Rankings crafted via Marissa Kuik, Nolan Ryan & Garrett Zatlin

Grace Hartman was a star when she came out of the high school ranks. And now, before her sophomore year has even concluded, Hartman has become an NCAA star as well. The recent indoor 5k All-American chats about training with an elite distance running program, the team's reaction to winning the NCAA XC Championships and her outstanding momentum over the longer distance events. Be sure to like/follow/subscribe/comment on all of podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube! You can find our other episodes there as well.

Predictions & analysis by Maura Beattie The Penn Relays are, without question, one of the most historic track and field meets in the history of our sport. And with that history comes decades of prestige, giving an added emphasis to this weekend that most regular season meets can't emulate. This year's Penn Relays is set to be plenty entertaining and we'll be sure to preview the relay events soon. But for now, we wanted to offer our individual predictions for what should be a very entertaining extended weekend of action. Here's who we picked to emerge as the top NCAA individual distance talents in the "City of Brotherly Love" this weekend... 2024 Penn Relays (individual events & collegians only) *Denotes that a collegian is also entered in another individual event. In these predictions, TSR is assuming that each runner is contesting an event fresh (i.e. not doubling back). Men’s 1500 Meters Collin Gilstrap (Stony Brook) - 3:40 Devon Comber (Villanova) - 3:41 Victor Kibiego (Texas A&M) - 3:41 Zach Hughes (NC State) - 3:42 Cooper Cawthra (Texas A&M) - 3:43 Analysis: There is seemingly no clear favorite to take home the win in the men’s 1500-meter field at the Penn Relays this weekend. However, Stony Brook’s Collin Gilstrap has been very solid in this event, ripping off a handful of recent PRs and building dangerous momentum. There are multiple signs suggesting that he is ready for a statement performance. Even so, the rest of the men in this field are plenty strong. Devon Comber also has great momentum and a few veterans aren't going to be easy to shake. But the name who we are most curious about is Texas A&M’s Victor Kibiego. The steeplechase star is bound to improve upon his current PR of 3:44 (1500) following a very encouraging steeple/5k weekend double at the Bryan Clay Invitational a few weeks ago. Women’s 1500 Meters Teagan Schein-Becker (Rider) - 4:11 Florence Caron (Penn State) - 4:11 Alex Carlson (Rutgers) - 4:12 Grace Hartman (NC State) - 4:13 Kileigh Kane (Penn State) - 4:13 Analysis: The women's 1500 meters is likely going to be a close battle as multiple women in this field are itching to reach the next tier of their fitness. Rider's Teagan Schein-Becker is debatably the favorite given her middle distance accolades and history of success. However, she will have to battle a fast-rising talent in Florence Caron (Penn State), a veteran in Alex Carlson (Rutgers) who is beginning to return to top form and 10k ace Grace Hartman (NC State) who seems to be on a tear right now. Schein-Becker has greater foot-speed than her competitors, but Caron, Carlson and Hartman have strength on their side. Men’s 5000 Meters Daelen Ackley (Notre Dame) - 13:44 Toby Gualter (NC State) - 13:46 Micah Wilson (Wisconsin) - 13:47 Hunter Christopher (Youngstown State) - 13:50 David Vorbach (NC State) - 13:52 Analysis: Daelen Ackley of Notre Dame has been flying under the radar this season following his 3:40 (1500) and 13:52 (5k) personal bests in his last two races. If Ackley can maintain this consistency and momentum, then a new PR in the 5k is more than possible this weekend, especially when you consider the fact that many of his competitors are of a similar talent level. Of course, key names like Toby Gualter of NC State and Micah Wilson of Wisconsin could give Ackley a run for his money if the two long distance specialists can capitalize on their strength-based running style. Women’s 5000 Meters Ava Earl (Northwestern) - 15:41 Julia David-Smith (Washington) - 15:42 Haley Herberg (Washington) - 15:42 Laura Mooney (Providence) - 15:52 Sophia Toti (Penn State) - 15:53 Analysis: This race is (probably) going to come down to a three-woman battle between Northwestern’s Ava Earl and Washington’s duo of Julia David-Smith and Haley Herberg. Even though Herberg has the fastest 5k PR of 15:31, it has been Earl who has been on a roll this academic year. She has the potential to take down this field if she remains confident over the course of the 12.5 laps. Men’s 10,000 Meters Yaseen Abdalla (Tennessee) - 28:41 Josh Methner (Notre Dame) - 28:45 Vincent Mauri (Notre Dame) - 28:45 Nikodem Dworczak (Eastern Kentucky) - 28:54 Evan Brennan (Stony Brook) - 28:55 Analysis: After opening his season last weekend at the Wake Forest Invitational over 5000 meters, Tennessee’s Yaseen Abdalla is doubling the distance at the Penn Relays. Don’t expect Abdalla to improve upon his 28:33 (10k) PR, but he should come within reach of it if he’s pushed by Notre Dame’s Josh Methner and Vincent Mauri. The former had a tough 10k season debut back in March, running 29:10, but when the Notre Dame junior brings his "A" game, he's a fringe national qualifier. Methner’s teammate, Vinny Mauri, hasn’t competed since the ACC Indoor Championships, but since transferring to Notre Dame from Arizona State, he’s made clear improvements in his times, ripping off multiple personal bests during the winter months. Women’s 10,000 Meters Kelsey Chmiel (NC State) - 33:05 Maggie Donahue (Georgetown) - 33:20 Leah Stephens (NC State)* - 33:24 Katie Taylor (High Point) - 33:47 Caroline Lyerly (Tennessee) - 33:56 Analysis: It will be interesting to see what NC State’s Kelsey Chmiel does in the 10k at the Penn Relays...that is, assuming she even races this weekend. The Wolfpack veteran hasn’t competed since suffering an injury following the ACC XC Championships, making her a massive wildcard. But if Chmiel is back to her winning ways, then a regional qualifying time is in the cards. Like Chmiel, Georgetown’s Maggie Donahue will be making her season debut and if she’s firing on all cylinders after a racing hiatus, then don’t be surprised to see her finish in 2nd place. Men’s 3000-Meter Steeplechase Yasin Sado (Virginia) - 8:30 Patrick Thygesen (Providence) - 8:31 Peter Herold (Georgetown) - 8:33 Alexander Korczynski (Northeastern) - 8:35 Logan Measner (Wisconsin) - 8:40 Analysis: Virginia’s Yasin Sado and Providence’s Patrick Thygesen might be the top-two men in this race given their experience and consistently great times. However, there is a dark horse in this field looking to make a statement. Alexander Korczynski of Northeastern has a steeplechase PR of 8:39, but has the chance to inch closer to the 8:35 mark if he rebounds from his Raleigh Relays steeplechase season debut. Women’s 3000-Meter Steeplechase Angelina Napoleon (NC State)* - 9:57 Helena Lindsay (Georgia Tech) - 9:59 Faith DeMars (Penn State) - 10:05 Olivia Morganti (Penn) - 10:06 Emily Cole (Duke) - 10:07 Analysis: NC State freshman Angelina Napoleon was solid last weekend, running 10:07 in her second-ever collegiate steeplechase. As Napoleon continues to gain experience in the event, a sub-10:00 steeplechase mark is possible this weekend. Of course, Georgia Tech's Helena Lindsay will be the closest competitor for Napoleon and could dip under the 10:00 mark for the second time in her steeplechase career. Keep an eye out for Penn State’s Faith DeMars in the second heat. She’s just getting started in the steeplechase and could land herself in the top-five this weekend. Yes, Emily Cole is, on paper, the focal favorite of this race, but her last two races have left us wanting so much more. She is a bit of wild card in our eyes.

