to sources, Jenna Hutchins' availability status for the 2024 NCAA XC Championships is currently questionable. It is unclear whether or not we will see the BYU star toe the line in Madison, Wisconsin.

35. Sophia Kennedy, Sophomore, Stanford (-1 / 34)

There's not much to report here. Sophia Kennedy snagging a 6th place finish at the West regional meet is right on par with how she has fared throughout these fall months. Not only that, but each of the five women who finished ahead of her are also currently ranked inside of our top-30.

As long as Kennedy can continue to be a reliable low-stick ace for Stanford on the national stage, then she should be able to produce an All-American result in Madison, Wisconsin.

34. Carmen Alder, Junior, BYU (-3 / 31)

An 8th place finish at the Mountain regional meet mostly aligns with the season that Carmen Alder has had. In that race, she finished near a handful of the top women in the country and she has yet to produce a poor result.

Admittedly, Alder proved to be roughly just as good going into last year's national meet. And as many of us know, the BYU standout struggled greatly at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships.

Even so, this is someone who is now plenty experienced. Alder has also proven over the course of this season that her 2023 national meet outing was a clear and obvious fluke. Her chances of being an All-American this time around feel far greater than they were 12 months ago.

33. Mercy Kinyanjui, Freshman, Toledo (+10 / 43)

We knew that Mercy Kinyanjui was talented. Even so, seeing her win the Great Lakes regional title was massive validation of the success that she has had throughout this season.

Remember, Kinyanjui placed 7th at the Loyola Lakefront Invite, 17th at Pre-Nationals and won the MAC XC Championships earlier this fall. And while none of the regional meets hold a ton of weight in our eyes, winning the Great Lakes title does feel like an extension of the great success that this Toledo rookie has had throughout 2024.

32. Margot Appleton, Senior, Virginia (+7 / 39)

Margot Appleton is a name that has not been mentioned much this fall. Of course, that is mostly due to the fact that she has only competed in two races on the grass in 2024: the ACC XC Championships, and the Southeast Regional meet.

Her return to the cross country course has been the biggest x-factor for the Virginia women, especially after UVA earned the second automatic national qualifying spot behind NC State on Friday.

Appleton was 7th at the ACC XC Championships and improved to 5th place at the this past weekend. In turn, we are left to wonder if she's peaking perfectly for the postseason and has even stronger performances primed for Madison, Wisconsin.

31. Elise Stearns, Rs. Senior, Northern Arizona (-1 / 30)

Elise Stearns’ return to the grass had been anxiously anticipated for the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona.

In our last rankings update, Stearns found a spot in our rankings following her runner-up result at the BIG Sky XC Championships, her first race of the 2024 cross country season. In this rankings update, she continues to be the low-stick veteran who Lumberjacks needed after placing 4th at the Mountain regional meet.

At her best, Stearns has proven to be one of the top talents in the country. She should be ready to face whatever challenge is thrown her way next weekend in Madison, Wisconsin if she is even relatively close to her top-tier level of fitness.

30. Siona Chisholm, Senior, Notre Dame (-2 / 28)

Siona Chisholm has stepped up to be the low-stick scorer who Fighting Irish desperately needed this year after losing the Markezich twins to graduation. And maybe more importantly, Chisholm has very reliable in pretty much every outing that she has toed the line for this fall.

The senior Notre Dame veteran continued her postseason run by placing 3rd at the Great Lakes regional meet in what could be considered her best race of the fall yet. Of course, we're only taking these regional results with a grain of salt.

If Chisholm can maintain her current trend of performances, then she will be among the names vying for an All-American honor on Saturday while trying to secure the Fighting Irish a possible podium finish.

29. Amy Bunnage, Sophomore, Stanford (Unranked)

Welcome back, Amy Bunnage!

The Aussie sophomore had not competed all season until Friday at the West regional meet. There, her season debut did not disappoint as Bunnage secured an individual victory over the Oregon duo of Silan Ayyildiz and Maddy Elmore.

While we are certainly impressed with the form demonstrated by Bunnage, having one race -- where the main goal was to simply qualify for the national meet -- makes it difficult to project where the Stanford sophomore is at in her fitness. For now, she lands at TSR #29, but we wouldn’t be surprised if she made this ranking look foolish at the NCAA XC Championships given her prior success.

