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TSR's 2024 D1 XC Top 50 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #5 - FINAL
Written by Finn Birnie, Rachel Hickey & Garrett Zatlin
IMPORTANT NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at the NCAA XC Championships or at a singular meet. You will notice that these rankings (specifically, the top-half) may mirror the national meet results, but not precisely. That is intentional. These rankings are intended to be an aggregate. They are not recency lists. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria (which was published in 2023).
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. Taryn Parks, Senior, North Carolina (Unranked)
Most people know Taryn Parks as a tactically savvy miler during the winter and spring months. And while she had proven to be an effective scorer on the grass before, Parks has never been viewed as a low-stick-caliber talent during the fall months.
That's why we were completely blown away by the UNC veteran posting a jaw-dropping 27th place All-American finish out of nowhere on Saturday. That result is maybe the best of her career regardless of the season.
It's admittedly hard to rank a 27th place All-American who was 71st at the Nuttycombe Invite, 23rd at the Princeton Fall Classic and 36th at the ACC XC Championships. That's why we opted to give Parks the final spot in our rankings in an effort to reconcile her national meet result with the rest of her seasonal resume.
49. Mercy Kinyanjui, Freshman, Toledo (-16 / 33)
We will admit that a 62nd place finish at the NCAA XC Championships was a bit of a let-down for Mercy Kinyanjui despite her freshman inexperience. The Toledo ace looked like she was primed to be an All-American this fall, especially given that she didn't waver on any major stages.
Kinyanjui secured 7th place at the Loyola Lakefront Invite and then earned an even more impressive 17th place finish at Pre-Nationals. The Rocket star went on to earn individual wins at the MAC XC Championships and the Great Lakes regional meet.
In the grand scheme of things, Kinyanjui's performance on Saturday was hardly terrible. Plus, she was consistently successful in a variety of different fields throughout the fall months. In our eyes, she did enough to remain as a top-50 runner, nationally, at the conclusion of this season.
48. Vera Sjoberg, Junior, Boston U. (Unranked)
She may not have been a standout star this season, but Vera Sjoberg was quietly steady and reliable against a handful of strong names.
The Boston U. product was the runner-up finisher at the Paul Short Run behind Chloe Thomas before settling for 11th place at the Princeton Fall Classic (which featured a large handful of stars). And once she reached the national meet, Sjoberg snagged a 42nd place national meet finish, capping a fall campaign that held great value as a whole.
The Terrier low-stick has been a nationally competitive name for the last year or two, but this fall felt different. In 2024, it felt like Sjoberg was able to reach the highest point of her fitness and then maintain that success throughout the entire season.
47. Mia Cochran, Junior, Arkansas (Unranked)
Over the last few years, we've always viewed Mia Cochran as a strong, national-caliber scorer who was more of a lead runner rather than a true low-stick. But in the fall of 2024, it feels like the Arkansas standout has graduated to that latter status.
Her 18th place finish at Pre-Nationals was tremendous. That result showcased the crazy-good ceiling that we knew Cochran had. However, her 11th place effort at the SEC XC Championships left us wanting so much more.
Going into the national meet, we didn't totally know which version of Cochran we were going to get. But when the dust settled, the Razorback veteran snagged a bittersweet 41st place finish, just one spot off from All-American honors.
Despite the narrow All-American miss, Cochran still saved her best performances for the two biggest and most important races of the season. In our eyes, she did enough to earn a top-50 ranking.
46. Mercy Kirarei, Freshman, New Mexico (Unranked)
Make no mistake, Mercy Kirarei was a strong, nationally competitive name throughout this season even if she wasn't originally ranked. She never had a truly poor performance and when it came to the national meet, she peaked perfectly, placing 35th for All-American honors.
The reason why we're just ranking Kirarei now is because her results leading up to the national meet, while very solid, didn't necessarily jump off the page, either. Kirarei was 8th at the Cowboy Jamboree, 38th at Pre-Nationals and 4th at the Mountain West XC Championships.
However, on Saturday, Kirarei flexed the very exciting upside that we figured she held coming into this season. That is why she cracks our rankings, but we couldn't put her much higher due to other the movement of other women and to balance this All-American effort with the rest of her resume.
45. Sarah Tait, Senior, West Virginia (Unranked)
We really liked Sarah Tait going into the national meet. We thought she was an underrated middle-lineup piece who held a lot of responsibility for West Virginia being as good as they were this fall.
Even so, we didn't expect Tait to finish much higher than 60th place going into this past weekend. Sure, she was talented, but placing 82nd at Pre-Nationals and 12th at the BIG 12 XC Championships didn't necessarily scream, "low-stick."
However, when Saturday came around, Tait was exactly that. The WVU veteran posted a monster 34th place All-American result. And even in a best case scenario, that effort beat our expectations for her, handily.
Sure, Ceili McCabe and Joy Naukot will get most of the attention for their top-half All-American honors, but Tait is arguably the biggest reason why the Mountaineers found themselves earning the silver medal spot on the podium.
44. Siona Chisholm, Senior, Notre Dame (-14 / 30)
Siona Chisholm has had a bit of an up-and-down career while at Notre Dame. There is no denying that she is extremely talented, but consistency has, at times, been a challenge. That's why her recent 81st place finish at the NCAA XC Championships isn't a complete shock.
