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Written by Gavin Struve, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at a singular meet or (eventually) at the 2026 NCAA XC Championships. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria (which was published in 2023). KEY (Unranked): Was not ranked in our last update. (#/#): First number indicates how much the athlete has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the athlete was ranked in our last update. 10. Western Colorado Mountaineers (-4 / 6) The Mountaineers' runner-up finish at D2 Pre-Nationals looks really impressive on its face -- and they do deserve some level of praise for it. However, they finished well behind Pittsburg State and were expected to beat the teams that they did. Tyler Nord (5th) continues to be a reliable lead scorer, and Gable Rial (4th) finishing even higher was a welcomed surprise for Western Colorado. Kellen Reed (12th) is a strong middle-lineup scorer, and a crucial one for a team that had a 33-second gap between him and their fourth scorer. The biggest issue holding Western Colorado back is the absence of expected lead scorer, Oliver Diaz. If he returns, and if Branden Davis (39th at D2 Pre-Nationals) can come closer to the version of himself that finished 6th at the 2025 RMAC XC Championships, then the Mountaineers can still be a top-five team in D2 this fall. 9. Lee (Tenn.) Flames (0 / 9) The Flames have not competed since our last rankings update. 8. Western Washington Vikings (0 / 8) WWU should be thrilled about winning the team title at the Lewis XC Crossover without one of their expected lead scorers, Jonah Billings. Veteran Jared Alderfer (4th) continues to look more and more like a low-stick star, while George Fernandez (11th) and Sten Brakstad (16th) are reliable veteran scorers who offer great value and stability. With over 20 seconds between both their third and fourth scorer, as well as their fourth and fifth scorer, the Vikings could really use a midseason debut from Billings. As is, they've already proven themselves as a nationally competitive team with a stable floor and the upside for even more. 7. Pittsburg State Gorillas (Unranked) The biggest statement of the past couple of weeks among D2 men's teams came from Pittsburg State. And what better place to make it than on the national meet course? The Gorillas were dominant in winning D2 Pre-Nationals. Program veteran Dylan Sprecker set the tone by winning the individual title, while John Langill (9th), Tyler Atkins (10th), Nick Kilonzo (15th), Brody Deniston (16th) and Jake Beauchamp (17th) offered exemplary scoring support (and depth) in a relatively top-heavy field. With a focal star and plenty of stopgap scoring behind him, Pittsburg State may have even more upwards mobility than this ranking suggests. 6. Grand Valley State Lakers (-1 / 5) Expected lead scorers Owen Westerkamp (23rd), Bahozhoni Church (29th) and Conor Somers (36th) were better at the Bradley Pink Classic than they were in their concerning start to the season at the Joe Piane Invitational. Meanwhile, Flynn Pumpa (4th) and Noah Selvaraj (16th) continue to exceed expectations. Their low-stick firepower has been a silver lining for a team that has looked "just okay" compared to the preseason expectations that we had for them. The Lakers landed in 2nd place at the aforementioned Bradley Pink Classic, but unless one of those aforementioned men fully returns to form, then we're not sure whether they can return to the podium. Nonetheless, they have time to do so and the trove of talent that they have on hand keeps their baseline quite high. 5. Chico State Wildcats (+2 / 7) The Wildcats have been plying their trade against D1 competition this fall, and Oregon's Bill Dellinger Invitational was another example of that. With Mario Giannini (3rd) leading the way as an invaluable low-stick star, the 'Cats put together a 3rd place team finish. Chico State then won the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational without Giannini. The scoring positions behind their leading man have been variable, but the Wildcats appear to have enough options to capably fill five spots, especially with a near-zero scoring footprint from their lead scorer. Don't count out this consistent West Coast power from crashing the podium. 4. West Texas A&M Buffaloes (0 / 4) Even if they haven't risen any further in this rankings update, we continue to be more and more impressed by the West Texas A&M men. They cruised to a win at the DBU Old Glory Gallup, with individual NCAA title contender Meshack Keter winning the meet and leading six Buffaloes who finished in the top-11. They continue the theme of depth in this range of our rankings, but with even more front-end firepower than any other team mentioned to this point. We can't wait to see the 'Buffs truly get tested with the postseason approaching, even if it probably won't happen until the South Central regional meet four weeks from now. 3. Colorado Mines Orediggers (-1 / 2) The Orediggers' full varsity lineup hasn't competed since the Gans Creek Classic in late September. As such, their slippage in our rankings from their preseason TSR #1 post has been more about other teams impressing rather than them struggling. In fact, Andreas O'Malley placing 3rd (ahead of preseason NCAA title contender, Weldon Chebon) and running an 8k PR at the FHSU Tiger Open a week-and-a-half ago was auspicious. There was a gap behind the Orediggers' top-four at the Gans Creek Classic, where O'Malley placed just 141st. If he can continue to run like he just did, then Colorado Mines should be far more complete. 