Predictions & analysis by Donny Speas Every year, during the last weekend in April, the track and field world shifts their attention to a colosseum-like track and field stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There, spectators and fans alike are able to watch some of the best relays in the world compete as well as a handful of talented individuals, specifically at the high school and college levels. This year, there are several top-quality fields among the nation's top prep talents, highlighted by several national powerhouse schools facing off in the relay events and a very deep field in the girl's mile. Alright, that's enough of an introduction for me, let's check out our predictions! Girl's Mile Olivia Cieslak (Haverford) - 4:39 Dylan McElhinney (Hunter) - 4:40 Katherine Bohlke (Newington) - 4:43 Reese Dalton (Covenant) - 4:44 Isabelle Walsh (Middletown) - 4:46 Analysis: At first glance, the girl's mile looks like the most competitive high school distance event at the 2024 Penn Relays, headlined by a handful of east coast runners coming in with strong personal bests. Olivia Cieslak is fresh off of an incredibly fast mark of 2:04 over 800 meters which makes it hard to pick against her in this field. On paper, her middle distance fitness is formidable. However, one of her biggest potential challengers is Katherine Bohlke who has run 4:49 for the mile and 6:37 for the 2000-meter steeplechase this season, the latter mark being the fastest time in the country for that event. McElhinney in particular looks like a very strong contender for the win. She hasn't competed at all during this outdoor track season, but the last time that we saw her compete, she pulled off an incredible double victory in the mile and 800 meters at Nike Indoor Nationals. Boy's Mile Drew Griffith (Butler) - 4:04 Ryan Pajak (Ringgold) - 4:08 Colin Whitaker (Lampeter Strasburg) - 4:08 Berkley Nance (Mills Godwin) - 4:09 Colin Eckerman (Webb School) - 4:10 Analysis: This is Drew Griffith's race to lose. After running 4:00 for the mile last weekend, I don't think that there's an athlete east of the Mississippi who is capable of taking down this Pennsylvania ace. Looking behind Griffith, there's a slew of talented athletes, headlined by fellow Pennsylvania native, Ryan Pajak. The Foot Locker XC National Championship runner-up finisher has had a quietly great season, running 8:38 for 3200 meters to take 4th place at the Arcadia Invitational earlier this month. Although Pajak is not typically known for his mile prowess, I do think it's a pretty solid bet that we see Pajak dip under the 4:10 barrier for the first time this weekend. The only question is...by how much? In fact, that's largely the question that we have for a handful of other aerobic-centric distance athletes in this field. Girl's 3000 Meters Addison Ritzenhein (Niwot) - 9:12 Logan John St. Kletter (Mount Lebanon) - 9:21 Maddie Gardiner (Covenant) - 9:23 Zariel Macchia (William Floyd) - 9:24 Ella Cohen (Hunter) - 9:29 Analysis: I think Cathy Schiro's meet record of 9:15 (3k) should be on high alert. We know Addison Ritzenhein is extremely aerobically strong and after running 4:42 for the mile at Arcadia, we know that her foot-speed won't be holding her back in any record attempts. Another runner who I think could challenge the 9:20 barrier is Pennsylvania native, Logan John St. Kletter. The North Carolina commit had a strong winter campaign, so much so that there were times when it seemed like St. John Kletter was the best runner in the country. The final runner who I want to highlight is Zariel Macchia, the USA U20 cross country champion. She certainly looks capable of resetting her 9:25 (3k) PR from this past indoor track season and could certainly contend for the win. Boy's 3000 Meters Ty Steorts (Hurricane) - 8:23 Quinn Parrish (James River) - 8:26 Peyton Shute (Woodbury) - 8:28 Garrett Stickley (John Handley) - 8:29 Alex Kemp (Christian Brothers) - 8:31 Analysis: When looking at the personal bests of these athletes on paper, you would think that Ty Steorts should win this race fairly easily. However, Steorts' most recent led to him running a more modest mark of 4:25 (1600). That, in turn, makes me think that Friday night's race is more wide-open than one would initially expect. If there's going to be an upset (and I'm not necessarily saying that there will be), then it will be Georgetown commit Quinn Parrish who ran a great 3200-meter time of 8:58 at the Arcadia Invitational. Additionally, keep an eye on Ryan Sykes, one of the top long distance freshmen in the country. He looks poised to be an important name to remember over the next couple of years. Girl's 4x800-Meter Relay Padua Pandas - 8:50 Union Catholic Vikings - 8:54 Niwot Cougars - 8:56 IMG Academy Ascenders - 9:00 South Lakes Seahawks - 9:00 Analysis: The girl's 4x800-meter relay has a lot of legitimate contenders for this year's Penn Relays title. Union Catholic, Niwot and Padua all have a strong case for why they should be considered the favorite this Friday. Many of Union Catholic's athletes haven't had quite the season that they may have hoped for (so far). But as a team, they always put it together, most recently winning the 4x800-meter relay title at the Arcadia Invitational in a blazing time of 8:53. Niwot is a school that isn't typically known for its prowess over 800 meters, but with all of the talent that they have on their roster (highlighted by Addison Ritzenhein, the top individual athlete in this race), it's hard to imagine the Cougars not contending for the win. Finally, we get to the Padua Pandas, a team that holds hold the top 4x800-meter relay time in 2024 thanks to their win at the 2024 Millrose Games. There, they took down the previously mentioned Union Catholic girls. Boy's 4x800-Meter Relay St. John's College Cadets - 7:45 Central Bucks West Bucks - 7:46 Demartha Catholic Stags - 7:47 Episcopal Academy Churchmen - 7:49 St. Anthony's Friars - 7:50 Analysis: Unlike most of the events at Penn Relays, the boy's 4x800-meter relay has no clear favorite for the win. So far during the 2024 track season (both indoor track and outdoor track), seven different team in this field have run under 7:50 in this event with the fastest coming from the St. John's College Cadets at 7:46.83. Luckily for us, many of these competitive programs have had the opportunity to race each other relatively recently. And as you may have guessed, St. John's College has the best resume of the bunch thanks to their runner-up finish at New Balance Indoor Nationals. One school that hasn't yet broken 7:50, but could surprise some people, is Union Catholic with the talented Virginia commit, Jimmy Wischusen, on the anchor leg. Girl's DMR Tatnall Hornets - 11:41 Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks - 11:44 West Springfield Spartans - 12:09 St. John's College Cadets - 12:11 North Buncombe Black Hawks - 12:14 Analysis: The girl's DMR looks to be headlined by a matchup between two perennial powerhouse programs in Tatnall and Saratoga Springs. On one side, Tatnall is coming off of a national title in the 4xMile relay this past winter. Not only that, but they have two athletes who have run 2:10 for 800 meters this season (and five under 2:20). On the other side, you've got Saratoga Springs who has the best individual athlete (and presumed anchor) in this field. That runner, of course, is 4:46 miler and Providence commit, Emily Bush. While there's a handful of other strong squads in this race, I'd be shocked if anyone other than the Hornets or Blue Streaks takes the win on Friday night. Boy's DMR Ridgefield Tigers - 10:00 Christian Brothers Colts - 10:02 Westfield Blue Devils - 10:02 Calvert Hall College Cardinals - 10:09 Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders - 10:13 Analysis: The boy's DMR looks super competitive and I think it's the most compelling relay on the boy's side with three strong contenders for the title. The programs I'm referring to are the Ridgefield Tigers, the Westfield Blue Devils and the Christian Brothers Academy Colts. Christian Brothers Academy has arguably the best individual runner in this field, Joe Barrett, who is fresh off of an outstanding 8:43 (3200) PR at the Arcadia Invitational. However, I'm leaning towards picking Ridgefield for the win. The Tigers have much stronger options for their 800-meter and 400-meter legs. Plus, their presumed anchor leg, Steven Hergenrother, has proven that he's nearly unbeatable when he gets the baton (running 4:01 and 4:04 in his last DMR outings). Most importantly, Ridgefield has won two national titles in this event during the last year, including at this year's 2024 New Balance Indoor Nationals. Go ahead...can you guess the team that finished runner-up at New Balance Nationals? If you guessed the Westfield Blue Devils, then you'd be correct. The Blue Devils were a mere 0.79 seconds away from a national title. This race certainly looks like it's the most competitive race of any relay at this year's rendition of Penn Relays.

Podcast production via Wyatt Barnsley It was the perfect weekend for analyzing performances on the Blue Oval Podcast -- not too much, not too little. This week, Ben and Garrett break down big performances by Doris Lemngole and Nathan Mountain, the return of Graham Blanks, a statement win by Phoebe Anderson and so. much. more. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review! (2:02) Nathan Mountain Enters NCAA Title Picture with 8:20 Steeple PR (7:10) Parker Stokes & Gable Sieperda Run 8:28 (Steeple) (11:13) Doris Lemngole Posts NCAA #2 All-Time Mark of 9:22 (Steeple) (17:07) Ramsden, Kosgei & Butler Throw Down 4:07 Efforts (1500m) (25:41) Makayla Paige Continues Breakout Season with 2:00.97 800m PR (29:37) Rynard Swanepoel Breaks Out With 1:45 PR (800m) (34:20) Camden Marshall & Oussama El Bouchayby Run 1:46 (800m) (36:39) What to Think of Yusuf Bizimana (38:53) Messaoudi, Stitt, Essayi & Plant Impress Over 1500m (43:37) Phoebe Anderson Makes A Statement With 15:29 (5k) PR (45:20) Wolfe Wins 5k in 13:27 & Graham Blanks Returns (48:20) Jepkirui & Galvydyte Run 4:10 (1500) at Oregon Relays You can listen to that episode (and others) on our PODCASTS page! You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Soundcloud. If you like it, be sure to leave us a rating and a review! Note: If you're having issues loading the episode on the site via mobile, try refreshing the episode page. We will look into this issue for future episodes.