28. Ali Weimer, Junior, Minnesota (-1 / 27)

Weimer has demonstrated tremendous growth this fall as she improved from 32nd place at the BIG 10 XC Championships in 2023, to a bronze medal in 2024. That jump is even more impressive when considering how much deeper the BIG 10 conference has become with West Coast additions such as Oregon and Washington.

The Gopher veteran also stepped up her game at this year’s Midwest regional meet. In 2023, Weimer fell back to 30th place, but in 2024, she earned silver, falling only to Oklahoma’s Leah Jeruto.

Weimer didn't compete at last year's national meet, putting her at a slight disadvantage for the 2024 NCAA XC Championships give her limited experience. Even so, the Minnesota star hasn't given us any legitimate reason to doubt her this fall.

27. Leah Jeruto, Freshman, Oklahoma (+5 / 32)

Leah Jeruto rises back up in our rankings ahead of the NCAA XC Championships.

At the Midwest regional meet, Jeruto ran away from Ali Weimer of Minnesota over the final kilometer to secure the individual title on Friday. Outside of the SEC XC Championships, her performance is on par with the high-level excellence that she has demonstrated this fall despite her rookie inexperience.

If we're assuming that her conference meet performance was a fluke, then Jeruto should be in the hunt for an All-American honor come Saturday morning. The only question is, where in the All-American mix will she be?

26. Judy Kosgei, Sophomore, Clemson (-1 / 25)

Judy Kosgei became the second of three Clemson women to advance to the NCAA XC Championships, individually, this past Friday thanks to her 4th place finish at the Southeast regional meet.

Kosgei’s debut season in the Tiger orange and purple has been very successful, so far culminating in back-to-back 4th place finishes between the ACC XC Championships and the Southeast regional meet. And while she hasn't been quite as dominant as we thought she could be, Kosgei is still more than capable of being a top-half All-American come Saturday.

25. Phoebe Anderson, Senior, Columbia (+1 / 26)

Reliability in cross country is everything and Columbia senior Phoebe Anderson has arguably had one of the most consistent careers over the last two fall seasons of anyone in the NCAA.

Last fall in the postseason, Anderson placed 2nd at the Ivy League XC Championships, 3rd at the Northeast regional meet and then 29th at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships, earning her first All-American honor on the grass.

This fall, Anderson has virtually replicated her postseason with some slight improvements, most recently taking silver behind Chloe Thomas at the Northeast regional meet. And while Friday's race held limited emphasis, it was still encouraging to see Anderson continue to be such a reliable name.

24. Judy Chepkoech, Freshman, Arizona State (-3 / 21)

New to the NCAA? That has been no problem for Arizona State’s Judy Chepkoech.

Chepkoech’s 2024 fall campaign has been one you might expect to see from an experienced veteran. However, the NCAA rookie has handled every challenge thrown her way with relative ease. The only reason why she's dropping in our rankings is more due to the performances of other rather than anything that she has done.

The Sun Devil star made a statement at the BIG 12 XC Championships with her 4th place performance and she later maintained her position for 5th place overall at the West regional meet this past Friday.

Those two races held top-heavy field with plenty of proven veterans, but Chepkoech continued to demonstrate impeccable poise in those settings. However, her final challenge of the season has often derailed many inexperienced international talents who are unfamiliar with NCAA competition. Will that be the case for this Arizona State star? Or will she continue to overcome the odds?

23. Rosina Machu, Junior, Gonzaga (-1 / 22)

After brilliant breakout cross country season in 2023, Rosina Machu has mostly replicated her success this season. On Friday, she once again placed 4th at the West regional meet just like she did last year.

Machu has placed no lower than 4th in any field she has raced so far this fall. An aggressive front-runner, the Gonzaga ace will likely put herself in the lead pack fairly early-on and look to hang on against the best women in the nation.

22. Florence Caron, Sophomore, Penn State (+2 / 24)

Penn State’s rising star talent in Florence Caron has been having a breakout fall campaign.

The Canadian distance standout has had a quietly consistent string of races this fall, placing no lower than 5th all season long despite facing top-tier fields. Her 4th-place finish at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet marks a significant improvement from her freshman campaign, but it's hardly a surprise given the success that she's had this fall.