2. Adams State Grizzlies (+1 / 3) The Grizzlies continue to look impressively cohesive for a team that features several brand-new faces. Against heavy D1 opposition at the Arturo Barrios Invitational, Thibault Tauziede (3rd) looked even more like a capable lead scorer for a title-contending team than he had before. Sfiso Makolomakwa (6th), Jack Gumm (12th), Soufyane Laaziz (14th) and Chakib Cherkaoui Rhazouani (15th) were excellent as well. As such, Adams State easily won the meet. If Joaquin Campos (TSR #7 in our previous rankings update) and Danyom Yosief (TSR #18) make season debuts by the postseason, then Adams State may be even closer to their first NCAA men's cross country team title since 2017. 1. Wingate Bulldogs (0 / 1) Despite sitting four men who were in the last iteration of our top-25 individual rankings, Wingate placed 3rd at the Panorama Farms Invitational behind ACC powers, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Fikadu Gonzalez (8th) continued to look brilliant in his first season with the Bulldogs, while Krzysztof Zielinski (9th) was excellent in his Wingate debut. Not only that, but Nate Mueller (7th) looked like the All-American star that he was for Northwest Missouri two years ago. The Bulldogs now have five ranked individuals, one in our "Just Missed" section (Zielinski) and a top-15-ranked preseason individual who has yet to make his season debut (Arthur Faroux). Right now, they have more firepower than Adams State and better depth than Colorado Mines, thus keeping them at TSR #1. ADDED Pittsburg State Gorillas KICKED OFF UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions JUST MISSED (in no particular order) UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions Findlay Oilers Charleston (WV) Golden Eagles Fort Lewis Skyhawks Tampa Spartans HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Nebraska-Kearney Lopers Washburn Ichabods Cal Poly Pomona Broncos Florida Southern Moccasins Colorado Christian Cougars Notes - N/A

Written by Sarah Turner & Garrett Zatlin Additional edits and commentary via Gavin Struve and Garrett Zatlin NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at a singular meet or (eventually) at the 2026 NCAA XC Championships. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria (which was published in 2023). KEY (Unranked): Was not ranked in our last update. (#/#): First number indicates how much the athlete has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the athlete was ranked in our last update. 10. Colorado Christian Cougars (Unranked) Colorado Christian has gone from an under-the-radar squad to one of the biggest surprises in Division Two this fall. After an early-season rust buster, Colorado Christian showed its potential at the Texas Tech Open, where freshman Alyssa Houston led the way in 7th place. All seven varsity runners finished inside the top-30, demonstrating the kind of depth that could make this team dangerous. The Cougars finished 4th overall, just four points behind Fort Lewis, with West Texas A&M and Texas Tech also ahead of them. At the Lewis XC Crossover, everything clicked. Colorado Christian dominated the field, winning by 45 points over runner-up Biola. This time, Lorelei Daugherty led the charge with a 5th place finish, while Houston (13th), Alysia Wagner (14th) and Kathryn Miller (17th) packed tightly behind her. Rachel Harpt rounded out the scoring in 25th, giving the Cougars five runners inside the top-25. That kind of depth is what makes Colorado Christian such an intriguing team heading into championship season. With multiple runners capable of leading the lineup and minimal separation among their scorers, the Cougars have the potential to challenge more established programs. Next up is the RMAC XC Championships, where they'll face several ranked opponents and get another opportunity to improve their standing. 9. Grand Valley State Lakers (0 / 9) The defending national champions have struggled to show significant progression this season, but their latest performance suggests that they still have the pieces to compete with the nation’s best. With a roster working to replace key contributors from last year, consistency and depth will be critical as the championship season approaches. After finishing 8th at the Joe Piane Invitational, down from 4th in 2025, the Lakers bounced back at the Bradley Pink Classic with a very strong performance. Facing a field of Division One competition, Grand Valley State finished 2nd, led by Allie Arnsman’s 3rd place finish. Karen Kiratu crossed 11th, emerging as the team’s second finisher in a major race for the first time this season. Sofia Borter (14th), Annika Sandman (16th) and Cara Newman (23rd) rounded out the scoring pack, keeping the gap between the Lakers’ five scorers to just 48 seconds. Grand Valley State fell just 14 points short of host Bradley, showing that pack running can still make the Lakers competitive against strong fields. With the postseason approaching, the Lakers will need all five scorers firing on the same day to get close to returning to the podium. 