The Fighting Irish veteran was arguably the best that she's ever been on the grass this fall. Placing 5th at the Joe Piane Invite and 12th at Pre-Nationals made Chisholm a heavy All-American favorite who had seemingly found far greater stability as a top-tier scorer. That was further emphasized when she placed 6th at the ACC XC Championships.
Unfortunately, Chisholm struggled once more on the national stage.
Even so, there is no denying that the South Bend standout is a top-50 name. Her performances at three major invitationals gives her plenty of staying power in our rankings.
43. Erin Strzelecki, Rs. Senior, Notre Dame (Unranked)
At certain points this season, Erin Strzelecki looked like a very solid and steady distance talent. Her 14th place finish at the Joe Piane Invite was quietly strong and a 5th place finish at the Great Lakes regional meet deserves a nod of respect as well.
But at the same time, Strzelecki's resume didn't stand out in any major way, especially after placing 26th at the ACC XC Championships. And yet, we still should have seen her 37th place All-American result coming. After all, Strzelecki finished in the exact. same. spot. as she did at the 2023 national meet!
The Notre Dame veteran very clearly has a knack for peaking in the postseason. In fact, relative to expectations, very few women have peaked better than she has.
42. Erin Vringer, Sophomore, Utah (-4 / 38)
The regular season treated Erin Vringer very, very well. The Utah distance star was outstanding, making a massive jump in her fitness with a 6th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite and a runner-up effort at the Bill Dellinger Invite.
The Utah runner looked outstanding through her first two major meets. An 8th place finish at the BIG 12 XC Championships wasn't quite as strong as her earlier efforts, but it still validated Vringer as a low-stick ace.
But on Saturday, the rest of the NCAA caught up to Vringer who settled for a 68th place finish on the national stage. It was a fine result and hardly poor, but the Utah star was seemingly capable of being an All-American. And even though that didn't happen, the whole of her season was still good enough to remain in our rankings.
41. Anika Thompson, Senior, Oregon (Unranked)
Coming into this season and throughout the fall months, we tabbed Anika Thompson as a solid middle-lineup scorer who would bring stability to the Oregon women. And for the most part, she did just that, placing 62nd at the Nuttycombe Invite and 12th at the BIG 10 XC Championships.
But for as good as those results were, they weren't going to put the Duck veteran into the All-American conversation.
Of course, Thompson put herself in that category anyway.
On Saturday, Thompson had the race of her life, snagging a huge 32nd place All-American finish to stun the country. That was a massive boost of scoring potency that we didn't expect to see (and I'm not sure that Oregon expected it, either).
That All-American performance is a clear outlier on her 2024 cross country resume. Even so, the rest of Thompson's fall campaign was strong enough to earn a TSR #41 ranking instead of just barely sneaking into our rankings.
40. Judy Kosgei, Sophomore, Clemson (-14 / 26)
It feels a bit odd to push Judy Kosgei all the way back to our TSR #40 spot. At one point, we were considering her for a top-10 position in our rankings.
So how did the Clemson star end up here?
Make no mistake, Kosgei was great this fall, placing 4th at both the Louisville XC Classic and the ACC XC Championships. That latter result was especially impressive when you consider that the NC State duo of Grace Hartman and Hannah Gapes were two of the women who finished ahead of her.
But at the same time, that was the only result from a major invitational that she had on her resume this season. And while her battles against the West Virginia women and her own teammates were encouraging, those performances can only prop up her ranking so much. That's especially true after the Tiger ace dropped to 51st place at the NCAA XC Championships.
From a raw talent perspective, Kosgei is probably a top-20 runner. But considering that she finished 10 spots worse than this spot at the national meet, we felt like a TSR #40 ranking was a relatively fair placement.
39. Carmen Alder, Junior, BYU (-5 / 34)
Consistency was the big thing that we were looking for when it came to Carmen Alder this fall. She had a huge win at Pre-Nationals last year, put together a couple of solid results beyond that, but then faded (a lot) at the national meet.
But in 2024, Alder was far more steady by placing 10th at the Joe Piane Invite, 14th at Pre-Nationals and 10th at the BIG 12 XC Championships. All of that led to a 39th place All-American finish.
Sure, some performances were better than others, but that's not the point. In a season where many of her top scoring teammates weren't healthy, it was imperative that Alder's raw talent was consistently put on display.
And sure enough, that is exactly what happened.
38. Brynn Brown, Senior, North Carolina (+11 / 49)
On Saturday, Brynn Brown recorded her first-ever All-American honor across any season of competition. That seems absurd given that she was a highly elite distance recruit a few years ago and found plenty of success at various points throughout her career.
However, this fall felt like the first truly complete season that Brown has ever had in the NCAA. In fact, few All-American-caliber women were as consistent and as reliable as she was. The UNC ace placed 10th at the Nuttycombe Invite, 7th at the Princeton Fall Classic and 8th at the ACC XC Championships.
On Saturday, Brown capped her season with a 38th place finish on the national stage, ultimately being rewarded for her metronomic-like consistency. Sure, the Tar Heel star never had the flashiest performances relative to expectations, but she was truly great every single time she toed the line.
And frankly, that's not a given for many of the NCAA's biggest and best distance runners nowadays.