21. Sadie Sigfstead, Rs. Junior, Villanova (+2 / 23)

Sadie Sigfstead has had a few ups and downs throughout this season, although even her lesser performance have still been exceptional.

Following her monster win at the Nuttycombe Invite, Sigfstead did not show the same flashes of greatness at the Princeton Fall Classic (9th) and you could argue the same about her effort at the BIG East XC Championships (4th). Of course, if those results are Sigfstead operating at her "floor," then that's a very good problem to have.

The Villanova star snagged bronze at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet this past Friday, falling behind only Ceili McCabe of West Virginia and fellow BIG East rival, Chloe Scrimegeour. That performance didn't necessarily tell us anything new about Sigfstead, but the results of other women around the NCAA gave us good reason to give her a slight two-spot boost in our rankings.

20. Lucy Jenks, Senior, Georgetown (-1 / 20)

We have said in these rankings before that it seems like Lucy Jenks' transition to Georgetown has been a great move for the former Stanford Cardinal. A recent 5th place finish at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet further affirm this belief.

In the grand scheme of things, we didn't really learn anything new about the Hoya star this past weekend. Even so, her ongoing reliability and consistency has been highly impressive.

19. Maddy Elmore, Senior, Oregon (+1 / 19)

18. Silan Ayyildiz, Junior, Oregon (0 / 18)

The Oregon duo of Silan Ayyildiz and Maddy Elmore are getting lumped together in this rankings update. It is, after all, hard to talk about one without mentioning the other.

Ayyilidiz and Elmore have had virtually the same fall campaign in 2024, finishing right next to each other in their last two outings. Ayyildiz has had the slight upper-hand over Elmore, winning the BIG 10 individual title and placing 2nd at the West regional meet.

All that we wanted to see from Ayyildiz and Elmore on Friday is that they were healthy and looking just as sharp as they were at the BIG 10 XC Championships. Sure enough, they did exactly that and have left us far more encouraged about their postseason prospects this season than they did during the spring months.

17. Alexandra Millard, Junior, Providence (0 / 17)

Alex Millard started the season with a small handful of strong performances. Although, at the same time, it also felt like the English distance star was capable of producing even greater results given her pedigree.

But in the postseason, Millard has merged as the top-half All-American favorite that we knew she could be. After her impressive runner-up finish at the BIG East XC Championships, Millard finished right in between teammates Kimberley May and Shannon Flockhart at the Northeast regional meet, going 3-4-5, respectively. In the process, the Friars secured an automatic bid for the national meet.

This is the version of Millard that the Friars have been needing and expecting. Her trajectory in the postseason is trending for a perfect peak, which could dramatically impact how the Providence women fare as a team on the national stage.

16. Hannah Gapes, Rs. Junior, NC State (0 / 16)

NC State’s Hannah Gapes has truly come into her own this season. And with each passing week, it becomes increasingly clear that she has the potential to stand alongside her superstar teammate, Grace Hartman, on the podium come Saturday.

At the Southeast regional meet, the Wolfpack standout delivered another stellar performance, finishing 3rd and once again comfortably defeating Clemson talent Judy Kosgei. That result is perfectly in line with what we’ve seen from the New Zealand native all season -- her consistency has truly been her hallmark.

Truthfully, there wasn't much that Gapes could have done on Friday to really alter our opinion of her. The importance of the regional meets, after all, pale in comparison to the NCAA XC Championships.

15. Lexy Halladay-Lowry, Senior, BYU (-6 / 9)

Lexy Halladay-Lowry has not competed since our last rankings update.

14. Joy Naukot, Freshman, West Virginia (-3 / 11)

West Virginia newcomer Joy Naukot slips slightly in our rankings following a somewhat underwhelming 6th-place finish at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet. Even so, there’s no need to hit the panic button as that race was merely a precursor to the season’s pinnacle: the NCAA XC Championships.

That said, Naukot did find herself further off the pace than we expected.

The Mountaineer star has been remarkably consistent this season despite her youth. That is why we anticipated her to be closer to her superstar teammate, Ceili McCabe. Regardless, the amount of raw talent that this West Virginia rookie holds makes her more than deserving of a top-15 ranking despite an unexciting regional result.