8. Stanislaus State Warriors (0 / 8) What was shaping up to be a massive showdown against CCAA rival Chico State ended with the Warrior women once again finishing behind the Wildcats. Stanislaus State fell by 31 points at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational, but against nearly any other team, that would have been a strong showing. Kekaihulali Halpern had a very impressive day, leading the Warriors with a 6th place finish, while typical low-stick Annie Wild (the 2025 NCAA mile champion) finished 12th. Natalie Arriaza (17th), Izzy Soto (26th) and Stevie Holguin (27th) rounded out the scoring five, but the gap between the front of the lineup and the final scorers proved costly against a team like Chico State. The Warriors have shown they can compete, but they'll need a stronger pack performance to close the gap on the Wildcats. Fortunately, they won't have to wait long for another shot. The two rivals will meet again at the CCAA XC Championships, where Stanislaus State will look to finally get the better of Chico State when it matters most. 7. Chico State Wildcats (0 / 7) The Wildcats continued their West Coast dominance with a commanding team victory at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational, once again showing why they remain the team to beat in the CCAA. Chico State comfortably defeated conference rival Stanislaus State, with Della Molina’s 2nd place finish playing a major role in the win. Notably, former low-stick star Iresh Molina, who has exhausted her cross country eligibility, competed unattached and finished 3rd, just behind her twin sister. The rest of the Wildcats’ lineup delivered exactly what the team needed. Megan Malloy (4th) and Paulina Martins (5th) gave Chico State two more runners in the top-five, providing excellent support behind Della Molina. Olivia Beschorner (19th) and Kira Forsberg (24th) rounded out the scoring five, doing enough to secure another convincing team performance. With the CCAA XC Championships up next, the Wildcats will look to extend their conference title streak and once again hold off Stanislaus State. 6. UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions (-1 / 5) At D2 Pre-Nationals, the UC-Colorado Springs women fell just short of expectations in a critical test against a deep field. With the Mountain Lions getting an early look at the course that will host the NCAA XC Championships in December, the opportunity was there to make a statement. Instead, they struggled to keep all five scorers together, finishing 3rd behind RMAC rivals Western Colorado and Colorado Mines by five and six points, respectively. Individually, Kylah Ricks delivered the performance of the day for UCCS, finishing 4th overall. Kate Henderson (16th) and Kseniya Nikanorov (17th) followed closely behind, but Emma Montoya (24th) and Elizabeth McQuitty (29th) fell too far back to close the gap against the top teams. The result raises questions heading into the postseason, but it shouldn't erase what this group is capable of. Can the Mountain Lions put it all together when it matters most? We've seen them do it before, and they’re likely to do it again. 5. Western Colorado Mountaineers (+1 / 6) The Mountaineers are peaking at exactly the right time, and that makes them an incredibly dangerous team heading into the postseason. Western Colorado came just one point shy of Colorado Mines at Pre-Nationals, proving just how close this group is to the top of the national field. Lauren Willson (11th) and Peyton Weiss (14th) continue to give the Mountaineers one of the strongest front-end duos in the country, while Brighton Mooney (14th), Natalie Kessler (21st) and Ella Smart (32nd) provided valuable support through the rest of the scoring lineup. Western Colorado has shown it can put all five pieces together against elite competition. Now, the question is whether the Mountaineers can sustain that momentum through championship season. 4. West Texas A&M Buffaloes (0 / 4) There's truthfully not a whole lot to report on when it comes to the West Texas A&M women. Their win at the DBU Old Glory Gallop was hardly surprising, although the larger field seemingly favored an East Central team that was just 11 points behind the Buffaloes. The scoring quartet of Lola Sarthou, Abigail Abugire, Naomi Addo and Ella Schuettler were all as good as we expected them to be, going 2-4-5-13, respectively, in the overall results. The challenge, however, is that their fifth woman dropped to 61st place, causing the Buffaloes' team score to rapidly inflate. The good news for Coach Zach Daniel is that he didn't run a number of key names at that meet, specifically Yvonne Legarreta, Lea Navarro and Michelle Jemutai. Had those women run, then the team scores wouldn't have been all that close. 