37. Laura Pellicoro, Senior, Portland (Unranked)
Few women in the NCAA are more clutch on the nation's stage than Laura Pellicoro is. After earning a tremendous 28th place finish on Saturday, the Pilot veteran now ends her cross country career as one of the most underappreciated distance runners of this era -- and a two-time top-30 All-American (with a 41st place finish last year).
Unlike most of the women in these rankings, Pellicoro has consistently found enough success on the national stage to nullify any poor efforts that she has had beforehand.
But given that the only other results that she had this season were a 4th place finish at the West Coast Conference XC Championships and an 8th place finish at the West regional meet, there wasn't much to analyze to begin with.
36. Lucy Jenks, Senior, Georgetown (-16 / 20)
Seeing Lucy Jenks settle for 49th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships is admittedly a tough pill to swallow. The former Stanford runner had been a consistently strong distance talent for the Cardinal during each of her years in Palo Alto, California. However, the fall of 2024 felt like the year where Jenks truly leveled up her fitness into a new tier.
She was 14th at the Nuttycombe Invite, 4th at the Princeton Fall Classic and 5th at the BIG East XC Championships. In our eyes, the stars were aligning for Jenks to earn her very first individual All-American honor.
That, however, didn't happen. Instead, the Hoya ace settled for a finish that was nine spots short of that.
Despite the gut-punching result, we remain very big fans of Jenks. If Coach Mitchell Baker hadn't signed her, then the Hoyas would likely not have been in the podium conversation to begin with. She was a massive asset for Georgetown this season, making it hard to drop her any further than this.
35. Ali Weimer, Junior, Minnesota (-7 / 28)
Ali Weimer will likely be one of the big favorites to win our "Most Improved Award" in our upcoming "End of Season Awards." The jump in fitness that we saw from this Minnesota ace in 2024 was absolutely incredible.
Once an afterthought on the grass, Weimer elevated her fitness this fall to become a lethal low-stick star. Her win at the Roy Griak Invite was nice, but her 8th place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invite was when we truly began to appreciate her growth.
Of course, Weimer placing 11th at Pre-Nationals and 3rd at the BIG 10 XC Championships was what truly elevated the Golden Gopher runner into a new echelon of excellence.
Unfortunately, Weimer's season didn't end with an All-American honor. Instead, she placed 48th at the NCAA XC Championships, a still-strong result that demands respect. And regardless of the outcome, nothing that Weimer did on Saturday was going to take away from the tremendous breakout camp that she put together.
34. Elise Stearns, Rs. Senior, Northern Arizona (-3 / 31)
We'll admit, we're really struggling with ranking Elise Stearns.
The Northern Arizona star didn't begin racing until the postseason. And with all due respect to the BIG Sky XC Championships and the Mountain regional meet, those races aren't good indicators of how fit an individual is.
A 36th place All-American finish on Saturday is truthfully the only legitimate result that we analyze. And for that reason, we have fittingly placed Stearns at TSR #34 to end the cross country season.
33. Shannon Flockhart, Senior, Providence (Unranked)
Wow, how about Shannon Flockhart?! The Providence star is better known for her success on the track, specifically over 1500 meters. However, she has always been a very valuable and strong cross country runner. Sure, she was never favored to be an All-American, but a pair of 69th place national meet finishes between 2022 and 2023 suggested that a top-40 result was at least a possibility this November.
Throughout this season, Flockhart exhibited clear improvement in her overall aerobic fitness. Placing 13th at the Nuttycombe Invite and later taking 10th at the Princeton Fall Classic at least put the Friar star in the All-American conversation. The same could be said about her 8th place result at the BIG East XC Championships.
However, a monster 24th place performance at the NCAA XC Championships this past weekend was stunning. We knew Flockhart was talented and had made improvements, but this was a huge outlier compared to what we had previously seen from her. In terms of peaking for the national meet, this British distance runner was among the very best in the NCAA this year.
32. Leah Jeruto, Freshman, Oklahoma (-5 / 27)
Is a 40th place All-American finish from Saturday a bad result? No, most definitely not. But did we expect Leah Jeruto to produce a better performance than that at the NCAA XC Championships? Yes, we did.
The Oklahoma freshman showcased a ton of outstanding raw talent this fall, posting top-tier finishes at major invitationals. At one point, she even looked like a top-half All-American threat this season.
By placing 3rd at the Joe Piane Invite, 2nd at the Arturo Barrios Invite and 9th at the SEC XC Championships, Jeruto defeated names such as Rosina Machu, Jenna Hutchins, Siona Chisholm, Carmen Alder, Riley Chamberlain and Judy Chepkoech (among others).
In theory, defeating those women likely put Jeruto closer to the top-25 or top-30. Of course, it's hard to be disappointed with an inexperienced international freshman earning All-American honors in her first-ever collegiate season.
31. Sophia Kennedy, Sophomore, Stanford (+4 / 35)
Sophia Kennedy concluded her second year of cross country racing with a 33rd-place performance at the NCAA XC Championships. In the process, she earned All-American honors, showing marked improvement from her 95th place finish at the national meet during her freshman year.
Kennedy's low-stick result helped the Stanford women secure 6th-place in the team race, adding to the squad’s potency and stability.
