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TSR's 2024 D2 XC Top 25 Individual Rankings (Women): Update #3
Written by Marissa Kuik & Ethan Wampler
Edits & additional commentary via Gavin Struve & 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 2024 NCAA XC Championships. 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.
25. Sophia Taarud, Junior, Winona State (Unranked)
After losing low-stick aces Lindsay Cunningham and Kaylee Beyer, we were left questioning if anyone on this Winona State team could fill the shoes of those two stars. Well, Sophia Taarud has done just that.
Taarud has been quietly stringing together impressive performances at some of the biggest meets in Division Two. At the Lewis Crossover, Taarud placed 9th in a very competitive field. Since then, she has earned runner-up placements at both the NSIC XC Championships and the Central Regional XC Championships.
In both of those races, she lost only to our TSR #3 runner. Taarud has been incredibly consistent this season and will look to keep her momentum going at the cross country national meet.
24. Grace Strongman, Junior, Colorado Mines (-3 / 21)
After a very impressive 6th-place showing at the Lewis Crossover, our expectations were sky-high for Grace Strongman heading into the South Central Regional XC Championships.
Amid less-than-ideal course conditions, Strongman mustered a 16th-place finish. Although we would’ve liked to have seen a slightly better result, she weathered the conditions reasonably well.
We hope to see Strongman back in full force for the national meet, as her performance will be key to the success of her Colorado Mines squad.
23. Katie Hughes, Junior, Adams State (Unranked)
Katie Hughes is the first of SEVEN Adams State women featured in our rankings in this update. Hughes earned her spot after a strong 13th-place performance at the South Central regional meet.
We have seen Hughes put together impressive performances before, like her 15th-place finish at the 2024 RMAC XC Championships. However, her regional meet effort further proves that she can be a scoring threat for the nation's best team deep into the postseason.
22. Morgan O'Keefe (née Hykes), Senior, Adams State (Unranked)
The second Grizzly of many, Morgan O’Keefe, joins our rankings in this update after finishing 10th at the South Central Regional XC Championships.
Similar to her teammate, Katie Hughes, O’Keefe put up a strong result at the RMAC XC Championships, placing 12th. But also like Hughes, that performance was outdone by her result at the regional meet. That progression through the postseason is a good sign for this three-time cross country All-American.
21. Iresh Molina, Junior, Chico State (+4 / 25)
One of the most consistent runners in these rankings, Chico State’s Iresh Molina continued her steady string of great results at the West Regional XC Championships.
After taking 5th at the Bill Roe Classic, 3rd at the UAH Chargers XC Invitational and runner-up at the CCAA XC Championships, Molina produced a 5th-place result in a high-caliber regional field.
Losing only to four TSR top-20 runners is nothing to scoff at, and in pairing Iresh Molina with twin sister Della, Chico State will be looking to get another electric performance out of their star sibling pair at the cross country national meet.
20. Della Molina, Junior, Chico State (+4 / 24)
Much like her twin sister, Iresh, Della Molina has been incredibly impressive so far this season. Earlier this season, the Chico State junior produced a very impressive runner-up result at the UAH Chargers XC Invitational and came away with the win at the CCAA XC Championships.
Those races, combined with a 4th-place outing at the West regional meet, show that she's ready for a monster performance at the national meet in the familiar territory of Sacramento.
And regardless of which twin comes out on top at the NCAA XC Championships, expect the other to be close behind. Iresh and Della have not been more than five seconds apart in any race all season.
19. Jessica Kampman, Senior, Azusa Pacific (+3 / 22)
Jessica Kampman put together a huge 3rd-place finish at the West Regional XC Championships this past weekend. The senior APU Cougar was able to hold off the twin pairing of Della and Iresh Molina, beating the former by just a tenth of a second.
In her first Division Two season after transferring from NAIA powerhouse Dordt, Kampman has adjusted incredibly well, placing 8th at the Lewis Crossover and winning the PacWest XC Championships before her elite regional result.
She'll be a threat on what is supposed to be a very fast course at the cross country national meet. Azusa Pacific historically runs well on fast courses, so watch out for Kampman as she is the sole representative of the Cougars at this year’s NCAA XC Championships.
