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TSR's 2024 Preseason D2 XC Top 10 Team Rankings (Women): #5 Augustana (SD) Vikings
- Marissa Kuik
- Sep 9, 2024
- 6 min read
Written by Marissa Kuik, edits & additional commentary via Gavin Struve & 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.
The women of Augustana (SD) have been a staple in the top-10 at the cross country national meet in recent years. But after losing some key names, like PJ English and Megan Means, we thought the Vikings were in store for a rebuilding year of sorts in 2023.
They didn't end up finishing 5th on the national stage as they had in 2022, but this squad surprised us by putting together a near-flawless season that ended with a 7th-place finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships.
With the departure of just one member of their varsity lineup, the Vikings can push for an even better finish than last year and maybe even better than two years ago.
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One of Augustana's highlights of the 2023 season was the emergence of Aubrey Surage as a low-stick leader.
That development was on display from the first meet of the season. On her home course at the Augustana Twilight XC Meet, Surage placed 4th overall sandwiched between several Division One runners. Following Surage were Ana McCabe and Ella Bakken in 11th and 12th place, respectively.
Amanda Overgaauw and Ashley Overgaauw, who both ran unattached, finished 26th and 28th, respectively, hinting at their individual upside and the team's potential when fielding a full lineup. The Vikings placed 3rd, behind just Nebraska and South Dakota State, and ahead of regional foes Minnesota State and Sioux Falls.
After the Augustana Twilight, this team headed one state over to the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where 'Augie took home the win in the "Maroon" division. Surage led the way once again with a 6th-place finish, and the rest of the team was not too far behind.
Bakken ended up in 14th place, with McCabe in 17th, and Ashley and Amanda Overgaauw placing 21st and 22nd, respectively.
The addition of those true freshmen twins made 'Augie look as competitive as ever even in a season that we thought would be a bit of a rebuilding year for them. They placed ahead of the two aforementioned D2 teams that they topped three weeks prior and knocked off a couple of other regional foes in U-Mary and Wayne State (MI) as well.
Augustana ultimately finished runner-up behind Winona State at the NSIC XC Championships, as the Warriors constructed one of their better lineups ever, led by superstars Lindsay Cunningham and Kaylee Beyer.
In a deceptively deep field, Surage placed 6th and Bakken (7th) came in right behind her with arguably her best performance of the season. Then came Ashley Overgaauw in 13th place, with McCabe in 15th and Amanda Overgaauw finishing 16th. That depth couldn't match Winona State's firepower, but was enough to comfortably beat U-Mary, Minnesota State and Sioux Falls again.
The Vikings' result was not much different at the Central Regional XC Championships, as they again finished runner-up to Winona State. This time, however, McCabe struggled and Surage was actually not the first of the Vikings to cross the line.
That honor went to Bakken this time, who came in 10th, but Surage was not too far behind in 12th place. Ashley Overgaauw and Amanda Overgaauw were next in 18th and 20th, respectively, and then-freshman Tenley Nelson closed out the scoring in 35th place. In addition to all of the teams who they topped at their conference meet, the 'Vikes beat a solid Pittsburg State squad.
Closing out the season at the national meet, Surage (34th place) led the way again with her first All-American finish. Ashley Overgaauw (68th), McCabe (71st), Amanda Overgaauw (72nd) and Bakken (73rd) displayed excellent pack running to quickly close out the scoring. While 13 teams had individuals finish faster than Augustana's lead scorer did, the Vikings' depth carried them to a 7th-place team finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships!
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This team has always prided itself on having a tight pack even when they don't necessarily have a clear front-runner. Last year, Surage stepped up in the lead-scoring role while the middle-lineup and backend scoring was just as strong behind her.
It's that kind of collective effort that should make the departure of Ana McCabe easier to deal with. McCabe ran admirably throughout her first season on the varsity squad (save for the regional meet, which was among the less important races). And there was admittedly a sizable drop-off from the top-five to the final two varsity runners.
However, the fact that the Vikings' final two runners at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships were freshmen suggests that one or both could make a leap. Plus, it's not like they were terrible in their postseason debuts.
Laura Thompson (140th) and Tenley Nelson (166th) were both relatively close to placing in the top half of the national meet field. Nelson was a more frequent factor last fall, but it's Thompson who produced an eye-catching 5k personal best in April (17:13).
Augustana should improve if those women make expected year-over-year improvements as backend scorers. If one of them really pops though, that's when you can start to envision the 'Vikes as a top-five team or better. We'd hardly be shocked if both Thompson and Nelson are top-100 names on the grass this fall.
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Let's circle back to the women who will be leading this lineup.
Aubrey Surage followed her All-American cross country campaign with a 10th-place finish over 10,000 meters at the outdoor national meet. She ran PRs of 16:51 (5k) and 35:00 (10k) earlier this year and could conceivably become a top-half All-American this fall. Such a jump may be needed if Augustana has podium aspirations.
Ella Bakken also enjoyed some noticeable and comparable improvements, running 16:54 (5k) and 35:23 (10k). Theoretically, Bakken could give the Vikings a second All-American low-stick if she can translate her track fitness in the months ahead. She was their fifth scorer at the 2023 cross country national meet, but was higher up in the lineup throughout last fall.
There's another lethal 1-2 punch of All-American candidates present on this roster: Ashley and Amanda Overgaauw. The latter redshirted during the indoor and outdoor track seasons, but the former ran some impressive marks for a freshman: 4:37 (1500) and 17:10 (5k).
Those times suggest that Ashley Overgaauw may well be a top-50 name on the grass this fall. Given how close the twins ran to each other a year ago, you could say the same for Amanda Overgaauw.
Augustana also adds a stellar recruit in Allyson Sample, who comes in with PRs of 5:07 over 1600 meters, 10:53 over 3200 meters and 18:12 for 5k on the grass. If she or any of her four incoming classmates acclimate as quickly as last year's freshman crop, this lineup will have a seven-woman lineup with little dropoff.
The more bankable options for the seventh varsity spot are returners. Eleni Lovgren and Taylor Melton have run as fast as 17:21 and 17:30 over 5000 meters, respectively.
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The Vikings may have a similarly tight group of four scorers in 2024 as they did a year ago. But instead of them being a bit behind Surage, she might be part of that group. The Vikings could have four top-40 runners and one of the better fifth scorers in the field depending on how well their second-year athletes progress.
The competition to get onto the podium will be steep when contending with the RMAC powers and Grand Valley State, but Augustana has the pieces to get back to that perch for the first time since 2021.
It will come down to how much firepower develops alongside Surage. If the Vikings build off of their 2024 improvements on the track, then this South Dakota-based squad could be scary good. As is, their returning depth gives them one of the nation's highest baselines for success.