13. Chloe Scrimgeour, Senior, Georgetown (+2 / 15)

It’s no secret that Georgetown’s Chloe Scrimgeour hasn’t been at her peak this season. However, a strong 2nd-place finish at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet behind former NCAA XC Championship bronze medalist, Ceili McCabe, is a performance much closer to what we’ve come to expect from her over the years.

Scrimgeour has consistently demonstrated that she thrives under pressure, often producing her best results in the postseason. With her wealth of postseason experience and her knack for shining when it matters most, the question remains: Will that be enough to propel her back into the top-10 once again?

12. Kimberley May, Senior, Providence (+2 / 14)

It was business as usual for Providence’s Kimberley May. After a very slight "off" day at the BIG East XC Championships, she appears to have found her grove once more, securing a strong 3rd-place finish at the Northeast regional meet.

For much of this season, May has been exceptional. Her dominant win at the Princeton Fall Classic was a clear demonstration of her potential when she’s at her best. If she can replicate that level of performance on Saturday, then she’ll be a strong contender for a top-10 finish at the national meet.

We'll admit, May needs to overcome her past struggles at the national meet, specifically the tough outing that she had last year. Fortunately, May already delivered a brilliant race on the Thomas Zimmer course earlier this fall which should give her a significant confidence boost as she ventures back to Madison, Wisconsin.

11. Brenda Tuwei, Sophomore, Alabama (+2 / 13)

Alabama’s Brenda Tuwei has been quietly crafting an exceptional season. Her 3rd-place finish at the South regional meet, trailing Florida’s Hilda Olemomoi and Crimson Tide teammate Doris Lemngole, closely mirrored her performance at the SEC XC Championships.

While there remains a notable gap between her and her SEC rivals, Tuwei has consistently positioned herself among the front-runners at every given opportunity -- and she is reaping the rewards of her determined efforts.

Despite her relative inexperience, the Crimson Tide standout has proven to be one of the most reliable athletes in the country. With her fearless approach and seemingly high floor, don’t be surprised if Tuwei finds herself vying for one of the coveted top-10 spots at the national meet this weekend.

10. Paityn Noe, Sophomore, Arkansas (+2 / 12)

We’re beginning to run out of superlatives for Paityn Noe.

The Razorback star dominated the South Central regional meet, delivering a performance that was nothing short of remarkable. Whether or not you place much stock in regional results, defeating a field that included Tulane’s Caroline Jeptanui by 27 seconds is undeniably impressive.

Noe has done everything right this season and appears to be peaking at exactly the right time. Her consistency has been exceptional and she has demonstrated her ability to excel in highly competitive fields.

9. Silvia Jelego, Freshman, Clemson (+1 / 10)

Following her tremendous silver-medal performance at the highly competitive ACC XC Championships, it was no surprise to see Clemson newcomer Silvia Jelego punch her ticket at the NCAA XC Championships with a 2nd place at the Southeast regional meet.

The Tiger low-stick has consistently risen to every challenge this season, looking fantastic every step of the way. Her unwavering consistency despite her youth has been a significant asset. She has placed in the top-three at all six meets that she has competed in this season.

While a seventh top-three finish may be a tall order on Saturday, Jelego’s exceptionally high ceiling gives us confidence that she will be a contender for a top-10 finish in Madison, Wisconsin

8. Grace Hartman, Sophomore, NC State (0 / 8)

The Wolfpack’s new lead star, Grace Hartman, followed up her impressive victory at the ACC XC Championships with an equally as impressive win at the Southeast regional XC meet.

This is undoubtedly the best version of Hartman that we’ve seen to date and it feels like she still has more left in the tank. Her postseason performances have been nothing short of phenomenal and if she can maintain this momentum, then she’s poised to far exceed her 63rd-place finish from last fall.

The real question, however, is how many spots will she climb at the 2024 national meet? With the form that she’s in, the sky is seemingly the limit.

7. Chloe Thomas, Senior, UConn (0 / 7)

No surprises here: Chloe Thomas is your Northeast regional champion!

The UConn star has been flawless all season long, seemingly improving with every race. Her fearless racing style, coupled with an enviable combination of consistency and momentum, makes her a force to be reckoned with heading into Madison, Wisconsin.

Given her impeccable string of performances, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that she could be a (very deep) dark horse for the national title. Will the Canadian be the one to upset the applecart?