18. Aria Hawkins, Senior, Lee (Tenn.) (+1 / 19)
After taking a commanding victory by 21 seconds at the South Regional XC Championships, Aria Hawkins has now won two races in a row and will be looking to carry her momentum into the cross country national meet.
Two weeks prior to her regional victory, Hawkins took on the Gulf South Conference XC Championships and won convincingly as the Flames scored a perfect 15 points at the meet. After taking on tough Division One competition at the Southern Showcase and the Louisville Classic, Hawkins appears battle-hardened in cruising through the postseason.
Her only Division Two losses this year came at the hands of UCCS low-sticks Kate Hedlund and our TSR #7 runner, Anna Fauske.
17. Linda Weigang, Sophomore, Fort Lewis (0 / 17)
Linda Weigang was incredibly solid at this past weekend’s South Central regional meet, placing 11th in a loaded field. That result came two weeks removed from her equally impressive 10th-place finish at the RMAC XC Championships.
Weigang will look to improve upon her 39th-place All-American finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships and bolster the Skyhawks' team aspirations alongside a higher-ranked teammate.
Fort Lewis and Weigang may be flying under the radar a bit entering the national meet compared to their RMAC contemporaries. This is your reminder that they'll likely emerge as some type of competitive factor.
16. Emily Schoellkopf, Senior, Adams State (+2 / 18)
Another member of the loaded Adams State contingent, Emily Schoellkopf continues to run well as we enter the postseason.
This past weekend, Schoellkopf found her way into the top-10 at the South Central regional meet, placing 9th in the toughest region in the country. She was also able to take down our TSR #17 runner, Linda Weigang, who bested Schoellkopf at the RMAC XC Championships, where Schoellkopf placed 11th.
Schoellkopf has posted flashier results before, and she's capable of a top-10 national meet finish on her best day. Even so, all the Grizzlies need from her is a stable All-American scoring option. She should be able to provide just that.
15. Precious Robinson, Rs. Senior, Adams State (-2 / 13)
Precious Robinson is maybe the one Adams State runner who you could argue had an “off” day at the South Central Regional XC Championships. Robinson crossed the line in 20th place, which was still solid enough to earn her all-region honors.
The snowy conditions of the South Central region could very well have played a part in that result, and we are confident that Robinson will be ready to go for the cross country national meet. Her 8th-place performance at the 2024 RMAC XC Championships and 64th-place run at the D1-heavy Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational inspire more confidence.
A third top-15 NCAA XC Championships finish in her career is well within reason for Robinson this month. Her experience should be extremely valuable in a year where a handful of top women aren't as established as prior stars have been.
14. Allie Arnsman, Sophomore, Grand Valley State (+2 / 16)
Allie Arnsman is just a sophomore, but she is running with the poise of a seasoned veteran. At the Midwest Regional XC Championships, Arnsman took her second consecutive runner-up finish behind teammate and our TSR #5 athlete, Lauren Kiley.
Arnsman has faced ultra-competitive fields, specifically at this year’s Joe Piane Invitational, where she placed 61st, and the 2023 NCAA XC Championships, where Arnsman earned All-American honors with her 33rd-place finish as a rookie.
That indicates she should be prepared to help lead a formidable Grand Valley State squad in their title defense at this year’s edition of the cross country national meet.
13. Helen Braybrook, Senior, CSU-Pueblo (+1 / 14)
After finishing 9th at the RMAC XC Championships, Helen Braybrook improved her stock even more by placing 7th at the South Central Regional XC Championships to earn a bump in our rankings.
That consistency is an auspicious start to the postseason given that Braybrook has traditionally been at her best on the national stage. The only difference this season is that Braybrook is finishing higher than she has ever at her conference and regional meets. That indicates that she's in line for her first top-half All-American finish on the grass after placing in the top-25 at the past two cross country national meets.
Not to mention, the flat and fast national meet course in Sacramento figures to fit the racing style of Braybrook, who's a middle distance runner on the track.
12. Elena Carey, Senior, Adams State (0 / 12)
Has not competed since our last rankings update.
11. Hannah Hartwell, Junior, Fort Lewis (0 / 11)
With each race, Hannah Hartwell makes us more of a believer in her as she continues to back up her performances in her first year as a star. Although Hartwell didn't compete in any major races before the championship season, she has recently run favorably at two of the most competitive non-national meets.