Earlier today, Lynchburg Athletics announced that star distance runner Frank Csorba has passed away. He was 23 years old. Csorba was one of the NCAA's top distance talents at the Division Three level, collecting a total of six First-Team All-American honors between all three seasons of competition. The Lynchburg standout held times of 4:08 (mile), 8:06 (3k), 13:56 (5k) and 29:37 (10k), effectively making him one of the more dynamic and competitive D3 distance runners in the nation. This past winter, Csorba assisted the Lynchburg men in winning the DMR national title. Csorba played a key role in the recent rise of the Hornets' distance program. Acting as one of the key building blocks for Lynchburg over the last few years, the versatile ace contributed national-level scoring as far back as 2021 and covered numerous areas of the team's roster as they ascended the Division Three ranks. In May of 2021, TSR wrote a feature piece on the Lynchburg men which featured Frank Csorba as one of the focal points of the piece. That article is now unlocked. According to Lynchburg Athletics, Csorba was an undergraduate alumnus in criminology and a graduate student in the school's master of public health program. Lynchburg's distance running group posted the following on Instagram: "It is with extremely heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our brother, teammate, and friend Frank Csorba. Since his first steps on campus, Frank was a light to so many, epitomizing the power of joy in the journey. Through the years, he lifted others to reach the impossible and smiled with every run. As a champion, warrior, and leader, he fought persistently to continue battling for his team. While we knew and loved our groundbreaking, record-setting national champion, we treasure the beautiful memories we have shared with our brother. We wish our condolences to the Csorba family and everyone who had the privilege of knowing this young man. Please respect the family’s privacy and thoughts during this time of grief." According to Lynchburg Athletics, "Details regarding a memorial service will be communicated once available, and resources for the campus community have been provided." The cause of death has not been made public.

Click here to see our Just Missed and Honorable Mention names. Listed eligibility takes redshirts and Covid-related extensions into consideration. TFRRS is used as a general, but not strict, guide when determining eligibility. 25. Rynard Swanepoel, Junior, Wake Forest (Unranked) Throughout last year, Rynard Swanepoel showed flashes of promise. He ran 1:47 for 800 meters three separate times and this past winter, he finished runner-up in that event at the 2023 ACC Outdoor Championships. And yet, despite that success, as well as his recent three-second PR of 3:41 over 1500 meters, very few people were expecting Swanepoel to run a jaw-dropping time of 1:45 (800) this past weekend. In fact, he skipped the 1:46 range entirely, having never run under 1:47 prior to last Friday. As is usually the case for breakout talents, we want to see a few more races from Swanepoel at this level before we make any convincing proclamations about him. However, with experience on his side and proven consistency in the 1:47 range, this Wake Forest junior does have a bit more legitimacy on his resume than most sudden breakout stars do. 24. Alex Phillip, Senior, North Carolina (Unranked) After exceptionally strong indoor track and cross country seasons, we knew that Alex Phillip was thriving with the North Carolina men. However, even as we entered the spring months, we weren't quite sure if this guy had the ability to be an All-American. Of course, those doubts are no longer needed as the UNC ace scored a massive 10k win at the Bryan Clay Invitational. There, Phillip ran 27:51 after expertly navigating around an ambitious challenger in Texas Tech's Ernest Cheriuyot. Nowadays, we know that Phillip can be an All-American. That doesn't necessarily mean that he will be, but the composure, poise and raw fitness that he displayed in his latest 10k effort was simply fantastic. And for that reason, he now sits at TSR #24. 23. Parvej Khan, Freshman, Florida (Unranked) We were already big fans of Florida's Parvej Khan prior to this spring. He had upset Anass Essayi for the SEC mile title in February and he later earned 7th place All-American honors in the mile. However, what really caught our attention was what he has done throughout this still-young outdoor track season. So far this spring, the Gator rookie has run an incredible 800-meter time of 1:46 (defeating Handal Roban in his primary event with an unreal kick) and he has also posted a 3:38 (1500) PR at the Bryan Clay Invitational. The upside of Khan is seemingly endless and his finishing speed can best be described as frightening. And now, with fitness that should make him good enough to match most of his counterparts in tactical scenarios, the value of this India native is continuing to rise. 22. Gary Martin, Sophomore, Virginia (Unranked) We've been wanting to find a way to get Gary Martin into our top-25 rankings for a while now. And while it did take us a while to reach this point, the Virginia star has done enough in our eyes to be viewed as one of the 25 most valuable middle or long distance athletes in the nation. So far this spring, Martin has run outstanding times of 1:47 (800), 3:37 (1500) and 13:31 (5k). Plus, when you tack on the fact that he has run 7:47 (3k), there is an argument that almost no one in the NCAA has the same kind of range that he does. However, more importantly, Martin is emerging as a competitive name in every race that he has been in this spring. He was a narrow 2nd place finisher at the Raleigh Relays in the 5k, he won the second-fastest section of the men's 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invite and he essentially tied an underrated talent in Harrison Witt this past weekend over 800 meters. Martin's outstanding racing IQ and in-race execution is rare for someone who is only a sophomore. He'll still need to elevate his fitness to another new tier if he's going to be a top-half All-American favorite, but he's certainly in the running for a top-eight finish on the national stage later this spring. 21. Darius Kipyego, Junior, Iowa State (+1 / 22) Has not competed since our last rankings update. 20. Anass Essayi, Junior, South Carolina (-1 / 19) There's admittedly not much to say about Anass Essayi. He began his spring campaign with a 1:47 (800) mark and his latest 3:38 (1500) effort at the Wake Forest Invite (to narrowly defeat Virginia Tech's Nick Plant) didn't alter our opinion of him one way or another. Raw fitness and fast times have never been a concern for Anass Essayi. However, his postseason endeavors have often left us wanting more, making it challenging to rank him any higher than this for the time being. 19. Ethan Strand, Junior, North Carolina (Unranked) Most of us at The Stride Report were very high on UNC's Ethan Strand coming off of the winter months. The Tar Heel star had run a 3:54 mile PR on the indoor oval and placed 4th in that same event on the national stage. However, what we've seen from this North Carolina runner has been fantastic. While racing alongside teammate Parker Wolfe, it was Strand who secured the overall win at the Duke Invitational over 1500 meters. There, he ran the NCAA #10 all-time mark with a jaw-dropping personal best of 3:35. At the NCAA Indoor Championships, Strand attempted to get past Luke Houser to secure a position on the inside rail in the mile finals. Those surges didn't work out, but he still hung on for an admirable top-half All-American result. That's an extremely challenging thing to do, but given Strand's latest display of unreal fitness (along with a 13:36 PR for 5k), his resilience in that mile final makes a bit more sense. But now the question becomes, can Ethan Strand translate that all-time 1500-meter mark into a legitimate bid for the NCAA title? 18. Sean Dolan, Senior, Villanova (-4 / 14) A simple 1:47.11 (800) effort at the Bryan Clay Invitational was a respectable result for Sean Dolan, but it also had the potential to be better. Even so, that is the only race that we've seen from Dolan this season and he showed us throughout the winter months that he is stronger than that. We'll wait to see how he fares in his next few races before making any legitimate judgement on his current status in our NCAA hierarchy of names. 17. Liam Murphy, Junior, Villanova (-5 / 12) The one and only race on Liam Murphy's resume this spring is a 3:36.48 mark for 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. And while that time is fantastic, the Villanova star does drop a few spots in our top-25. Make no mistake, Murphy's performance was outstanding. However, his fall in our rankings is more based on what other men have done rather than anything that he has done. And given how crowded the men's 1500 meters is this season, we had to start making room for specialists in other events (like the steeplechase). 