.png)
TSR's 2024 Preseason D1 XC Top 25 Team Rankings (Women): #8 Providence Friars
- Finn Birnie
- Aug 26, 2024
- 9 min read
Written by Finn Birnie, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin
NOTE: Earlier this summer, The Stride Report reached out to nearly every team that was considered for a possible ranking this summer. While we did receive numerous responses and great clarity, we did not get a 100% response rate. On certain occasions, we are referencing TFFRS in order to talk about returners and athletes who are out of eligibility.
Going into last year's cross country season, we were very high on the Providence women -- and for good reason, too.
After their national title victory in 2013, the team was slowly regaining momentum on the national stage. Unfortunately, some absences derailed their potential for a top-10 finish in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Despite a disappointing close to an eagerly anticipated season, we enter this fall with even greater excitement. That’s because not only do they return virtually their entire scoring unit, but they’ve also added some serious firepower that could very well propel them onto the podium.
However, with excitement comes plenty of questions. Will track stars Kimberley May and Shannon Flockhart see the same success on the grass? What can we expect from low-stick Jane Buckley upon her return? And how will the squad’s new high-impact additions fare in a completely new setup?
Yet, regardless of all the questions surrounding this lineup, the upside is simply too good to ignore. That is why a team that finished three spots off from last place at the 2023 national meet now finds themselves at TSR #8.
* * *
The Virginia Invitational was Providence’s first legitimate outing of the 2023 season. The host site for the NCAA XC Championships had drawn in a wealth of top teams, all of which were aiming to get well acquainted with the course.
Kimberley May was the first Friar across the line, finishing in a fantastic 10th place. That result was huge for her squad. Not only was it a significant leap in fitness from someone who spent much of the 2022 season as a backend scorer, but it also provided the team with a new legitimate low-stick.
Meanwhile, Shannon Flockhart (36th) and Lily Tuck (38th) delivered exactly what the Friars needed -- consistent and reliable scoring. The duo had proven to be very dependable in the past, so it was a significant positive to see them deliver once again in such a competitive field.
Veteran Laura Mooney, while still not back to her top form, posted a respectable 68th place finish. Closing out the scoring was Reese Fahys who crossed the line in 102nd, giving the Friars an 8th place team finish.
That was a very strong result from the Friars, especially when you factor in that they didn't field Jane Buckley (49th at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships) and Annabelle Eastman (92nd at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships). Had those two competed, then the Providence women would likely have reduced their point total by a significant margin.
Unfortunately for the Friars, the much-anticipated return of Jane Buckley remained elusive, casting a shadow over the squad's prospects for the rest of the season. And yet, despite missing their most dangerous weapon, the Friars made their return to the Nuttycombe Invite, a race that had been favorable to them the previous fall.
However, this time, fortune did not favor them.
Once again, May got the team off to a flying start, crossing the line with a huge 19th place finish. This was another excellent low-stick performance and, more importantly, a result that validated her terrific race a few weeks prior.
Meanwhile, Flockhart (45th) was strong once again, emerging as a steady secondary scorer with great value. However, after that duo, every other Friar struggled, resulting in a lackluster 24th place finish for the team.
A 24th place finish certainly didn't feel like a true representation of how good this quintet could be. But with Buckley not due back, the rest of the team would have to regroup before they took on a loaded Georgetown lineup.
At the BIG East XC Championships, the Georgetown women, as anticipated, proved to be a formidable challenge for Providence. However, the Friars managed to stay relatively competitive with the Hoyas despite the gap of talent on their respective rosters.
May’s 2nd place finish was impressive enough to split the formidable duo of Chloe Scrimgeour and Melissa Riggins. Flockhart also delivered with a solid 9th place finish. Meanwhile, Mooney, Fahys and Cara Laverty rounded out the scoring by finishing 12-14-19, respectively.
That performance was certainly an improvement over their outing at the Nuttycombe Invite, but the overall scoring potency behind May simply needed to be stronger. Would they be able to righten the ship in time for the rest of the postseason?