In her most recent outing, Hartwell backed up her 5th-place finish from the RMAC XC Championships with a 6th-place finish at the South Central regional meet. We knew that she held cross country All-American upside after placing 5th in the 10k at the 2024 outdoor national meet, but few could have foreseen her carrying that success over to the grass so seamlessly.
10. Peyton Weiss, Rs. Sophomore, Western Colorado (0 / 10)
Although not as strong as her runner-up finish at the RMAC XC Championships, Peyton Weiss' 12th-place result at the South Central regional meet doesn't necessarily hurt her stock. She's at her best for only the biggest races.
Weiss was one of the key players in Western Colorado’s podium finish last year, and the fact that the Mountaineers arguably have lower team aspirations at the 2024 cross country national meet could unburden her and allow for a more all-out effort.
Weiss knows how to get out aggressively, which will pay off with the fast course in Sacramento. A top-10 finish would not be a surprise.
9. Leah Taylor, Senior, Western Colorado (0 / 9)
After a somewhat underwhelming run at the RMAC meet relative to expectations, Leah Taylor bounced back with a 5th-place finish in the South Central region. Just like her teammate, Peyton Weiss, Taylor knows how to lay it all on the line at the national meet.
She also stepped up her game at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships, finishing 13th just weeks after placing 11th and 14th at her conference and regional meets, respectively.
The fact that Taylor comfortably cracked the top-10 against both RMAC and South Central regional competition this season suggests that she'll be in line to improve upon her finish from last year's cross country national meet. It won't hurt to have a teammate of a similar caliber to gauge off of.
8. Rosie Fordham, Senior, Alaska Fairbanks (0 / 8)
As always, the latest competition between Rosie Fordham and her teammate, Kendall Kramer, was a back-and-forth affair. This time, Fordham got the upper-hand, winning the West Regional XC Championships individual title with a 14-second cushion over Kramer in a bit of a surprise.
It feels like Fordham should move up with a run like that, but there's little room for upward mobility in this range of our rankings. Fordham, who's competing in her fourth NCAA XC Championships but her first in which her whole team will be present, feels like a safe top-half All-American pick.
While it wouldn't shock us to see her outperform this placement, every woman ranked ahead of her is either a multi-time All-American or a national title contender.
7. Anna Fauske, Senior, UC-Colorado Springs (-1 / 6)
Anna Fauske's one-spot demotion in our rankings has far more to do with the performances of women ahead of her (namely one conference rival) than any fault of her own.
Fauske actually had one of her best-ever races at the South Central regional meet, earning silver on the heels of taking bronze at the RMAC XC Championships.
After narrowly missing a runner-up finish at her conference meet, Fauske narrowly missed the individual title at her regional meet, finishing two seconds behind the winner. Still, she finished ahead of Ava O’Connor and Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge, two women who she'll have to beat in order to win the national title.
Fauske likes to run from behind and catch people, so she will need to be prepared for a fast start in Sacramento. So long as she places herself in the top pack, she has just as good of a chance as anyone to reach for NCAA gold.
6. Tristian Spence, Rs. Sophomore, Adams State (+1 / 7)
Tristian Spence has gone from someone who hadn't raced until late October to a prime contender for individual spoils at every meet she contests.
After opening her season with an impressive 4th-place run at the RMAC XC Championships, Spence took the South Central regional individual title. That result showcased a lot of poise in just her seventh collegiate cross country race by beating some of the top names in all of Division Two.
As a redshirt sophomore, this is only Spence's second NCAA XC Championships appearance. Nevertheless, at the 2023 cross country national meet, she finished in 16th place. We'd be foolish to put a cap on what this Adams State ace can accomplish now that she has another year of experience and confidence.
5. Lauren Kiley, Junior, Grand Valley State (0 / 5)
Despite making her season debut just a couple of weeks ago, Lauren Kiley looks to be in the best shape of her life. That's saying something for someone who has finished 15th and 7th at the past two cross country national meets.
In a follow-up to her impressive GLIAC individual title, Kiley cruised to a Midwest Regional XC Championships win by a good margin in her second race of the season.