16. Victor Kibiego, Junior, Texas A&M (-1 / 15) 15. Abdelhakim Abouzouhir, Senior, Eastern Kentucky (+9 / 24) 14. Nathan Mountain, Junior, Virginia (+7 / 21) We're going to lump these three men together. Partially to save time and partially because you could describe all three of these men as NCAA title favorites in the steeplechase. Abdelhakim Abouzouhir and Victor Kibiego battled over the barriers and water pits at the Bryan Clay Invitational a few weeks back. There, Abouzouhir adopted a more aggressive front-running approach and ran with the pros while Kibiego hung back before unleashing a massive last lap kick. In the end, both men ran 8:25 in the steeple. Nathan Mountain, however, took advantage of racing on his home track this past weekend. And in a race that also featured a handful of pros, the Virginia standout thrived, running a monster time of 8:20 over the barriers and water pits. His time now sits at NCAA #13 all-time in that event. At this point, any of those three men could legitimately win NCAA gold in the steeplechase and no one would be surprised. Mountain earns our top ranking at the moment. Not just because he ran the fastest time, but because he has also had plenty of success in other events and holds an upper-half All-American honor from last year. However, Kibiego seemingly has the most upside and was the top finisher on the national stage last year, nearly taking down Duncan Hamilton. If he peaks like he did last year, then he'll be the one crossing the line in 1st place come June. As for Abouzouhir, he has now put together two fantastic steeplechase efforts, both times emerging as the top collegian in loaded fields. When it comes strictly to this season, the EKU star is arguably the most proven and in the simplest of terms, he passes the "eye test." 13. Brian Musau, Freshman, Oklahoma State (Unranked) I will fully admit, I questioned what kind of value Brian Musau would have during the outdoor track season relative to his efforts on the indoor oval. The Cowboy freshman was fantastic in the mile and the 3k this past winter (specifically the latter), but the flat 3k is not an event that is contested on the outdoor oval at the NCAA level. And prior to the Bryan Clay Invitational, the 5k results that Musau did hold were underwhelming compared to the rest of his resume. Even so, after seeing what he did during the fall months, we figured that Musau would be able to run something quick over 5000 meters. Of course, we just didn't expect him to take down a 13:13 guy like New Mexico's Habtom Samuel. In what turned out to be a thrilling race, one that featured multiple lead changes, big surges and finishing kicks, it was Musau who just barely took down Habtom Samuel with a lean at the line. Both men produced marks of 13:13 (5k). Admittedly, I didn't think that this was the smartest race that Brian Musau has put together during his short time in the NCAA. One or two of his moves seemingly benefitted the overwhelming aerobic strength of Samuel. But seeing that Musau still had enough in the tank to overtake his Lobo counterpart at the line should speak to the level of talent and fitness that this rookie has. 12. Sam Whitmarsh, Junior, Texas A&M (-1 / 11) A 3:40 (1500) PR the other weekend was a big step in the right direction for a guy who has predominately been focused on the 800 meters and the 400 meters as of late. However, Whitmarsh's latest personal best in the metric mile distance does reflect the necessary strength needed to run as fast as he did earlier this season when he ran 1:44. But overall, we haven't really learned anything new about Whitmarsh. Any drop you see of him in our rankings is more based on what others have done rather than anything that he has done. 11. Fouad Messaoudi, Junior, Oklahoma State (Unranked) After an indoor track season that featured multiple DNF results (per TFRRS) and a flat-out poor 3k effort at the BIG 12 Indoor Championships, it was hard to be too optimistic about Oklahoma State's Fouad Messaoudi this spring. Luckily, the Moroccan distance star dismissed any and all doubts about his current level of fitness with a huge 3:36 performance over 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. The Cowboy ace ran near/at the front for nearly the entire race and simply didn't waiver en route to a very strong time. However, maybe the reason why we're so encouraged about his return is because Messaoudi also ran 3:37 for 1500 meters this past weekend! With two marks under 3:38 (1500) coming in back-to-back weeks, it seems like the Oklahoma State star isn't too far off from the elite status that he held throughout the 2023 indoor track season and most of the following spring. 10. Rivaldo Marshall, Junior, Iowa (-1 / 9) Not a whole lot to report here. Rivaldo Marshall jumped into his team's 4x400-meter relay at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational. However, outside of that race, Marshall hasn't contested an open event on the outdoor oval since he ran 1:45.86 (800) in the first weekend of April. 9. Yusuf Bizimana, Junior, Texas (-2 / 7) After running on a few relays at the Texas Relays at the end of March, Yusuf Bizimana ventured to the Mt. SAC Relays this past weekend. There, he produced a strong time of 1:46 for 800 meters to pair with a 3:44 mark in the metric mile. That first result is very on par with what we expected out of Yusuf Bizimana. He was bound to run 1:46 over 800 meters sooner or later. And when it comes to his 3:44 effort, we know that he can run faster, but it was the half-mile that clearly held the greatest point of emphasis. 8. Nathan Green, Rs. Sophomore, Washington (+2 / 10) After a challenging month of March, it was fair if there were any questions about Nathan Green's status as a legitimate national title contender this spring. And while we didn't penalize him in the first edition of our rankings, we were prepared to move him further back in our top-25 if he produced another less-than-ideal result. Thankfully, that was not the case at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Not only did Green drop an incredible 1500-meter time of 3:34 (which now sits at NCAA #4 all-time), but he also battled for the win, throwing down a huge kick with 200 meters to go and finishing a narrow runner-up to Colin Sahlman. Running 3:34 for 1500 meters is way more than we needed from Green to feel better about his chances at NCAA title contention. Of course, when you consider how loaded the men's mile/1500 meters is this year, trying to remain in the national title discussion isn't an easy thing to do. 7. Colin Sahlman, Sophomore, Northern Arizona (Unranked) Well...that was wild, huh? Colin Sahlman's indoor track season was excellent. His 3:53 mile PR to win the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston U. was huge and a 6th place All-American result at the indoor national meet (in the mile) certainly didn't hurt his resume, either. Even so, nothing that we saw from Sahlman on the indoor oval could have led us to believe that he would run a nearly-unbelievable time of 3:33.96 for 1500 meters to win the Bryan Clay Invitational. That time now sits at NCAA #2 all-time and it barely missed Eliud Kipsang's record of 3:33.74 (from the same meet in 2022). Some people may see this ranking and think that Sahlman deserves to be closer to our top-five. And truthfully, there is an argument for that. However, this NAU standout is still only a sophomore. There is a dramatic different between a regular season time trial and a postseason battle for NCAA gold. Even so, that lone performance has suddenly thrusted Sahlman into the national title conversation. And when you pair that time with his growing experience, marquee wins and exceptional range, few men are as dangerous as Sahlman is on paper. 6. Luke Houser, Rs. Senior, Washington (-2 / 4) A 3:42 mark for 1500 meters in the top section of the Bryan Clay Invitational is obviously not an encouraging sign for someone of Luke Houser's caliber. Even so, there is no need to worry. He was a national champion last month and looked like one of the most fit runners in the NCAA throughout the entirety of the indoor track season. It would be a mistake to hit the panic button on this Washington veteran. Houser is (probably) still viewed as the man to beat over 1500 meters this spring, although that conversation does seem more fluid after what we saw from him at the Bryan Clay Invitational. 5. Ky Robinson, Rs. Junior, Stanford (0 / 5) Has not competed since our last rankings update. 4. Habtom Samuel, Freshman, New Mexico (-1 / 3) Going into the Bryan Clay Invite, Habtom Samuel was viewed as the favorite to win the men's 5k. And for a moment, it looked like he was going to deliver on those expectations. However, a last second surge from Brian Musau allowed the Oklahoma State runner to nip Samuel at the line as both men ran 13:13. While taking a loss from someone who was moving up in distance from the 3k to the 5k isn't ideal, it's certainly not the end of the world, either. Samuel's best event is the 10k and Musau had one of the more resilient performances of the year. Both men still ran plenty fast and both men are very much All-American favorites in this event. Then, this past weekend, Samuel soloed a 29:00 (10k) effort on his home track to earn an altitude conversion of 28:03. That performance is hardly a surprise given that he ran 26:53 back in March, but this mark will be valid for the purposes of NCAA Championship qualification. 3. Adam Spencer, Junior, Wisconsin (+3 / 6) At a glance, it may seem like Adam Spencer hasn't raced since earning a win over 800 meters at the Stanford Invite in a time of 1:47. However, that's because Spencer ventured to the Australian Championships a few weeks back. There, he ran an excellent time of 3:37 for 1500 meters. But more importantly, Spencer secured a massive win over the likes of Ollie Hoare, Jesse Hunt, Stewart McSweyn, Cam Myers, Jack Anstey and more. It's one thing to run as fast as Spencer did last summer (3:31 over 1500 meters) and it's another thing to emerge as a legitimate contender for an NCAA title. But to qualify for the World Championships last summer and recently take down a slew of elite Aussie stars is huge. Spencer continues to look better and better with each passing month. And if he extends this momentum to June, then he may end up as a national champion. 2. Parker Wolfe, Junior, North Carolina (0 / 2) I'll admit, seeing Parker Wolfe run 3:36 (1500) and 13:27 (5k) in his first two races of the outdoor track season led to me simply shrugging my shoulders and thinking, "What else did you expect?" That, of course, is the ultimate compliment. And while we could dive into each of Wolfe's performances, there really isn't any need to. He still remains as the second-best distance runner in the country and there's no reason to think otherwise, at least not at the moment. 