Relative to her ACC XC Championship result where she placed 11th, this national meet performance was truly a defining race for Kennedy. There is no better day to maximize your potential than at the NCAA Championships, and it feels like Kennedy did just that. Her continued rise could make her a top-10 threat at next year's national meet.
30. Riley Chamberlain, Junior, BYU (+17 / 47)
It has been a breakthrough postseason for BYU’s Riley Chamberlain!
A middle distance standout, the BYU junior stepped up in a massive way for the Cougars' title-winning roster. The absence of Jenna Hutchins this past Saturday left a sizable gap in BYU's lineup between low-stick Lexy Halladay-Lowry and the remaining scorers.
Thankfully, that's where Riley Chamberlain comes in.
Her postseason run has consisted of a 6th place finish at the BIG 12 XC Championships, 5th place finish at the Mountain regional meet and a 31st place finish at the NCAA XC Championships, securing her first career All-American honor on the grass.
Chamberlain gathered more and more momentum as the season went on, rallying from a somewhat underwhelming effort at the Joe Piane Invite a couple of months ago. She peaked beautifully for the national meet and it showed on Saturday.
29. Aliandrea Upshaw, Senior, Northern Arizona (+8 / 37)
Ali Upshaw concluded her collegiate career on the grass with a clutch 22nd place individual finish at the NCAA XC Championships. That result is not only the highest individual placement of her career, but she also emerged as the Lumberjacks’ lead scorer with All-American honors.
Upshaw’s season as a whole has been impressive between her individual victory at the BIG Sky XC Championships, and earlier, placing 19th at Pre-Nationals. However, Upshaw had yet to display that level of pure firepower on the national stage, making her recent 22nd-place finish a statement performance of sorts.
28. Brenda Jepchirchir, Freshman, Auburn (+11 / 39)
Auburn’s Brenda Jepchirchir is no stranger to our rankings, but she is also one of many newcomers who made big-time splashes this fall. The Tiger freshman capped off her intro season with a 21st-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships, one of eight (yes, eight!) freshmen to earn an All-American honor.
Jepchirchir made noise early in her season with her first college victory at the Gans Creek Classic, taking down the Stanford duo of Zofia Dudek and Sophia Kennedy. She later secured a highly promising top-five finish at the top-heavy SEC XC Championships. That race allowed us to realize just how talented Jepchirchir truly was/is.
Even so, a 21st-place finish at the national meet was admittedly a bit of a surprise, but it certainly a pleasant one. A result like that proves that she can certainly contend for a top-10 national meet honor next fall with some more development.
27. Rachel Forsyth, Freshman, Michigan State (+13 / 40)
Michigan State’s freshman phenom Rachel Forsyth has put together one heck of a postseason campaign! As such, she skyrockets up our individual rankings.
With each race, Forsyth seemed to get better and better, demonstrating the poise and confidence of a veteran. Her 4th place finish at the BIG 10 XC Championships showed us her true potential and her runner-up finish at the Great Lakes region meet further affirmed that suspicion.
But 16th place at the NCAA XC Championships? We'll be honest, I'm not sure that we saw that one coming, but we do love (good) surprises!
That was by far the best race of Forsyth’s young career and it launches her into the conversation of top freshmen in the NCAA this fall. Yes, she is sitting at a spot 11 spots back from where she finished at the national meet. However, that is simply because her regular season results were good, but not necessarily amazing.
26. Silvia Jelego, Freshman, Clemson (-17 / 9)
Despite a bit of a hiccup in her season finale, there is still so much for Clemson’s Silvia Jelego to be proud of in her rookie cross country season.
Jelego struggled a bit on Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin, falling off the lead pace to place 46th at the NCAA XC Championships, just outside All-American honors.
Based on her performances leading up to the national meet, we had high hopes and expectations for this young talent. And keep in mind, Jelego had yet to finish outside the top-three in any race she competed in this fall going into this past weekend.
Whether it be inexperience or just an "off" day, Jelego admittedly fell short of her potential in the 2024 finale. Even so, that does not make us forget about the raw talent that she flashed at every other point this season. The Tiger rookie proved herself multiple times amongst some of the best in the nation, including her runner-up performance at the ACC XC Championships.
For that reason, she remains inside of our top-30.
25. Rosina Machu, Junior, Gonzaga (-2 / 23)
Gonzaga junior Rosina Machu may not have had the dream ending that she did during the fall of her sophomore year. Even so, the Bulldog ace still has plenty to celebrate from this fall.
At the NCAA XC Championships, Machu capped off her third year of collegiate racing with a 45th place finish, leaving her juuuuust outside of All-American honors. And compared to her 16th place finish from last year, her latest result left us wanting so much more.
Even so, leading up to the national meet, Machu had an excellent season. The Gonzaga star finished no lower than 4th place in any meet contested this year, including the Nuttycombe Invite and Arturo Barrios Invite.
With every challenge presented, Machu always had an answer despite what her national meet result might indicate. For that reason, we didn't feel compelled to drop her too much in these rankings.
24. Judy Chepkoech, Freshman, Arizona State (0 / 24)
First season in the NCAA, first All-American honor for Judy Chepkoech!
And that will certainly not be her last.