It may be a challenge adapting to a meet where she will have more challengers than just her star teammates, but Kiley has fared well in national meet settings before. She may not continue her winning streak, but she'll probably come awfully close.
4. Kendall Kramer, Senior, Alaska Fairbanks (-1 / 3)
Finishing runner-up at the West regional meet may not look great on paper for Kendall Kramer, as she won that race last year. However, it's not her first time losing to teammate Rosie Fordham this season or otherwise, and she's been the more consistently great of the two Nanook stars.
Taking a loss to a top-10 teammate shouldn't be an indictment on Kramer's national title candidacy or top-five-finish probability. She has finished runner-up in the two deepest fields she's faced this season and appears in line to improve upon her best-ever NCAA XC Championships result (8th in 2022).
3. Alyssa Becker, Senior, U-Mary (+1 / 4)
Alyssa Becker's consistency has slowly moved her up our rankings.
This past weekend, she grabbed her fourth race win of the season, beating several of the same All-American favorites who she defeated en route to the NSIC individual title two weeks prior.
While she did not win with as big of a margin as she did at the NSIC XC Championships, Becker was still quite a ways ahead of the rest of the pack (24 seconds). The only question is how she'll fare in a national field now that she's three years removed from her last All-American honor.
At any rate, Becker has signaled early and often this season that she's a top-five runner in the nation. She has done all she can, beating the women she's faced by wide margins, and has yet to lose to another D2 woman this year.
2. Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge, Rs. Senior, Colorado Mines (0 / 2)
After the Colorado Mines women skipped the RMAC XC Championships, we were quite curious as to how Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge would stack up against the rest of the South Central region. The answer was very well, as she finished 3rd in a close race.
While we would have loved to see her battle it out for 1st, Ramsey-Rutledge can be given a pass for losing to two Adams State superstars (one of whom won their conference meet and one of whom won their regional meet) in her first race in nearly a month.
We still see Ramsey-Rutledge as a national title contender after her triumph at the Lewis XC Crossover. Her odds of ending her season with a win are probably about as good as any woman in these rankings.
1. Ava O'Connor, Rs. Junior, Adams State (0 / 1)
Similar to Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge, we would have loved to see Ava O’Connor fight to the very end of the regional meet and come away with another 1st-place finish. However, given the tricky course conditions and the caliber of the South Central region, a 4th-place result is nothing to look down upon.
O’Connor’s other performances -- including a resonant RMAC individual title and an 18th-place finish in one of the most competitive Division One meets -- have been so strong that we still see her, on paper, as the name to beat at the cross country national meet.
That being said, the South Central regional meet reminded us that it's still a wide-open individual women's title race with no one athlete favored over the field.
ADDED
Morgan O'Keefe (née Hykes) (Adams State)
Katie Hughes (Adams State)
Sophia Taarud (Winona State)
KICKED OFF
Abby Olson (Grand Valley State)
Khot Juac (Sioux Falls)
Sarah Koomson (West Texas A&M)
JUST MISSED (in no particular order)
Abby Olson (Grand Valley State)
Khot Juac (Sioux Falls)
Sarah Koomson (West Texas A&M)
Reagan Justice (Wayne State (MI))
Sophia Strange (Oklahoma Baptist)
Ella Bakken (Augustana (SD))
Annika Esvelt (Seattle Pacific)
Kristine Kalthoff (U-Mary)
Lauren Willson (Western Colorado)
Anna Igims (Slippery Rock)
Lexi Herr (Colorado Mines)
HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)
Bethany Mapes (Biola)
Margot Thomas-Gatel (CSU-Pueblo)
Shannon King (Colorado Christian)
Margaux Basart (Colorado Mines)
Leah Keisler (CSU-Pueblo)
Mia Salas (MSU Denver)
Kate Hedlund (UC-Colorado Springs)
Emily Diercks (Fort Hays State)
Corinne Lynch (Cedarville)
Evyn Humphrey (Hillsdale)
Lesli Salas (Dallas Baptist)
Ana Patricia Campos (Lee (Tenn.))
Naomi Addo (West Texas A&M)
Hannah Smrcka (Lewis)
Abbi Steiner (UW-Parkside)
Madison Clay (Catawba)
Maggie McCleskey (Adams State)
Kalkidan Vincendeau (West Texas A&M)
Notes
- N/A