After easing through the Northeast Regional XC Championships, the Friars returned to the NCAA XC Championships where they had placed 16th the year prior. But in 2023, things were far more challenging due to key absences. And naturally, these challenges were felt in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Flockhart continued to demonstrate her reliability, finishing as the first Friar in 69th place, the exact same position that she held the year prior.
However, from there, gaps began to form as the rest of the rest of Providence's scoring contingent struggled. May, who had looked supreme all season, found herself back in 116th place while Tuck and Mooney faded to 169th and 185th, respectively. It was Laverty who was the team’s fifth and final scorer, crossing the line in 221st.
In the end, Providence secured a 28th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships, a result that fell well below the expectations that they (and us at The Stride Report) had set earlier in the season.
* * *
Despite some of their struggles, we still believe that last year's Providence team was better than what they showed in the latter-half of last fall. Their effort at the Virginia Invitational was probably a more accurate gauge of how strong this group truly was.
Of course, not having Jane Buckley -- someone who, when fit, is a strong candidate for All-American honors -- was a clear issue, but they were still able to flash moments of promise at varying times last fall.
The good news for the Friars is that they return virtually their entire scoring unit, including Buckley. And if that wasn't good enough, they've added two high-impact transfers as well as a handful of freshmen who, if given the opportunity, could make a significant splash in terms of scoring potential.
Now, before we dive into the squad's latest additions, let’s quickly take a look at who they've lost. The most significant departure is that of Lily Tuck, the woman who was an integral part of the Friars' scoring quintet. Her stability was crucial in keeping the team afloat.
The Rhode Island crew will also be without last year’s George Mason transfer, Annabelle Eastman. However, her scoring prowess was not on full display last fall based on her prior success from earlier in her career.
As impactful as those losses may seem, the arrival of new talent will more than cushion the blow. If anything, Coach Ray Treacy will have a difficult decision on his hands when it comes to picking a lineup, simply due to the impressive level of depth that his roster now holds.
* * *
Two individuals who Coach Ray Treacy will have no issue picking, however, are the dynamic duo of Kimberley May and Shannon Flockhart.
Not only have these two women proven their reliability countless times on the grass, but since last fall, their overall fitness has come on in leaps and bounds as evidenced by their impressive exploits on the oval.
Last fall, May’s fitness transformed as she went from a backend scorer to the Friars' leading lady. While her performance on the national stage was underwhelming, nothing can take away from the fact that she was flat-out fantastic during the regular season, placing 10th at the Virginia Invitational and 19th at Nuttycombe.
Since then, the Kiwi native has transcended into stardom. She now owns personal bests of 4:07 (1500), 4:27 (mile), 8:54 (3k) and 15:26 (5k). And if that wasn't good enough, she also has two NCAA medals to her name -- a bronze in the indoor mile and a silver in the 1500 meters from this past spring.
Simply put, May has transformed herself into a truly elite distance runner. Not only does she have the times to match those in the upper-echelon, but she also has the accolades to back up said times. The question we now have is, how much of that track speed will translate to the grass?
While we recognize translating track fitness to cross country is never guaranteed, it's important to remember that she is a runner who has proven to be an effective distance talent across all three seasons and May's fitness undeniably jumped over the last year.
Much of what can be said about May also applies to Flockhart. She was exceptionally dependable last year and is entering this fall with an extraordinary amount of momentum after a stellar campaign on both the indoor and outdoor ovals. Now owning PRs of 4:04 (1500) and 4:30 (mile), Flockhart finds herself on a similar fitness level to May.
If both women can effectively translate their fitness to cross country, then the Friars could very well have two All-Americans on their hands.
Speaking of All-American candidates, Providence is set to see the return of distance standout Jane Buckley...right?
Buckley needed little time to adjust to the rigors of the NCAA. And in just first season on the grass (back in 2022), she placed 7th at Paul Short, 38th at Nuttycombe, 1st at the BIG East Championships and 49th at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships.