The Arizona State star was one of many standout newcomers who defined the NCAA cross country scene this fall. The Sun Devil ace often thrived against top-tier competition, taking down names such as Rosina Machu, Lexy Halladay-Lowry and more. And in an effort to validate her unreal talent, Chepkoech earned All-American status with her 30th-place performance in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday.
In fact, looking at her year as a whole, the national meet was the only race where Chepkoech finished outside the top-five. That is an impressive statistic that most veteran talents can't even claim on their resumes.
23. Margot Appleton, Senior, Virginia (+9 / 32)
We started this fall wondering when (or if) we would get to see Virginia’s Margot Appleton toe the line. Thankfully, we are ending the 2024 season after the Cavalier star produced the best cross country result of her career!
Appleton’s late entry to the cross country season left many questions regarding her fitness and health. However, the UVA ace put all doubts to rest with her best fall campaign yet (despite her limited racing schedule). In her three lone outings on the grass, Appleton placed 7th at the ACC XC Championships, 5th at the Southeast regional meet, and an astounding 18th at the NCAA XC Championships. That latter result was by far the best finish of her career!
The absence of Virginia's superstar admittedly tested our patience, but it is safe to say it was well worth the wait!
22. Brenda Tuwei, Sophomore, Alabama (-11 / 11)
Alabama newcomer Brenda Tuwei tumbles a bit in our final rankings update, setting line at TSR #22 following her fall capstone. That's because the Crimson Tide rookie ended her introductory cross country season with a 29th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships.
Is that a poor performance? No, absolutely not.
But did that result fall short of what we thought could produce? Yes, it did.
Tuwei’s season on the grass has been highly impressive with a 4th-place finish at the SEC XC Championships as her season’s hallmark. Before then, she also took down top-tier names such as Grace Hartman, Hannah Gapes, Mercy Kinyanjui, Ali Weimer, Silvia Jelego and Gladys Chepngetich.
Naturally, you can see why we opted to keep her a handful of spots higher in our rankings than where she finished at the national meet.
21. Phoebe Anderson, Senior, Columbia (+4 / 25)
Experience, experience, experience.
That is a mantra that has been commonly associated with the Columbia senior Phoebe Anderson this season. And sure enough, experience is exactly what led the Lioness to her highest cross country national meet finish of her career this past Saturday.
Anderson capped off her incredible career with a 26th place finish at the national meet, earning her second consecutive All-American honor on the grass. Her 2024 season was arguably the steadiest fall campaign of her career, demonstrating poise that only a veteran can truly have on big stages. Prior to the national meet, Anderson finished in the top-10 in every race contested, leaving us feeling very confident in her postseason abilities.
Despite finishing in 26th place on Saturday, Anderson's resume as a whole only gained more valuable due to how reliable she was.
20. Maddy Elmore, Senior, Oregon (-1 / 19)
Despite some limited racing from the Oregon veteran, Maddy Elmore made the most of every opportunity and flexed impressive aerobic development on the grass in 2024.
In her first NCAA XC Championship appearance (back in 2022), Elmore was a respectable 72nd place, individually. At the 2023 national meet, she took 52nd place.
In 2024, Elmore soared to 25th overall, her highest finish ever and first All-American honor in cross country. And yet, it still feels like she fell just a tad short of expectations at the national meet.
With the exception of teammate Silan Ayyildiz, Elmore practically ran away from everyone in her season outings leading up to the NCAA XC Championships. In turn, we projected Elmore to be a top-20 finisher on Saturday.
A 25th place All-American finish is still wildly impressive for a middle distance specialist and we were encouraged to see the form Elmore was in following the abrupt end to her outdoor track season. All things considered, this fall campaign should be considered a success for her.
19. Chloe Scrimgeour, Senior, Georgetown (-6 / 13)
After her 8th place cross country national meet finish in 2023, the sky was the limit for Georgetown’s Chloe Scrimgeour in 2024. But while her 2024 season was far from poor, her 23rd place finish at this year's national meet left us wanting just the slightest bit more.
Nevertheless, we cannot discount the season that Scrimgeour had leading up to the national meet as it was remarkably consistent. Prior to the NCAA XC Championships, the Hoya veteran was either 2nd place or 3rd place in every single race that she toed the line for this fall.
When you consider how reliable of a low-stick she was, Scrimgeour’s value in our rankings didn't seemingly belong outside of the top-20. As such, the Hoya senior consequently lands at TSR #19 at the conclusion of the fall season.
18. Alexandra Millard, Junior, Providence (-1 / 17)
This English distance standout talent left us on our toes this season as we waited for her to exercise her full potential. Sure enough, the upside of Alex Millard began to emerge in the postseason, exhibiting a near-perfect peak for the meets that mattered the most.
Millard’s postseason was fantastic, producing a runner-up finish at the BIG East XC Championships, 4th at the Northeast regional meet and finally, a top-20 All-American performance (20th) to help the Friars secure a podium finish.
The momentum that Millard gained as the season went on was very noticeable. The deeper into the fall months she went, the more comfortable she seemingly became. With indoor track just around the corner, that can only mean good things for this British distance ace.
17. Florence Caron, Sophomore, Penn State (+5 / 22)
Florence Caron emerged as a true force in her sophomore season, capping it off with a top-half All-American finish in 19th place. The Penn State star showed marked improvement since her rookie season, which culminated in a 182nd place national meet finish in 2023.