1. Nico Young, Junior, Northern Arizona (0 / 1) The Bryan Clay Invitational was all about speed and pace work for Nico Young. The Northern Arizona phenom ran 1:48.00 for 800 meters (which is slightly better turnover than he's had throughout his career) and paced the men's 5k before stepping off the track. Of course, the biggest question on everyone's mind is...what will he run next? ADDED Rynard Swanepoel (Wake Forest) Alex Phillip (North Carolina) Gary Martin (Virginia) Parvej Khan (Florida) Ethan Strand (North Carolina) Brian Musau (Oklahoma State) Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State) Colin Sahlman (Northern Arizona) KICKED OFF Lucas Bons (BYU) Isaac Basten (Drake) Finley McLear (Iowa State) Joe Waskom (Washington) Aaron Las Heras (Northern Arizona) Alex Maier (Oklahoma State) Peter Maru (Arkansas) Graham Blanks (Harvard) JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Ernest Cheruiyot (Texas Tech) Evan Jenkins (Washington) Wil Smith (Gonzaga) Finley McLear (Iowa State) Peter Maru (Arkansas) Abel Teffra (Georgetown) Jackson Sharp (Wisconsin) Ryan Schoppe (Oklahoma State) Nick Plant (Virginia Tech) Tyrese Reid (Mississippi State) Oussama El Bouchayby (Alabama) Tinoda Matsatsa (Georgetown) Handal Roban (Penn State) Tarees Rhoden (Clemson) Victor Kiprop (Alabama) Rob McManus (Montana State) Levi Taylor (Montana State) Ezekiel Rop (Iowa State) Parker Stokes (Georgetown) Kimar Farquarson (Texas A&M) Camden Marshall (Indiana) Gable Sieperda (Iowa State) Elliott Cook (Oregon) Lucas Bons (BYU) Isaac Basten (Drake) Joe Waskom (Washington) Aaron Las Heras (Northern Arizona) Alex Maier (Oklahoma State) HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Matt Strangio (Portland) Kirami Yego (Arkansas) Jack Balick (Wake Forest) Graham Blanks (Harvard) Alex Stitt (Oklahoma State) CJ Singleton (Notre Dame) Max Wehrli (Utah Valley) Victor Shitsama (Oklahoma State) Yasin Sado (Virginia) Evans Kiplagat (New Mexico) Ben Perrin (Montana State) Adisu Guadia (Oklahoma State) Tom Seitzer (Notre Dame) Patrick Kiprop (Arkansas) Chandler Gibbens (Kansas) Joey Nokes (BYU) Toby Gillen (Ole Miss) Patrick Thygesen (Providence) Evan Dorenkamp (Penn State) Nickolas Scudder (Charlotte) Will Anthony (Virginia) Jesse Hamlin (Butler) Florian Le Pallec (Butler) David Mullarkey (Florida State) Notes - N/A

Written by Maura Beattie & Finn Birnie, additional edits & commentary by Garrett Zatlin Click here to see our Just Missed and Honorable Mention names. Listed eligibility takes redshirts and Covid-related extensions into consideration. TFRRS is used as a general, but not strict, guide when determining eligibility. 25. Gladys Chepngetich, Freshman, Clemson (Unranked) After making a few intermittent appearances in our rankings during the winter months, Gladys Chepngetich has continued to make a case that she is a top-25 name in the NCAA. The Clemson rookie, after a fantastic fall campaign, proved to be just as effective in the middle distances during the indoor track season. And so far this spring, Chepngetich has further strengthened her resume, posting times of 2:00.53 (800) and 4:15 (1500) at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational two weeks ago. In fact, that former mark allowed her to take down Houston's Kelly-Ann Beckford and Texas A&M's Bailey Goggans. In terms of fitness and talent, Chepngetich is just as good as some of the women who are listed ahead of her. However, as we saw in February and March, the championship season requires a better utilization of tactics, something that she'll need to refine once she reaches May and likely June. 24. Gabija Galvydyte, Senior, Oklahoma State (Unranked) Few women in the middle distance events have evolved into someone as reliable as Gabija Galvydyte. The Oklahoma State veteran, who had an excellent indoor track season, continues to excel on the oval, running times of 2:01 (800) and 4:10 (1500) at the Bryan Clay Invitational in what turned out to be a very productive weekend of racing. Not only that, but the Cowgirl star then ventured to the Oregon Relays where she opted to be fairly aggressive early-on. As a result, she posted yet another 4:10 mark for 1500 meters. Overall, Galvydyte looks like she is ahead of schedule in her fitness. She is showcasing greater consistency than last year and her aerobic strength has also seemingly improved (as evidenced by her metric mile performances). If she can peak for the postseason like she did in 2023, then she may be in contention to replicate her silver medal over 800 meters from last year's outdoor national meet. 23. Shannon Flockhart, Junior, Providence (-5 / 18) Since her impressive victory over her teammate Kimberley May at the Raleigh Relays, Shannon Flockhart hasn't competed in a legitimate outdoor distance event. Opting for the 3000 meters at her home meet, the Friar veteran secured a commanding 21-second victory, clocking a mark of 9:09. Putting this performance into perspective is challenging, partly because the distance is not traditionally run on the outdoor oval at the NCAA level and she won by such a large margin. Either way, it's a solid showcase of some aerobic strength. Having already run 4:08 (1500), Flockhart is a featured name in the discussion of possible All-Americans. And if she is able to match her performance at Raleigh, then she will further solidify her place among those top-eight contenders, especially when you consider how strong she has historically been at the outdoor national meet. 22. Lindsey Butler, Rs. Senior, Virginia Tech (Unranked) Over the years, Lindsey Butler has built her reputation over 800 meters, winning the 2022 indoor national title in that event and boasting a very strong 2:01 PR at that distance. However, what some may forget is that Butler ran 4:31 in the mile last winter and actually contested that event at the indoor national meet. Even so, we weren't expecting Butler to throw down a phenomenal 1500-meter PR of 4:07 at the Wake Forest Invitational this past weekend. The Virginia Tech veteran finished as the third-best collegian in the field, but was within arm's reach (or close to it) of both Maia Ramsden and Judy Kosgei who also ran 4:07. Suddenly, Butler's resume has become more dynamic and loaded with multiple top-tier marks. Whether she'll choose to run the 800 meters or the 1500 meters on the national stage is still unclear, but her aerobic strength is far greater than we expected. And given that Michaela Rose will want to make things fast from the gun on the national stage at the half-mile distance, that strength should only benefit Butler should she choose that event. 21. Margot Appleton, Junior, Virginia (-5 / 16) After an excellent end to her indoor track season where she ran a 4:29 mile PR to place 5th at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Margot Appleton threw down a new 5k PR of 15:18 at the Raleigh Relays. And naturally, Appleton was rewarded for her excellent racing with a TSR #16 spot in our top-25 list. However, a 4:11 mark over 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational left us wanting so much more. Sure, a time like that is far from bad, but for someone of her caliber who had the momentum that she did, Appleton was capable of going well under 4:10 (as she has before). Even so, Appleton has proven time and time again that she is a juggernaut who is brilliant in the mile, specifically on the national stage. We can't forget about that even if a rainy regular season race didn't go her way. 20. Chloe Foerster, Sophomore, Washington (Unranked) After being left out of the top 1500-meter section at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Washington sophomore Chloe Foerster battled to the line in her heat. In the end, she ran 4:07, a significant PR which allowed her to essentially tie with Melissa Riggins for the fastest collegiate time of the weekend. This past winter, Foerster stunned the NCAA when she threw down a huge 4:28 mile PR. However, her youth and inexperience caught up to her in the preliminary rounds at the indoor national meet as she failed to advance to the finals. Thankfully, Foerster's latest metric mile performance at the Bryan Clay Invitational validates that tremendous 4:28 mile effort from the winter. Not only that, but the Husky sophomore was also able to throw down a great kick in an aggressively paced race, a promising development for a variety of scenarios that she may see in the postseason. 19. Greta Karinauskaite, Senior, California Baptist (-9 / 10) It hasn't been the greatest start to Greta Karinauskaite's outdoor track season. The California Baptist veteran ran 16:11 for 5000 meters at the Stanford Invitational in her first real challenge of the spring months. And while she did post a promising 9:37 (steeple) effort at the Bryan Clay Invitational, she faded from the lead and finished 6th place overall. Despite the less-than-inspiring pair of performances that we've seen from this Lithuanian distance ace, there's still reason to be encouraged. Karinauskaite's steeplechase effort at last year's Bryan Clay Invitational yielded only a 9:46 mark (which was a PR at the time). She would then go on to peak beautifully for the postseason. On paper, Karinauskaite is well ahead of where she was at this time last year. However, with this year's steeplechase field looking far more loaded, returning to contention for NCAA gold will not be an easy task by any means. 