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

Red Raider standout Juliet Cherubet has already proven that she can handle the bright lights of the national stage, as evidenced by her 18th-place finish at last fall’s NCAA XC Championships.

However, this season, she’s heading to Wisconsin even greater fitness and even greater consistency.

Her 2nd-place finish at the Mountain regional meet, trailing only one of the national title favorites, Pamela Kosgei, aligns perfectly with her silver medal performance at the highly competitive BIG 12 XC Championships. With such a strong track record this season, it’s clear that she has the potential to improve upon last year’s result.

The question is: Does Cherubet have the fitness to make a serious push for a top-three effort? Only time will tell, but that is certainly a scenario that we wouldn't have expected to happen at the beginning of the season.

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

A win at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet was nice, but it didn't necessarily tell us anything new about Ceili McCabe.

Eve so, McCabe has both the momentum and the credentials to possibly pull off a small handful of upsets this weekend. The Mountaineer veteran has been impeccable this fall, delivering performances that evoke memories of her stellar 2022 season, the year when she claimed national meet bronze.

With her fitness at an all-time high, McCabe is seemingly sitting on the fringes of the national title conversation. Her greatest asset, however, will undoubtedly be her experience. And by using that experience, the West Virginia star will have to craft a near-perfect race for NCAA gold to be a possibility on Saturday.

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

Caroline Jeptanui’s remarkable streak of top-three finishes this season continues as she crossed the line in 2nd place at the South Central regional meet this past Friday behind Arkansas’s Paityn Noe.

While the gap to Noe was significant, we’re not placing too much weight on it given Jeptanui’s close finish alongside her teammate.

Despite her relative inexperience in the NCAA, Jeptanui has consistently risen to the occasion, but the national meet will undoubtedly present her toughest test yet. Fortunately, she can rely not only on her elite aerobic capabilities, but also on her outstanding consistency -- a trait that has firmly placed just outside of the national title favorites tier.

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

Things just got very interesting.

Hilda Olemomoi is your South regional champion. And while it may have looked like her and Doris Lemngole crossed the line together, the reality was far more exciting. The two engaged in a fierce battle over the final 400 meters, a contest that Olemomoi seemed poised to win convincingly until she slowed in the closing strides.

Whether or not the two former teammates were giving it their all, there was undoubtedly a strong desire to win in those final moments. This suggests that the newly-minted Gator might be much closer to her former Crimson Tide counterpart than many initially thought.

With the pairing being familiar with each other’s every move, we can expect a tantalizing showdown come Saturday. Olemomoi has proven herself to be exceptionally reliable regardless of the stage, but with Ceili McCabe and Pamela Kosgei also in the mix, the Gator will need to bring her absolute “A” game if she hopes to emerge victorious.

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

Since her arrival to the 'States, Pamela Kosgei has firmly established herself as a top contender for the national title. The New Mexico standout remains undefeated this season, punctuated by a dominant (but unsurprising) victory at the Mountain regional meet.

Kosgei's statement victories over Hilda Olemomoi, Caroline Jeptanui, and Ceili McCabe at Pre-Nationals earlier this season mean the only national title contender whom she has yet to take on is Alabama ace, Doris Lemngole.

The pair have looked formidable this season, and with their shared reputation for front-running dominance, we could truly be in for a battle of the ages.

With Lemngole recently falling to Olemomoi, Kosgei stands as the only undefeated athlete remaining. The question is: Can she maintain her perfect streak and cap off the season as the ultimate champion? Time will tell, but all eyes are on her.

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

Doris Lemngole’s undefeated streak came to an end at the hands of her former teammate Hilda Olemomoi this past Friday in an agonizingly close finish at the South regional meet.

As we mentioned earlier, it’s unclear how much emphasis the pair placed on this particular race, but it was evident in the final straightaway that both athletes were determined to claim the win.

Regardless of the result, Lemngole has been outstanding this season, dominating virtually every field that she has faced with apparent ease. While she hasn’t consistently competed against the most stacked fields, her performances have been more than enough to position her as a top contender heading into the national meet.

However, she won’t have an easy path to victory. Newcomer Pamela Kosgei will be looking to make a statement while Olemomoi, her former Crimson Tide teammate, has already proven that she can challenge her.

Will last fall’s top national meet returner have what it takes to upgrade her silver medal to gold?