Of course, her breakout extended beyond just the NCAA XC Championships. Caron's cross country season featured numerous top-five performances prior to the national meet. And in Madison, Wisconsin, Caron hung tough with a mix of veteran talents and standout newcomers to earn her first career All-American honor.
This Nittany Lion standout began to emerge as a nationally competitive name in the spring months. However, she firmly established herself as a top-tier talent this fall and that can be seen in the fact that her final rank is higher than her national meet finish.
16. Sadie Sigfstead, Rs. Junior, Villanova (+5 / 21)
It has truly been a breakthrough season to remember for Villanova’s Sadie Sigfstead!
While the talented Canadian had posted nationally competitive results in the past, her performances this season far exceeded expectations. The Wildcat star announced her arrival in spectacular fashion this fall with a commanding victory at the Nuttycombe Invitational. That standout result demonstrated that Sigfstead was competing at a level far beyond what anyone anticipated this season.
Following her impressive win at the Nuttycombe Invite, Sigfstead delivered more measured performances, finishing 9th at the Princeton Fall Classic and 4th at the BIG East XC Championships. And while those results were respectable, they were a far cry from the flash of brilliance we saw earlier in the season. That, in turn, left some uncertainty about which version of Sigfstead would show up at the national meet.
Spoiler alert: We got the very best version!
Sigfstead capped off her remarkable season with a stellar 15th-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships -- an incredible 56-spot improvement from her national meet performance in 2023. It was a fitting conclusion to a breakout fall campaign for the Villanova standout.
15. Joy Naukot, Freshman, West Virginia (-1 / 14)
West Virginia newcomer Joy Naukot was remarkably consistent all season long. That reliability also played a pivotal role in the Mountaineers' monumental 2nd place team finish at the NCAA XC Championships.
Her first truly eye-catching performance came with a 10th-place finish at Pre-Nationals, showcasing her ability to adapt quickly to the rigors of NCAA competition. That result signaled that West Virginia had a formidable one-two punch between Naukot and her teammate Ceili McCabe.
Those suspicions were later validated at the BIG 12 XC Championships where Naukot delivered an outstanding 3rd-place finish, right behind McCabe, who claimed the individual title.
Despite an unexciting effort at the Mid-Atlantic regional meet, Naukot looked primed to capture a top-half All-American finish, and sure enough, she did just that, crossing the line in impressive 17th place. Naukot’s top-20 effort not only solidified her status as one of the top freshmen in the NCAA, but also underscored her ability to deliver when it mattered most.
14. Lexy Halladay-Lowry, Senior, BYU (+1 / 15)
It’s been a season of highs and lows for BYU senior Lexy Halladay-Lowry. Thankfully, she made sure her collegiate cross country career ended on the highest note possible!
The Cougar standout kicked-off her season in spectacular fashion with a commanding victory at the Joe Piane Invitational. Her performance in South Bend, Indiana was so impressive that it placed her firmly in the national title conversation.
In retrospect, that may have been a touch ambitious, as her subsequent efforts (while still strong) didn’t quite reach the same electrifying level she displayed at the Joe Piane Invite (apparently due to a nagging postseason injury).
However, Halladay-Lowry saved her best for last. Her outstanding 14th-place finish at the national meet in Madison, Wisconsin not only capped off her fall campaign in style, but also played a pivotal role in leading the Cougars to a remarkable national team title.
13. Silan Ayyildiz, Junior, Oregon (+5 / 18)
Oregon’s Silan Ayyildiz proved to be a postseason superstar with a truly remarkable string of championship performances.
The Turkish distance standout opened her campaign in stunning fashion, capturing the BIG 10 individual title and leading the Ducks to a team victory in their season debut. Two weeks later, Ayyildiz continued her momentum at the West regional meet, finishing as the runner-up and helping secure Oregon’s ticket to the “Big Dance”.
Despite limited racing in her legs, Ayyildiz demonstrated that she had the fitness and grit to compete with the nation’s best, making a top-20 finish -- and perhaps even a top-15 result at the national meet -- a realistic goal. Sure enough, she delivered in style, crossing the line in an outstanding 13th place finish on Saturday.
While it wasn’t the team result that Oregon had hoped for, Ayyildiz’s postseason heroics stood out as a bright spot. Despite only racing three times, Ayyildiz’s exploits are more than enough to earn her a spot in our top-15.
12. Juliet Cherubet, Sophomore, Texas Tech (-6 / 6)
Saying that it, "just wasn’t someone’s day" after finishing 11th at the NCAA XC Championships might sound absurd. But for an athlete as exceptionally talented as Juliet Cherubet, it feels fitting.
Heading into the national meet, the Red Raider standout had been on a hot streak of excellent runs. She shattered Parker Valby’s course record at the Arturo Barrios Invitational, took a strong runner-up finish behind Ceili McCabe at the BIG 12 XC Championships and placed 2nd to eventual NCAA silver medalist, Pamela Kosgei, at the Mountain Regional meet.
All signs pointed toward a top-five finish -- or perhaps even a podium spot -- at the NCAA XC Championships. Unfortunately, that potential didn’t quite materialize in Madison, Wisconsin. Despite this, Cherubet’s performance was anything but disappointing. Her 11th-place finish marked a seven-spot improvement from last year’s national meet, highlighting her upwards trajectory as one of the best underclassmen in the country.