18. Judy Kosgei, Freshman, South Carolina (Unranked) Ever since her arrival to the NCAA in the fall, South Carolina freshman Judy Kogei has had the NCAA on high alert. The Gamecock newcomer impressed on the grass, garnering a 19th place All-American finish at the NCAA XC Championships, a result which suggested that she would favor the longer distances. Yet, as the indoor track season rolled around, it was clear that the freshman had a taste for the middle distances as she posted times of 2:02 (800) and 4:34 (mile). And while those marks were more than solid, the Gamecock rookie has seemingly taken her fitness to a whole new level this spring. After kicking off her outdoor track campaign with a great 2:01 (800) PR at the Florida Relays, Kosgei followed up that performance with an arguably more impressive 4:07 (1500) PR at the Wake Forest Invitational to barely finish behind two-time NCAA champion and 4:24 miler, Maia Ramsden. Kosegi has been elevating her fitness with every race and her range is now up there with the very best in the nation. The only thing that she has going against her is a lack of championship experience. Of course, with the way that she is racing, there aren't many women who can straight-up match her outstanding raw fitness. 17. Klaudia Kazimierska, Sophomore, Oregon (Unranked) In her first race of the 2024 outdoor track season, Klaudia Kazimierska was excellent. In a loaded 1500-meter field at the Bryan Clay Invitational, it was the Duck sophomore who avoided the madness of the pack in front of her and laid down a big kick to finish as the top collegian in her section with a time of 4:08. However, both Melissa Riggins and Chloe Foerster ran faster in a separate heat. Kazimierska didn't walk away from the meet as the fastest collegian, she didn't get the overall win and her time wasn't necessarily going to make major headlines. Even so, there is something to be said about someone who executes a great race plan, runs a top-tier time and takes down multiple upper-echelon stars in the biggest regular season meet of the year. And after earning yet another All-American honor at the indoor national meet this past winter, the arguments against Kazimierska being listed in our top-20 are few and far between. 16. Silan Ayyildiz, Junior, Oregon (Unranked) Make no mistake, Silan Ayyildiz was already a nationally competitive runner prior to coming to Oregon. However, ever since transferring from South Carolina to join the Ducks, Ayyildiz has reached a new tier of poise, range and talent. During the winter months, Ayyildiz produced times of 4:30 (mile) and 8:54 (3k). And after an outdoor track rust-buster, the newest Oregon standout threw down an incredible 15:15 (5k) personal best at the Bryan Clay Invitational! She would later run 4:10 for 1500 meters at the Oregon Relays. Ayyildiz was already one of the nation's better milers before this year. Sure, she maybe wasn't an All-American, but she was consistently in the conversation to earn that honor. Now, her aerobic strength has reached an entirely new level as shown by her 3k and 5k personal bests. The Turkish distance star is on a massive hot streak and is slowly becoming one of the more well-rounded runners in the NCAA. 15. Riley Chamberlain, Sophomore, BYU (-3 / 12) Rising BYU star Riley Chamberlain slips back in our rankings ever-so-slightly after a somewhat underwhelming 1500-meter performance at the Bryan Clay Invitational. The Cougar sophomore’s time of 4:12 (1500) was good enough for 23rd place overall. And while a mark of 4:12 is by no means bad, we were expecting her to go slightly faster, especially after seeing how good she looked running 4:11 a few weeks prior. Of course, this performance is absolutely nothing to worry about. Chamberlain has shown great consistency during her career so far, and with youth on her side, she is only likely to improve from here. With plenty of the season remaining, we fully expect the sophomore to get back on her upwards trajectory and vie for an All-American accolade. 14. Maddy Elmore, Rs. Sophomore, Oregon (0 / 14) After a tremendous performance in the 5k to kick-off her outdoor track season, Oregon's Maddy Elmore returned to the distance that she has historically favored the most throughout her career: the 1500 meters. The Duck ace posted a very competitive mark of 4:09 (1500) at the Bryan Clay Invite and a respectable 4:11 (1500) mark the following weekend on her home track. And while both of these marks are just shy of her 4:08 PR from last spring, there is no doubt that Elmore is in terrific shape, especially after seeing her 15:15 (5k) personal best at the Stanford Invite. That being said, if Elmore wants to contend for the podium over the metric mile distance, then she is going to have to elevate her game in order to match the likes of Ramsden, Jepkirui and Riggins. Of course, with a 5000-meter time as good as that in her back pocket, who's to say that she may not opt to step up in distance come June? 13. Hayley Kitching, Sophomore, Penn State (+2 / 15) Penn State’s Hayley Kitching has not competed on US soil since our last rankings update. However, the Nittany Lion standout did travel to Australia to race the 800 meters at the Australian Championships. Down under, Kitching ran a shiny PR of 2:00 (800). The 800-meter distance is becoming increasingly more top-heavy this season as nearly a dozen women have run 2:01 or faster already. Kitching has experience and unwavering consistency, but we're still looking to see if her ceiling extends high enough to legitimately challenge LSU’s Michaela Rose and Stanford’s Juliette Whittaker. If the still-rising sophomore can maintain her current momentum and reliability until the end of the outdoor track season, then she will be a legitimate contender for a top-three finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. 12. Elise Thorner, Senior, Florida (Unranked) Lobo-turned-Gator star Elise Thorner has always been one of the more reliable steeplechasers in the NCAA over the last few years. But at the Bryan Clay Invite, the two-time All-American showed us that she has reached another level. The senior distance talent took on a very top-heavy field and her patience within that race paid off. Over the final few laps, Thorner powered home, crossing the line a hair behind Division Two record holder, Gracie Hyde. Her finishing time of 9:28 (steeple) was a four-second personal best and a true breakthrough for the British steeplechase star. Thorner’s new PR now puts her in the upper-echelon of colligate steeplechasers. And given her historical reliability over the barriers, she could very well be a name to put in the medal conversation for June. 11. Billah Jepkirui, Sophomore, Oklahoma State (-2 / 9) Billah Jepkirui’s movement in our rankings can largely be attributed to the performances of others rather than anything that she has done wrong. In fact, over the past few weekends, the Oklahoma State talent has been racing very solidly. The Cowgirl standout kicked-off her spring campaign at the Bryan Clay Invite with a two-second PR over 1500 meters. Her clocking of 4:08 was good enough to emerge as the second-fastest collegian in the top section, being narrowly beaten by Oregon’s Klaudia Kazimierska. Just one week later, Jepkirui ventured to the Oregon Relay to take on a stacked pro field that also featured Kazimierska’s talent teammates, Maddy Elmore and Silan Ayyildiz. And in what ended up being a fairly tight battle, the Cowgirl crossed the line as the first collegian recording a very solid 4:10 (1500) mark in the process. Jepkirui has been showcasing great consistency and an ongoing willingness to be competitive at the top of strong fields no matter who she is up against. The Oklahoma State star has proven that she is a force to be reckoned with at the championship level, so don't be surprised to see her among the medalists come June. 10. Kimberley May, Junior, Providence (+1 / 11) Providence star Kimberley May breaks into our top-10 after recording a brand new PR in the 800 meters of 2:03. And while that result doesn’t necessarily tell us anything new about the Friar star, it is a very promising display of speed coming from an athlete who has shown such success over the metric mile distance and had further built her aerobic base this year. With momentum still on her side, May has proven to be a concrete medal contender and one of the more all-around complete distance runners in the NCAA. 9. Melissa Riggins, Junior, Georgetown (+11 / 20) In our last rankings update, we asked the question “How low can Riggins bring her 1500-meter PR down to this season?” Well, within one race, the Georgetown middle distance star lowered that time to a blistering 4:07! At the Bryan Clay Invitational, Riggins battled against a stacked field of both pros and collegians in the second-fastest section. And despite wet conditions, the Hoya took home the honor of the first NCAA athlete across the line (even ahead of the next section) as she narrowly beat Washington's Chloe Foerster by four one-thousandths of a second. As quick as her time was, a major takeaway from this victory was the manner in which she achieved it. Riggins' fearless front-running approach paid dividends, an approach that should allow her to thrive no matter what the race scenario is at NCAA Outdoor Championships. A 4:07 clocking is certainly good enough for a significant jump in our rankings, but that isn't the only achievement that the Georgetown star has made since our last rankings update. This past weekend, the junior threw down a huge 2:01 (800) PR at the Wake Forest Invitational, a result that earned her a 4th place finish. This is a significant display of speed, a skill that only adds to her already impressive racing arsenal. But frankly, given her history of success in that event and obvious leap in fitness this year, that recent development shouldn't be too surprising. With flexibility on her side, Riggins is going to be a tough competitor to face-off against in the postseason. 8. Taylor Roe, Senior, Oklahoma State (0 / 8) It seems fairly obvious that Taylor Roe's most recent visit to California was intended to qualify her for the West Regional Championships rather than assert her dominance. That's because the Cowgirl veteran ran respectable times of 15:36 (5k) and 33:17 (10k) at the Bryan Clay Invitational, but it was apparent that she was capable of more. Roe won both of the races and has solidified a spot in the top-48 of both of those events for a qualifying bid to the West Regional Championships. Given that we didn't really learn anything new about Roe since her last race (the indoor national meet), we didn't feel the need to change her ranking. 