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TSR's 2025-26 D2 Current Freshman Class Rankings: #3-2-1 (Women)
Updated: Jan 14
Written by Sarah Turner, edits & additional commentary via Gavin Struve
Despite our research, it is possible that certain names have been erroneously omitted. Did we miss someone? If so, send us an email at contact@thestridereport.com & let us know!
3. Colorado Mines Orediggers
The Oredigger women have become synonymous with national success, and this freshman class may be the clearest sign yet that a Division Two cross country national title is within reach. This past fall marked the highest-ever finish for a Colorado Mines women’s squad at the NCAA XC Championships, in part because of a recruiting class that's built to sustain that momentum.
After being left outside the top five of our freshman class rankings a year ago, Colorado Mines enters 2026 with one of the most impactful freshman groups in the country. That rise is a direct result of the recruiting efforts of Coach Chris Siemers and his staff, who have consistently targeted top talent in Colorado and the surrounding region.
At a program known for redshirting freshmen and prioritizing long-term development, immediate impact is rarely expected. Yet, this year’s rookie class is headlined by Sierra Wall, who quickly established herself as one of the most impactful freshmen in Division Two.
Despite not racing during the regular season, Wall immediately delivered when it mattered most, opening her collegiate career with a 9th-place finish at the RMAC XC Championships as Colorado Mines’ final scorer and helping secure the program’s first-ever conference title. She followed that with a 13th-place finish at the South Central Regional XC Championships and a 20th-place showing at the NCAA XC Championships.
Finishing as a top-half All-American while competing as a true freshman in one of the deepest lineups in the country underscored just how quickly Wall elevated the
'Mines program. As the Orediggers’ fourth scorer at the cross country national meet, Wall only finished behind two other superstar freshmen from another program, who are notably part of our TSR #1 freshman class.
That momentum carried over to the track. There, Wall opened her season in December by running 16:24 (5k) in Boston, nearly a minute faster than her high school 5k personal best (which came on a cross country course).
Looking further beyond her latest track mark, Wall ran personal bests of 5:05 (1600) and 11:11 (3200) as a prep star. When adjusted for altitude, those marks convert to 4:58 and 10:50, respectively, reinforcing her range well beyond cross country.
We’ve already caught a glimpse of it, but Wall's results suggest that she can be a cornerstone for her new program.
Obviously, Wall is the biggest early contributor out of this class, but several other additions have already started to make names for themselves as well. Enter Gabi Boeckman, a member of the 2024 NXN team champions, Mountain Vista, out of Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Boeckman's prep personal best of 17:58 (5k) on the grass, along with ample championship experience, indicated that she could be ready to make an immediate contribution collegiately. She did just that, placing 36th at the Lucian Rosa Invitational, just one spot shy of scoring for her team in her collegiate debut.
Then, in October, Boeckman finished 12th at the RMAC XC Championships, once again serving as the sixth 'Mines runner to cross the line en route to the squad’s conference title.
With her championship background and ability to already consistently finish just outside scoring positions for a top D2 team, Boeckman should be a longtime contributor for her new team. She carries altitude-converted personal bests of 5:16 (1600) and 10:48 (3200) into her first collegiate track season.
Unlike other top freshman classes, Colorado Mines does not have a true middle distance ace in its rookie rotation, although Sasha Kelly and Brooke Bundt may be the closest things to that.
Kelly earned three all-state finishes in her final high school meet, the 2025 Oregon 5A Track & Field State Championships. She ran a personal best of 2:16 in the prelims of the 800 meters, ran a personal best 4:38 in the 1500-meter finals, and then helped Crescent Valley High School to a 3rd-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay. She also carries a 10:45 (3k) mark from her sophomore year of high school, indicating that with collegiate training, she has some aerobic upside.
Bundt prepped in Kansas, where she ran personal bests of 5:09 (1600) and 2:16 (800) on the track. She’s a multi-time all-state finisher over 800 meters.
Down the line, Kelly and Bundt could both become valuable pieces for an elite Oredigger DMR squad on the national stage.
Three Colorado high school standouts add to the depth of this freshman class. Sorrelle Salcido, Jemma Petrie, and Lilly Lukens all kept their talent in-state. Each woman brings a 1600-meter personal best of 5:16 or better, and Salcido’s 18:46 (5k) personal best on the grass is especially eye-catching among this trio.
Chloe Savoy and Olivia Tallent round out the new additions. Tallent will definitely be a name to watch in Golden, Colorado. She only raced twice during the regular season as an Oredigger this past fall, but her prep personal bests of 5:02 (1600), 11:11 (3200) and 18:52 (5k XC) hint at significant upside as she continues to develop at the collegiate level. Savoy adds to the excitement with her 5:17 (1600) personal best.
All of this is to say, this year’s Oredigger freshman class has a ton of upside. While immediate varsity appearances remain rare at 'Mines, the long-term impact of this class -- both on the track this spring and in future championship cross country races -- could be program-defining.
2. UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions
The UC-Colorado Springs women are a program on the rise, and this fall provided clear evidence of their growth. Their runner-up finish at the RMAC XC Championships, highlighted by upsets over Western Colorado and Adams State, was powered in large part by the contributions of this freshman class.
The class of 2025 helped provide a powerful program reset after the Mountain Lions' lone two 2024 cross country All-Americans graduated this past summer.
Several first-year runners made an immediate impact in the fall, frequently occupying scoring positions and helping the team compete with longtime RMAC powers. Their strong performances signal that this freshman class could serve as the backbone of UCCS for years to come.
Two marquee signees have quickly established themselves at the forefront of the UCCS program, demonstrating the talent to contribute immediately at both the conference and national level.
Elizabeth McQuitty raced only three times in the fall, but all three races were against some of the most elite competition in Division Two. At her first NCAA XC Championships, McQuitty finished 41st, less than a second from All-American honors, serving as the Mountain Lions' second scorer.
She started off her college career with a statement 10th-place finish at the Lucian Rosa Invitational, serving as the second freshman and second Mountain Lion across the line, only behind teammate Kate Henderson. From there, she only got better.
In McQuitty's next race, the RMAC XC Championships, she finished 6th, leading the Mountain Lions to their runner-up team finish.
While her season-long steadiness ran in contrast to her youth, McQuitty’s prep background suggested such competitiveness was possible. She won the Colorado 3A state title over 3200 meters in 2025, and held personal bests of 5:02 (1600) and 11:01 (3200), the former of which was altitude-adjusted.
Kate Henderson also delivered consistently strong performances throughout the 2025 cross country season. Out of the gate, Henderson finished in 7th place at the Lucian Rosa Invitational, leading the scoring for the Mountain Lions. She followed that with a 29th-place finish at the RMAC XC Championships that would have been quite welcome if she hadn't already shown her potential was much higher.
Henderson capped off an electric first collegiate season in 54th place at the NCAA XC Championships, where she was the fourth Mountain Lion scorer. Even if they didn't suggest she'd be a top-50 level runner so soon, Henderson's prep times and championship experience from New Mexico made her the headliner of this rookie class coming in.
She was a four-time 3A state champion across events ranging from the 800 meters to cross country, an immense display of range. Henderson's prep marks of 2:17 (800), 5:05 (1600) and 10:56 (3200) demonstrated her combination of speed and endurance, establishing her as a versatile contributor. Plus, altitude conversions improve the former two times to marks of 2:14 and 4:57!
Together, McQuitty and Henderson give UCCS one of the best 1-2 punches in D2's deepest distance running conference, not just in the future, but in the present after they consistently delivered in high-leverage meets.
Allie Grahn also proved to be a valuable competitor for the Mountain Lions this fall. Grahn, another in-state recruit alongside McQuitty, competed in two key postseason races this fall. She finished 20th at the RMAC XC Championships, serving as a scorer in her collegiate debut! Grahn also competed at the South Central Regional XC Championships, where she finished a more modest 59th as the sixth UCCS runner across the line.
With Grahn just behind Colorado Mines' Wall and Boeckman, UCCS had three of the top five freshmen at the RMAC XC Championships. The depth of this class beyond Henderson and McQuitty is a major reason why it stands at TSR #2.
Grahn's personal bests aren't as flashy, but altitude conversions of 5:13 (1600) and 11:06 (3200) make them well above average among Division Two freshmen.
Mazie Olkowski is arguably the most exciting rookie on the roster, given that we've yet to see her compete collegiately after she ran the fastest prep times in this class. Personal bests of 4:58 (1600) and 10:44 (3200) stand out in a major way, as does a 4th-place finish at the 2024 Wisconsin D1 XC State Championships behind two NCAA D1 commits and a freshman phenom.
Taryn Warren and Dana Pivin strengthen an already elite squad, bringing high-level experience from California and Arizona, respectively. Each would be the headliner of most other Division Two freshman classes. Warren has run 5:00 (1600) and 10:32 (3k), while Pivin has run 5:04 (1600) and 10:56 (3200).
Rounding out the group is Ella Hopkins, an Alaskan athlete who seemingly specializes in middle distance events. At least, times of 2:19 (800) and 5:16 (1600) indicate as much, but a cross country personal best of 18:39 means Hopkins could be a three-season contributor under Coach Corey Kubatzky's development.
This freshman class has already made a tangible impact on the Mountain Lions’ program, contributing to key finishes at both the conference and national meets. That's without even having several of the potential stars compete in a varsity meet yet.
From national-caliber scorers like McQuitty and Henderson to high-upside talents such as Grahn, Olkowski, Warren, Pivin and Hopkins, UCCS has built a foundation that should keep the program among the RMAC’s top teams for years to come. That's no small development after the graduation of program stalwarts Anna Fauske and Kate Hedlund.
If this fall is any indication, these women are more than just promising recruits; they may be the next generation driving the Mountain Lions’ rise on the national stage.