3. Colorado Mines Orediggers (0 / 3) As expected, the Colorado Mines women took home the team title at D2 Pre-Nationals two weekends ago. However, the surprise was that Western Colorado was just a singular point away from pulling off a huge upset! Emily LaMena (3rd) was fantastic as expected, while the same can mostly be said about Sierra Wall (10th). We also have to give credit to Josie Mejia (19th) for producing a fairly solid middle-lineup performance. The Orediggers' backend scorers weren't necessarily "bad," producing finishes of 25th place and 27th place, but that is a key vulnerability to monitor moving forward. In a larger field, the Colorado Mines women could be in danger of being left off the podium if they, a) don't find more firepower, or b) don't close down on those backend gaps. At the same time, it's better to describe this end result as a great outing by Western Colorado rather a poor performance from Colorado Mines. 2. Wingate Bulldogs (-1 / 1) The Wingate women last toed the line for the Virginia Invitational, going head-to-head with a number of accomplished Division One programs. Sure enough, those teams (and a few others) put themselves ahead of the Bulldogs who ultimately took 5th place in the overall results. Evie Brooks (13th) continues to emerge as a star-caliber low-stick on the grass, while Riya Keshaw (29th), Guillemette Vincent (43rd) and Marie Garret (51st) deserve credit for respectable support efforts. However, with the team's final scorer dropping to 73rd place, and a few high-impact standouts not even racing, it's admittedly hard to feel optimistic about Wingate being a national title favorite right now. No, the Bulldogs haven't fallen out of the national title conversation. They are still a very clear threat to win it all, and it would be unfair to judge them based off of a race where multiple All-American threats didn't toe the line. Even so, Wingate hasn't done quite enough this season to justify staying at TSR #1 (at least for now). 1. Adams State Grizzlies (+1 / 2) Sure, a 5th place finish at the Arturo Barrios Invitational isn't necessarily jaw-dropping, but that is still a very strong result for a Division Two team to produce a Division One-laden field. That's especially true given how challenging teams such as Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Tulane have recently proven to be (with San Francisco on the rise). The Grizzlies were led by the trio of Mary Ngige, Emily Jobes and Keira Damron who went 24-27-35, respectively, in a massive 400-person field. And with Aspen Fulbright (49th) and Claragh Keane (64th) staying within reasonable striking distance, it was hard to be upset about any of the performances that we saw from the Adams State women. Admittedly, part of this move to TSR #1 is based on the Wingate women not looking like a national title favorite right now. However, the other reason is because Adams State can get WAY better once they return reigning individual national champion, Tristian Spence. And sure, it's slightly concerning that she has not yet raced this season, but the same thing happened in 2024 when she didn't finish a race until the RMAC XC Championships. That year, Spence went on to take 11th place at the NCAA XC Championships. With some of the best firepower in the country and room for greater improvement, we feel good about placing Adams State at the top spot in our rankings. ADDED Colorado Christian Cougars KICKED OFF Winona State Warriors JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Winona State Warriors Missouri Southern Lions Pittsburg State Gorillas Lewis Flyers Lee (Tenn.) Flames Biola Eagles HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Cedarville Yellowjackets East Central Tigers Rogers State Hillcats Nebraska-Kearney Lopers Colorado Mesa Mavericks Western Washington Vikings Central Washington Wildcats Notes - N/A

Written by Conor Daly & Katie Hirsche Additional edits and commentary via Gavin Struve and Garrett Zatlin NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at a singular meet or (eventually) at the 2026 NCAA XC Championships. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria (which was published in 2023). KEY (Unranked): Was not ranked in our last update. (#/#): First number indicates how much the athlete has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the athlete was ranked in our last update. 