7. Juliette Whittaker, Sophomore, Stanford (-1 / 6) In her first 800-meter race since being crowned the national champion in said event at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Juliette Whittaker finished a respectable 5th place at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Her finishing time of 2:01 (800) was a solid event opener, but was still three seconds shy of Michaela Rose’s winning mark from the top section. Despite her relative youth, the Stanford sophomore has plenty of experience and accolades to her name. However, to beat Rose at her own game (again) in June, Whittaker's raw fitness may need to keep pace with the rapid ascent that her LSU counterpart has been on. It’s not going to be easy for the Cardinal ace to repeat at 800 meter national meet, but she is arguably the most complete half-miler (in terms of her skillset) that the NCAA has right now. 6. Olivia Markezich, Senior, Notre Dame (-3 / 3) We can’t penalize Olivia Markezich too much after finishing a distant 2nd place to Alabama’s Doris Lemngole in the steeplechase this past weekend. The Notre Dame senior was racing for the first time since her 3k and DMR runner-up finishes at the indoor national meet. And naturally, there was some rust busting needed when it came to jumping over barriers and water pits. A 2nd place finish at the Wake Forest Invitational with a time of 9:36 (steeple) is a solid season debut, especially considering that she will likely extend her season into the late summer for the Olympic Trials. Even though Markezich didn’t win this past weekend, she’s still the reigning NCAA steeplechase champion. Her 9:17 (steeple) PR is still one of the best we’ve ever seen amongst collegiate athletes and it keeps the experienced veteran in the running for a second consecutive title. Even so, there is going to be plenty of work her to do as she attempts to eventually match the overwhelming fitness of Alabama's latest megastar. 5. Hilda Olemomoi, Junior, Alabama (+2 / 7) It's very much been California Dreamin’ for Alabama’s Hilda Olemomoi this spring. The Crimson Tide star returned to the Golden State after her terrific season opener over the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational. This time, however, the junior only had to contest half the number of laps. That step down in distance was no problem for the Kenyan distance athlete as she clocked a blistering 15:06 (5k) mark to take a huge five-second win at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Olemomoi currently holds the NCAA #2 all-time mark (for the outdoor track season), just three seconds shy of Katelyn Tuohy's NCAA outdoor 5k record of 15:03. However, more importantly, the junior has demonstrated not only an ability to run fast times, but also to take down nationally competitive fields. If Parker Valby opts to compete in only one event in June (the 5k or the 10k), Olemomoi will undoubtedly be one of the national title favorites depending on Valby's choice of event. Sure, the Alabama ace will still need to improve her speed and late-rate turnover, but all signs are pointing up for Olemomoi as we inch closer to May. 4. Michaela Rose, Junior, LSU (0 / 4) Kudos goes out to LSU’s Michaela Rose! At the Bryan Clay Invitational, the Tiger superstar ran away from the field en route to a 1:58 (800) win, taking down a slew of professionals and collegian in the process. Rose’s time was not only a new PR, but it was also the NCAA #2 all-time mark (in-season) just behind Athing Mu’s 1:57 (800) mark. Rose is on a redemption tour after coming in as the favorite to win the 800-meter title at the NCAA Indoor Championships, but having to leave as runner-up. She’s got a great set of wheels under her and that pairs nicely with the strength that she’s displayed over 1500 meters. Her front-running approach does carry risk (as we saw in March), but for someone with her skillset, it may be the most effective race tactic she has. The Tiger is leaving everything she’s got on the track and could be a threat to Mu’s 800-meter collegiate record by the time the championship season arrives. 3. Doris Lemngole, Freshman, Alabama (+2 / 5) Gosh, it's getting harder and harder to dislike Doris Lemngole. The freshman entered this past weekend with a headline match-up between her and on Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich, the reigning NCAA steeplechase champion. But at the end of the day, that didn’t seem to faze Lemngole at all. The Crimson Tide newcomer made a big move after the 1600-meter mark, pulling away from Markezich. Lemngole maintained pace before ultimately finishing her steeplechase season debut in a stellar mark of 9:22, a finishing time that was 14 seconds ahead of the field. It’s hard to determine what event, or events, the Alabama ace will focus on come the championship portion of the season. Her best bet at medaling will come in the steeplechase and the 5k, but will Lemngole put all her eggs into one basket or opt for a tough double? Regardless, Lemngole now has two NCAA #2 all-time marks on her resume (indoor 5k and steeple). Her raw fitness has reached a point where she may not even need tactics to be considered as a favorite for NCAA gold -- she's just that good. 2. Maia Ramsden, Junior, Harvard (0 / 2) The NCAA indoor mile champion and defending outdoor 1500-meter champion, Maia Ramsden, began her 2024 NCAA spring campaign with a strong showing at the Wake Forest Invitational. The Harvard junior recorded a swift 4:07 (1500) time in her premier event, crossing the finish line as the first collegiate by a narrow margin. Although she didn't claim the overall victory (which was earned by Puma pro Dorcus Ewoi), Ramsden's performance aligned closely with our expectations. Her time virtually mirrors the 4:06 mark that she achieved at the World Indoor Championships last month. Simply put, she has been able to successfully maintain the same form over the last month and a half that was good enough to secure her an NCAA indoor title. However, the Kiwi’s night didn't end there as she returned to the oval just over an hour after her 1500 meters to achieve the regional qualifying mark for the 5000 meters. Under the lights, the collegiate superstar registered a respectable 15:44 (5k) mark, a time that was good enough to secure 4th place. It's clear that Ramsden is in the form of her life and it's promising to see her maintain this at such a high level. Her consistency and longevity are two tools that are going to greatly favor the Kiwi as she embarks on what will certainly be a long spring/summer season. 1. Parker Valby, Junior, Florida (0 / 1) What can’t Parker Valby do? The Florida phenom, in her 10k debut, absolutely demolished the field and the NCAA record en route to a 30:50 victory. Valby not only lapped the entire field, some women multiple times, but her finishing time was a clear two minutes ahead of the 2nd place finisher. And then, when looking at the NCAA record, Valby chopped 28 seconds off Iowa State’s Lisa Koll’s 31:18 (10k) mark, a record that had stood for 14 years since it was set. Heading into this 10k, we knew the Gator star would continue to produce fireworks, but we weren’t necessarily expecting Valby to become the 11th-fastest American in that event. Valby has yet to lose a race this academic year and there’s no reason to think that trend will stop anytime soon. Coach Will Palmer probably won’t have his superstar talent race again until the 5k at the SEC Outdoor Championships as Valby is most likely hoping to extend her track season to the Olympics. ADDED Gladys Chepngetich (Clemson) Chloe Foerster (Washington) Gabija Galvydyte (Oklahoma State) Elise Thorner (Florida) Silan Ayyildiz (Oregon) Klaudia Kazimierska (Oregon) Lindsey Butler (Virginia Tech) KICKED OFF Meghan Hunter (BYU) Roisin Willis (Stanford) Flomena Asekol (Florida) Chloe Scrimgeour (Georgetown) Amina Maatoug (Duke) Ceili McCabe (West Virginia) Grace Hartman (NC State) Victoria Bossong (Harvard) JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Roisin Willis (Stanford) Flomena Asekol (Florida) Chloe Scrimgeour (Georgetown) Amina Maatoug (Duke) Grace Hartman (NC State) Victoria Bossong (Harvard) Carley Thomas (Washington) Makayla Paige (North Carolina) Sydney Thorvaldson (Arkansas) Juliet Cherubet (Texas Tech) Molly Born (Oklahoma State) Amy Bunnage (Stanford) Sam Bush (NC State) Sophia Gorriaran (Harvard) Kelly-Ann Beckford (Houston) Maggi Congdon (Northern Arizona) Wilma Nielsen (Washington) Jenna Hutchins (BYU) Phoebe Anderson (Columbia) Rylee Penn (Louisville) Julia Nielsen (Bradley) Janette Schraft (Iowa State) HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Taylor Lovell (BYU) Emma Tavella (Boston College) Laura Taborda (Arkansas) Florance Caron (Penn State) Chloe Thomas (UConn) Andrea Markezich (Notre Dame) Gracelyn Larkin (Northern Arizona) Sylvia Chelangat (South Carolina) Lorena Rangel Batres (LSU) Gracie Morris (TCU) Yasna Petrova (California Baptist) Mena Scatchard (Princeton) Nicole Vanasse (Columbia) Sanu Jallow (Arkansas) Sadie Sargent (BYU) Teagan Schein-Becker (Rider) Star Price (Virginia Tech) Kate Jendrezak (UCLA) Marlena Preigh (Washington) Bailey Goggans (Texas A&M) Molly Hudson (Boston College) Esther Seeland (Virginia) Anna Workman (Virginia) Kileigh Kane (Penn State) Notes BYU’s Meghan Hunter has been removed from our rankings after it was recently discovered that she will be redshirting the outdoor track season. Fellow teammates Lexy Halladay-Lowry and Carlee Hansen will also be redshirting this outdoor track season. Northern Arizona’s Alyson Churchill competed unattached earlier this season. As a result, she has been removed from the "Honorable Mentions" section. West Virginia’s Ceili McCabe was removed from our rankings after competing unattached since our last rankings update.