1. Wingate Bulldogs
The Wingate women emerged as one of the biggest surprises in Division Two cross country this past fall. Few predicted that the Bulldogs would contend for a podium finish at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Their 3rd-place team finish, the best in program history, came ahead of several traditionally battle-tested RMAC powers, including Adams State, Western Colorado, and UCCS.
After landing at TSR #3 in our freshman class rankings a year ago, Wingate welcomed an even more impactful bunch, continuing a trajectory that points toward sustained success toward the top of the D2 women's cross country scene.
Only five athletes make up this year’s Bulldog freshman class, but the group compensates for its size with proven top-end talent. Composed entirely of international additions, this class brings a level of experience and range rarely seen in a group this small. After all, they’ve taken the top spot for a reason.
While all five women have impressive marks on paper, any discussion of this class has to start with the most impactful freshman duo in the country: the Bester twins. Coming from Cape Town, South Africa, Abigail and Kiara Bester took the D2 cross country world by storm this fall.
The pair started the season off as the top D2 finishers in the Paul Short Run "Gold" race, with Kiara taking 95th and Abigail taking 96th in a field loaded with D1 competition.
They continued to turn heads in the postseason, as Abigail took the individual SAC crown, as well as SAC Women’s Runner of the Year Honors. Kiara finished runner-up, helping Wingate secure its fifth consecutive SAC cross country title.
Both women saved their best performances for last, however, finishing 18th (Abigail) and 19th (Kiara) at the NCAA XC Championships. Both dipped under the 21-minute barrier for the first time at the 6k distance, earning top-half All-American honors as Wingate’s lead scorers.
Few Division Two programs can match the advantage of having two athletes capable of running 16:20 or faster over 5000 meters. The Bester twins just did so in their collegiate track debuts as an encore to the fall.
Opening their indoor track seasons in Boston, the twins set new 5k personal bests of 16:20 (Kiara) and 16:18 (Abigail). A week later, they ran 3000-meter personal bests of 9:22 and 9:23, respectively. All four of those marks are among the eight fastest in those events for D2 women this winter.
Additionally, the Bester twins have recorded 4:42 (Abigail) and 4:41 (Kiara) marks for 1500 meters, and they'll likely test that speed in the mile at some point in the coming months.
Taken together, the Bester twins’ immediate dominance at the conference, regional, and national levels, paired with their sub-16:20 (5k) fitness and middle distance range, cements them not only as the most impactful freshman duo in Division Two this season, but as foundational pieces for Wingate’s championship ambitions moving forward.
Karlijn Mesman was also a key contributor as a first-year Bulldog. The Dutch athlete did not factor into the Bulldogs' SAC XC Championships lineup, but rather made her postseason debut at the Southeast Regional XC Championships, where she placed 5th as the Bulldogs’ third scorer.
Her separation from Catawba’s second and third scorers helped ensure that Wingate took home a fourth straight regional title. Like the Bester sisters, Mesman peaked at the right time. She earned All-American honors at the national meet by finishing 36th as Wingate’s fourth scorer.
Yes, you read that right: Wingate had the top two and three of the top four freshman finishers at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships.
Mesman concluded 2025 with a 3k personal best of 9:39 on the indoor oval in Boston. She also brings immense range with her prep times of 4:40 (1500), 11:06 (steeple) and 17:08 (5k).
Mesman’s postseason scoring reliability and demonstrated range from the 1500 meters to the 5k solidify her as another high-impact freshman whose emergence further strengthens Wingate’s already formidable championship core.
Sara Carrato of Spain is another name who we’re excited about on this roster. She flashed potential with a top-20 finish at Wingate's conference meet and a top-30 finish at the regional meet.
Although we haven't seen her race since, we know that Carrato brings the same level of range as her three aforementioned teammates, as evidenced by her 4:42 (1500) and 10:06 (3k) marks. Taken together, Carrato’s postseason contributions and middle distance range make her an ideal depth piece for Wingate, capable of stepping into a scoring role as the Bulldogs’ lineup continues to evolve in future championship races.
Luisa Frehner made her way to Wingate, North Carolina from Germany and is perhaps the group’s most defined middle distance talent. While she made a handful of appearances on the grass this fall, including a 68th-place finish at the SAC XC Championships, her profile is best suited to the middle distance events on the track.
Frehner brings personal bests of 2:15 (800) and 4:45 (1500) to an already loaded group, and with a full semester to adjust to Coach Pol Domenech’s training style, she is positioned to make a significant impact once fully integrated into Wingate’s system. As could be argued for Carrato and certainly for Mesman, Frehner would be the top recruit for more D2 programs than not.
With proven championship scorers in the Bester twins, postseason reliability from Mesman, emerging depth in Carrato, and middle distance upside in Frehner, Wingate’s freshman class checks every box needed for sustained national contention.
What this group lacks in quantity, it more than compensates for with versatility and the ability to deliver when the stakes are highest. If this past fall was any indication, the Bulldogs’ podium finish in Kenosha may have been the start of something very, very special.