11. Kimberley May, Senior, Providence (+1 / 12)
Last fall, Kimberley May impressed during the regular season, but her performance on the national stage left much to be desired. This year, seeing her flourish during the early stages of the season was promising, but there was still some uncertainty about whether she could deliver when it mattered most.
Well, sure enough, May rose to the occasion -- and in spectacular fashion.
Her 10th-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships was the exact kind of performance that many believed she was capable of, especially after her top-five finish at the Nuttycombe Invite and her victory against a loaded field at the Princeton Fall Classic.
What made May’s efforts even more remarkable was the impact that she had on her team. Her stellar individual performance propelled the Friars to an impressive 3rd place finish -- a result that exceeded expectations and solidified Providence’s reputation as one of the elite programs in the nation.
For May, this season was a true coming-of-age moment, proving that she can be just as big of a threat on the grass as she can be on the track.
10. Hannah Gapes, Rs. Junior, NC State (+6 / 16)
Is Hannah Gapes now a legitimate NCAA superstar? Truthfully, there are more arguments in favor of "yes" than there are for "no."
An 8th-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships is a remarkable achievement and the perfect culmination of an outstanding postseason for the NC State standout.
Heading into the national meet, it was clear that Gapes had the talent to compete among the nation’s best. Her impressive bronze-medal finish at the ACC XC Championships solidified her status as a likely top-20 contender. But to break into the top-10? That’s a career-defining performance.
In a season where the Wolfpack needed new stars to rise to the occasion, Gapes and teammate Grace Hartman stepped up to the plate. Their extraordinary efforts were exactly what NC State needed to remain competitive among the elite programs. For Gapes, this season has not only cemented her place as a leader for the Wolfpack, but also as one of the more underrated distance talents in the NCAA.
9. Caroline Jeptanui, Freshman, Tulane (-5 / 4)
Caroline Jeptanui’s streak of top-three finishes at every meet this season came to an end this past weekend as she placed 12th at the NCAA XC Championships.
If 12th place at the national meet is the "worst" result of someone's season (especially for a freshman), then that speaks volumes as to how elite Jeptanui is. The Tulane star was ultra consistent all season long and proved time and time again that she can compete with the best in the nation.
Her standout performances this season include an impressive runner-up finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational and a 3rd place run at the Nuttycombe Invite. It's one thing for a rookie to run that well once or twice, but to be as consistent as she was despite not having any experience racing in the 'States is applause-worthy.
Given her incredible debut season, it’s only fitting that Jeptanui remains in our top 10. With this experience under her belt, the Green Wave star could very well be one to watch as a potential title contender next year.
8. Paityn Noe, Sophomore, Arkansas (+2 / 10)
Paityn Noe’s rise to superstardom has been a joy to witness.
The Razorback sophomore had a strong debut last fall as a freshman, but her lack of experience (and lingering injuries) ultimately limited her performance on the national stage.
During the outdoor track season, however, she truly came into her own, showcasing the immense talent that had been evident during her high school career. Her outstanding 9th-place finish in a highly competitive 10,000-meter field at the NCAA Outdoor Championships was a clear indicator of her potential and a preview of what was to come in the fall.
Sure enough, Noe capitalized on her improved fitness and newfound experience to excel on the grass. An eye-catching 7th-place finish at Pre-Nationals, followed by a huge 3rd place finish at the top-heavy SEC XC Championships firmly demonstrated that the Arkansas standout was capable of contending for a top-15 finish at nationals.
Of course, Noe went above and beyond, capping off her season with a remarkable 7th-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships. That performance not only underscored her significant growth, but also solidified her status as one of the nation's more elite talents and maybe even a future national title contender.
7. Chloe Thomas, Senior, UConn (0 / 7)
Chloe Thomas has emerged as one of the biggest breakout stars of the year and one of the nation’s most consistent runners as well.
The UConn standout hadn’t put a foot wrong all season, delivering a series of stellar performances. Her fall campaign included a victory at the Paul Short Run, a 5th-place finish at Pre-Nationals, dominant wins at both the BIG East XC Championships and the Northeast regional meet, and a tremendous 9th-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships.
That is an elite level of consistency, especially for someone who wasn’t a factor on the national stage just a year ago. Her ability to maintain her newfound fitness throughout the season against a variety of different distance runners paid off in spades. Thomas has more than earned her TSR #7 spot in our rankings.
6. Ceili McCabe, Rs. Senior, West Virginia (-1 / 5)
Ceili McCabe’s return to collegiate competition was nothing short of spectacular. Throughout the season, she offered glimpses of the runner who once earned a bronze medal at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships.
Her massive 4th-place finish at Pre-Nationals, followed by an even more impressive victory at the BIG 12 XC Championships, strongly suggested that the Mountaineer was ready to contend for another top-five finish on Saturday.
Those predictions proved to be mostly accurate as McCabe found herself in a thrilling battle for a spot in the top-five at the NCAA XC Championships. Ultimately, she narrowly missed the mark, finishing in 6th place. Even so, her impeccable season is the perfect culmination of what has been a truly remarkable cross country career.