Earlier today, multiple sources informed The Stride Report that Duke superstar Amina Maatoug is entered in the transfer portal as a future graduate student. According to TFRRS, the Dutch distance ace is expected to hold one full year of eligibility across all three seasons of competition. Ever since her arrival to the NCAA in the fall of 2022, Amina Maatoug has been a consistently competitive national-caliber name. On the track, the Blue Devil ace has produced times of 2:03 (800), 4:29 (mile), 8:46 (3k) and 15:37 (5k). She has also earned a 9th place finish and a 28th place finish at the last two NCAA XC Championships. In total, Maatoug has made five appearances on the national stage and earned four All-American honors across all three seasons of competition. Few graduate transfers have held the same immense value that Maatoug's resume does. There is arguably no distance runner currently in the NCAA with range that is as versatile as what this Duke veteran has shown. Her dynamic skillset, paired with elites times and top-tier cross country prowess, likely makes Maatoug one of the most coveted distance running transfers for as long as The Stride Report has been active. Trying to predict Maatoug's future landing spot is admittedly a challenge. A native of the Netherlands, TSR isn't aware of any direct ties that Maatoug may have to certain parts of the United States. There are, however, obvious candidates. The Oregon women, on paper, boast a loaded roster and a range of skillsets that perfectly match the versatile talent that Maatoug holds. The Ducks are largely mile-centric, but also lean towards the 3k and 5k distances, two events that both Maddy Elmore and Silan Ayyildiz have had major success in over the last few months. Not only that, but adding Maatoug to Oregon's cross country team would further solidify the ladies from Eugene as podium contenders given that certain women like Mia Barnett and Victoria Patterson would now be able to compete (unlike last fall). The arms race between Northern Arizona and NC State could also lead to Maatoug potentially signing with the Lumberjacks or the Wolfpack. The former is attempting to reload their cross country low-sticks now that Gracelyn Larkin and Annika Reiss have seemingly exhausted their fall eligibility. NAU also recently signed a Maatoug-type talent in Alex Carlson from the transfer portal. The Wolfpack, meanwhile, will be losing numerous members from their 2023 cross country title-winning lineup. However, with multiple women continuing to improve (i.e. Grace Hartman and Leah Stephens) and D3 standout Fiona Smith set to enter the program, landing Maatoug could further alter the national title conversation in November. Other possible contenders to sign Maatoug include Georgetown, Florida, Notre Dame, Washington, Virginia and Boston College. But regardless of where Maatoug signs, whoever does score this current Duke runner will be landing a game-changing transfer with some of the best three-season value in recent memory. NOTE: Any discussion regarding potential landing spots for athletes entered in the transfer portal are strictly speculative unless otherwise noted in the article.

Yet another weekend of racing has concluded and yes, that means that we have even more analysis to offer you! Admittedly, today's article is going to be far more thin in comparison to yesterday. Even so, we still have plenty to discuss. And if you haven't already, be sure to check out Part One of our "First Thoughts" article by clicking here. Texas' Yusuf Bizimana Returns to 800 Meters, Runs 1:46 Despite going through most of the indoor track season looking like the indisputable best 800-meter runner in the NCAA, Texas star Yusuf Bizimana shockingly failed to advance out of the prelims at the indoor national meet. Since then, Bizimana's outdoor track season has been quiet and uneventful. However, the Longhorn veteran did return to his primary distance this past weekend, running 1:46.18 for 800 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays. That time now places him at NCAA #7 this season and further positions him to be a title contender on the national stage. Did we learn anything new about the British middle distance star? No, truthfully we did not. This is, after all, exactly the kind of performance that we would expect from someone of Bizimana's caliber. Yes, the Texas ace did place 4th overall in that race, but he finished behind three pro runners, each of whom boasting highly impressive accolades. It would be too reactionary to make any major proclamations about Bizimana after a performance like this. Instead, we'll wait to see how he looks at the BIG 12 Outdoor Championships where he'll be tasked with battling the Iowa State men. Oklahoma State's Alex Stitt Runs 3:38 For 1500 Meters in Breakout Race, Fouad Messaoudi Secures Win in 3:37 For what feels like years, I have sung Alex Stitt's praises, consistently highlighting his quietly great resume and his potential to one day become a star. And if you don't believe me, I would recommend reading this and reading this. However, for a while, it looked like Stitt would never truly get over the hump and fully reach his ceiling. He had consistently been great, but there was clearly another tier of talent within him that he had yet to unleash. That, however, changed this past weekend after the Oklahoma State veteran threw down a fantastic 3:38 PR for 1500 meters at the John McDonnell Invitational. In that race, the Aussie distance standout finished one spot behind superstar teammate Fouad Messaoudi who posted a 3:37 mark just one week removed from running 3:36. Admittedly, Stitt still needs to prove that he can replicate that kind of performance on a consistent basis. He did, after all, skip the 3:39 range entirely after having never run under 3:40 before. Even so, this is a step in the right direction and if there is any breakout name to bet on in the postseason, it's the guy who has been on that stage before. As for Messaoudi, this is a great run. Sure, he didn't match his seasonal best of 3:36 or replicate his 3:35 PR, but the Cowboy standout was still able to establish some valuable consistency. That's important given how discouraging his (very limited) winter campaign was. And when you consider how crowded the men's 1500 meters looks to be nationally, establishing stability when posting super fast times should only benefit the Cowboy standout once he enters the postseason. Parker Wolfe Secure 5k Win in 13:27 as Graham Blanks Runs 13:37 for 4th Place I'll admit, I whiffed on what the finishing times would be in the top section of the men's 5k at the Wake Forest Invitational. I thought, after running 3:36 for 1500 meters, that Parker Wolfe would find himself in a fast 5k race and would scare the 13:10 barrier. This field did, after all, feature Harvard's Graham Blanks who was making his return to racing. Well, Wolfe did win this race, but it was with a far slower time of 13:27. And frankly, it wasn't all that close of a race. Teammate Ethan Strand ran 13:36 as did Furman's Dylan Schubert. And arguably the most fascinating entrant in this race, Harvard's Graham Blanks, settled for a 4th place finish in 13:37. There isn't a whole lot to say about Wolfe. We know what he's capable of and it seems safe to say that he was just trying to get a decent 5k race under his legs before the second-half of the spring season unfolds. It's a similar story for Ethan Strand who is more of a 1500-meter runner while Dylan Schubert may be at his best in the 10k. When it comes to Graham Blanks, this performance gives us a good glimpse of what we can expect from this Ivy League superstar in late May and maybe June. The 2023 cross country national champion still has some respectable fitness, but his peak is still a ways out from what he showcased in the fall and the beginning of December. Could Blanks slowly chip away at his seasonal best and peak for the postseason? Yes, that is absolutely possible. Even so, he isn't going to be favored for an All-American honor this spring (or at least, not right now) and given his limited aerobic base, the 10k is likely not going to be a point of emphasis for him later this season. Oklahoma State Duo of Billah Jepkirui & Gabija Galvydyte Run 4:10 (1500) to Defeat Oregon Duo of Silan Ayyildiz & Maddy Elmore At the Oregon Relays, we got to see a very underrated 1500-meter matchup in the top section of the women's race. I am, of course, talking about Oklahoma State's Billah Jepkirui and Gabija Galvydyte battling with Oregon's Silan Ayyilidiz and Maddy Elmore. However, those results aren't shown on TFRRS at the time of publication, likely due to the use of pacing lights which, if I remember correctly, are impermissible for NCAA Championship qualifying purposes. Regardless, these were certainly not results that we could simply look past. In a race that was headlined and dominated by Nike pro Karissa Schweizer, it was Oklahoma State's Billah Jepkirui and Gabija Galvydyte each running 4:10 (1500) to emerge as the top collegians. Oregon's Silan Ayyildiz also ran 4:10 while Maddy Elmore ran 4:11. The Cowgirl duo of Jepkirui and Galvydyte have been excellent this year. Jepkirui can seemingly do no wrong while Galvydyte is showing greater consistency compared to 2023. The same can be said for Silan Ayyildiz who is making it really challenging to dislike anything that she does. As for Elmore, her 4:11 mark is "fine," but our impression was that she would have run something a bit faster in the 1500 meters this year, especially after kicking off her spring campaign with a 15:15 (5k) PR. Quick Hits Texas A&M's Kimar Farquarson and Oregon's Elliott Cook both ran 1:47 for 800 meters this past weekend. In fact, so did Princeton's Harrison Witt, Virginia's Gary Martin, Virginia's Shane Cohen, Army's Luke Griner and Penn State's Yukichi Ishii. That's a big-time win for Witt who took down the four men listed after him. Yet another solid outing from Virginia's Will Anthony who ran 13:35 (5k) at the Virginia Challenge. Per the results, he seemingly wasn't challenged, but that's still a great time considering how much he won by. New Mexico's Habtom Samuel ran 29:00 (10k) on his home track to earn an altitude conversion of 28:03. Considering that he ran 26:53 back in March, that's a fairly unsurprising result. Rider's Teagan Schein-Becker continues to post a handful of underrated middle distances performances, this time running 2:02 for 800 meters. Make sure to keep Schein-Becker on your radar. She has put together a nice string of underrated races over the last few months.