If that wasn’t enough to sell you on her potential, the then-freshman went on to run 15:41 for 5000 meters, finishing 13th at her very first NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Now, for as good as Buckley is, it’s hard to gauge just how impactful she can be in the coming months. That, of course, is because we haven’t seen her race since the spring of 2023.
That kind of absence is fairly worrisome and truthfully, there's no guarantee that we'll see her at all this fall. But if the Irishwoman can reach or exceed the level of fitness she demonstrated during her freshman year, then like her teammates May and Flockhart, she could be well on her way to contesting for an All-American honor -- a result that would significantly enhance this team’s scoring potential.
* * *
The potential for such a high-flying trio is something that should fill Friars fans with excitement. However, you may remember earlier that we mentioned the addition of some high-impact transfers.
We are, of course, talking about Alexandra Millard and Kenzie Doyle.
For simplicity's sake, let’s begin our discussion with Millard. The former Loughborough University student arrives Stateside with jaw-dropping personal bests of 4:05 (1500), 8:52 (3k) and 15:18 (5k), all of which were achieved in 2024.
Not only does she have an impeccable resume on the track, but she’s also a force to be reckoned with on the grass. A bronze medal at the 2022 European U23 XC Championships and a gold medal at the 2023 BUCS XC Championships proves that she is, without a doubt, a three-season star.
And truthfully, calling her a "star" may be doing her a disservice -- she may be a superstar.
Adding Millard to the mix means that the Lady Friars have the potential to place four runners in the top-40 (if each produces the performance that we believe they’re capable of), something that very few teams in the nation can claim.
Her current fitness level is high enough to put her in contention with the very best the NCAA has to offer. Plus, with her extensive track background, she should have little trouble transitioning to the American-style cross country courses, making her an immediate low-stick scorer for the rising northeast power that is Providence.
As for Doyle, her resume may not shine quite as bright as Millard’s, but with a 15:27 (5k) PR to her name and a top-90 finish at the NCAA XC Championships before, she may very well be the final piece to Providence’s puzzle.
Luckily for Doyle, she won't have the entire burden of being one of the team's backend scorers. That's because other women such as Laura Mooney, Cara Laverty and Reese Fahys all have the capability to consistently provide scoring stability.
Over the years, Mooney has shown flashes of excellence, finishing in 60th place back at the 2021 NCAA XC Championships. Yes, we'll admit, her consistency and availability has left us wanting more in recent season. Even so, the veteran is coming off of running a brand new 10k PR of 33:00 this past spring. That can only be viewed as a good thing going into this fall.
If Mooney is firing on all cylinders this fall, then she should would be a very valuable supporting piece to have alongside Doyle.
When it comes to Laverty and Fahys, both women have experience in the Friars' top-seven and, when required, have stepped into scoring positions. While they may not be quite on par with some of the women mentioned above, their importance to the squad's depth cannot be understated.
Other names such as Niamh O'Mahony, Emily Bush and Anna Gardiner are potential candidates to make the Friars' top-seven this fall. Gardiner, Providence's latest Irish star, placed 7th at the European Junior XC Championships in 2023. While it's not clear whether she will redshirt this season, if she competes, then she will certainly be able to hold her own given her impressive record on the grass.
* * *
On paper, there is a lot to like about this Providence lineup. They have a quartet of proven low-sticks in May, Flockhart, Millard and Buckley as well as a supporting cast that has improved tremendously. Having someone as talented as Doyle potentially filling the fifth scoring spot is something that nearly every team in the nation would love to have.
In theory, the Friars have the capability to put five women in the top-90 at the NCAA XC Championships, something that could well see them secure a spot on the podium.
Of course, this scenario hinges on Buckley returning and racing at a similar fitness level to her 2022 fall campaign. It will also hinge whether or not certain women can replicate prior peak results from the last few years.
But even if that doesn't happen, this team offers enough firepower and depth to the point where a top-10 finish could very well be their floor.