5. Grace Hartman, Rs. Sophomore, NC State (+3 / 8)
The Wolfpack needed a new leader after so many star veterans ran out of eligibility. Thankfully for them, Grace Hartman stepped up in spectacular fashion. The redshirt sophomore has embraced the challenge with poise and delivered performances far exceeding even the most optimistic expectations.
In our last rankings update, we were curious to see how much progress the newly crowned ACC individual cross country champion could make after her 63rd-place finish at last year’s NCAA XC Championships. But Hartman didn’t just climb a few spots -- she shattered all expectations, delivering an incredible 5th-place finish on the national stage.
Her rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. As NC State inevitably reloads for future success, Hartman is poised to lead the charge as their new shining star.
4. Amy Bunnage, Sophomore, Stanford (+25 / 29)
“We wouldn’t be surprised if she made this ranking look foolish at the NCAA XC Championships given her prior success.”
Welp, she sure made us look foolish!
What a phenomenal run by Amy Bunnage on Saturday! Finishing 4th in a field that many consider to be extremely top-heavy was wildly impressive, especially given that it was only her second race of the season. The Aussie star entered the NCAA last year as one of the top recruits in the world (yes, the world), and it feels like she has now emphatically announced her arrival to the collegiate stage.
While we were eager to see what she could achieve during the regular season, her decision to wait and focus on peaking at the national meet proved to be a masterstroke. If this performance is any indication, then Bunnage is poised to be a dominant force in the NCAA for years to come.
3. Hilda Olemomoi, Junior, Florida (0 / 3)
Death, taxes and Hilda Olemomoi excelling on the national stage.
To nobody's surprise, the Florida star delivered yet another stellar performance this past weekend. As expected, she positioned herself among the contenders, closely shadowing her former teammate Doris Lemngole's every move. However, with 400 meters to go, Lemngole made a decisive surge, leaving Olemomoi in a battle with Pamela Kosgei for the silver medal, a fight she ultimately lost by just a stride.
Truthfully, there isn’t much left to say about Olemomoi that hasn’t already been said. Her remarkable consistency throughout the season has been a hallmark of her greatness. In fact, her result on Saturday might have been one of the most predictable outcomes of the meet -- but in the best way possible.
Olemomoi is so reliably excellent that we’ve come to expect nothing less than brilliance every time she steps up to the starting line.
2. Pamela Kosgei, Freshman, New Mexico (0 / 2)
What a phenomenal debut campaign it was for New Mexico rookie, Pamela Kosgei!
Make no mistake, her talent was already well-known before the season began. She was, after all, the bronze medalist at the U20 World XC Championships. However, success at the NCAA level is never guaranteed, especially in a runner’s first season. But in Kosgei’s case, the transition was seamless.
She dominated the competition all season long, comfortably winning every race leading up to the NCAA XC Championships. There, she delivered a terrific performance, securing an impressive second place behind the formidable Doris Lemngole. It was a debut season that more than lived up to the hype and firmly established Kosgei as one of the brightest new stars in collegiate cross country.
1. Doris Lemngole, Sophomore, Alabama (0 / 1)
Was it ever really in doubt? The top returner and preseason national title favorite delivered in spectacular fashion, making it all look effortless.
The newly crowned NCAA champion has been dominant all season, so her ability to pull away in the final stages in Madison, Wisconsin, came as no surprise. That’s not to say that we didn’t expect Hilda Olemomoi and Pamela Kosgei to challenge her -- they certainly did -- but Doris Lemngole has been operating on another level this fall. Her effortless surge to claim the national title was proof of her supremacy.
This victory marks two NCAA titles in four seasons for the Crimson Tide star, cementing her status as one of the sport’s elite. The real question now is: How many more national titles can we expect from Lemngole in the years to come?
ADDED
Taryn Parks (North Carolina)
Vera Sjoberg (Boston U.)
Mercy Kirarei (New Mexico)
Mia Cochran (Arkansas)
Sarah Tait (West Virginia)
Erin Strzelecki (Notre Dame)
Laura Pellicoro (Portland)
Anika Thompson (Oregon)
Shannon Flockhart (Providence)
KICKED OFF
Regina Mpigachai (Northern Colorado)
Fatima Alanis (North Carolina)
Chloe Foerster (Washington)
Melissa Riggins (Georgetown)
Bieke Schipperen (Florida State)
Agnes McTighe (Florida State)
Carly Wilkes (Furman)
Karrie Baloga (Northern Arizona)
Jenna Hutchins (BYU)
JUST MISSED (in no particular order)
Fatima Alanis (North Carolina)
Melissa Riggins (Georgetown)
Bieke Schipperen (Florida State)
Agnes McTighe (Florida State)
Carly Wilkes (Furman)
Jenny Schilling (Virginia)
Taylor Rohatinsky (BYU)
Kaiya Robertson (Boise State)
Maeve Stiles (Washington)
Zenah Cheptoo (Washington State)
HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)
Pheline Cheruto (Alabama)
Jenna Zydanowicz (UConn)
Regina Mpigachai (Northern Colorado)
Karrie Baloga (Northern Arizona)
Chloe Foerster (Washington)
Zofia Dudek (Stanford)
Gladys Chepngetich (Clemson)
Annastasia Peters (Utah)
Blezzin Kimutai (Tulane)
Ashley Jones (Tennessee)
Notes
- N/A