10. MIT Engineers (Unranked) Though this is not the Engineer team that won the 2024 cross country national meet, it’s still a strong program that’s been having a good season so far. You also have to remember that MIT recently went through a coaching change, and there’s always an adjustment period for that. After finishing a solid 6th at Running of the Cows, the Engineers went to the Connecticut College Invitational, claiming 4th place there. Liv Girand (22nd), Jordan Lacsamana (28th) and Heather Jensen (30th) were strong in the top-30, while Jessica Meza placed 42nd and Megan Diulus closed out the scoring in 49th. Impressively, just 20 seconds separated MIT's final scorer from its first scorer. As a team with no true low-stick (at least at the moment(, the Engineers have figured out that pack-running allows them to still be competitive on the national level after several key graduations left them with a very different lineup than in years past. 9. Carnegie Mellon Tartans (-1 / 8) After missing out on competing at the Paul Short Run, the Tartans didn’t miss too much of a beat at the Mike Woods Invitational, where they placed 2nd behind our TSR #2 squad, NYU, in a solid performance. Maya Ducker, an All-American last year, led the way in 6th place, while Ananya Devpura (9th) and Emma Horsley (10th) finishing in close order. Alexis Ohler and Elise Kempf closed out scoring in 17th and 18th, respectively, with less than 40 seconds separating the scorers. While that was a good team race from the Tartans, Kempf was a lead scorer in the first few meets of the season and has a higher ceiling than she showed. Ducker has also yet to reach her top form, although she’s improving by the meet. Overall, we’re still high on Carnegie Mellon as the season goes on. 8. Washington U. Bears (-1 / 7) Without Lucinda Laughlin operating on quite the level that we might have expected, and with a few scoring gaps, the Bears aren’t quite as good as we initially thought. That said, they’re still a top-10 team, through and through. At the Augustana Interregional Invitational, Laughlin placed 7th to lead the way, with Lucy Luetkemeyer finishing 29th, Sally Carrington placing 39th, Lauren Raley crossing the line in 47th and Avery Nason closing out scoring in 61st. Carrington is having herself a fantastic season relative to expectations, while Luetkemeyer has been a solid second scorer. Laughlin looks to be a top-half All-American candidate, and the biggest issue that the Bears face is their scoring gaps. 7. U. of Chicago Maroons (Unranked) We were clearly underestimating the Maroons, mostly because they had not raced in a bigger Division Three meet...until they ventured to South Bend, Indiana. Two weeks ago, against Division One competition, the U. of Chicago women took home a 2nd place finish in "Gold" race at the Joe Piane Invitational. There, Katja Dunayevich (10th) was brilliant, while Alex Lohse (14th) showed breakout form. Kaitlyn Manfra (21st), Macey McLane (31st), and Lidia Lo Faro (32nd) all ran well for themselves, offering solid backend lineup stability. At the Augustana Interregional this past weekend, the Maroons claimed another runner-up finish, led once again by Dunayevich and Lohse in 3rd and 5th, respectively. McLane, Maggie Horn, and Sylvia Snider went 40-45-50 to close out scoring, and Ryan Davidson (2nd in the “B” race) would have factored into scoring based on her time. Estelle Snider, who placed 64th at the Joe Piane Invitational and 67th at the Augustana Interregional, is the Maroons' x-factor. If the former All-American can somehow get back to her absolute best in the coming weeks, then the Maroons could be in the podium conversation, but don’t let that take away from the quality of their season so far. 6. Tufts Jumbos (0 / 6) Following up a strong finish at the Running of the Cows, the Jumbos placed 3rd and 31 points behind MIT at the Connecticut College Invitational. Zui Chinchalkar, Lily Simmonds, and Katya Henisz continue to be a killer front trio, finishing 15-16-17. Deirdre Flanagan (36th) and Claire Palmer (54th) closed out the scoring. Impressively, the time gap between Chinchalkar and Palmer was 31 seconds and less than 40 places. The Jumbos will now look to the NESCAC XC Championships, where they will face high-level competition that should sharpen them up even more for the national stage. 5. Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (-1 / 4) After a solid 3rd place finish at Running of the Cows, the Blue Jays stayed closer to home to compete at the Aubrey Shenk Invitational. There, Johns Hopkins was weakly challenged, easily taking home the team title, although the more interesting storylines were found on an individual basis. Carter Brotherton (1st) was unsurprisingly excellent while Alexia Tubbs (5th) continued her spectacular freshman campaign. Meanwhile, the quartet of Natalie Boquist, Diana Valentini, Kira Dye and Ani Wedemeyer more or less met expectations as a collective group, going 12-15-16-18. However, the absence of Sydney Shock, usually the Blue Jays' second runner, is something to keep an eye on. We should also note that Abby Artabane, a scorer when at her best, fell back to 27th place -- and we know she is capable of more. Even so, this was a low-priority race for the Blue Jays, and the talent on their roster remains immense. This most recent performance does not move the needle very much, if at all, as the team’s availability is the factor that will most determine their success at this point. 4. UW-La Crosse Eagles (-1 / 3) Coming into the season, we (correctly) viewed UW-La Crosse as having a super high floor because of the Eagles' highly effective pack-running, which gives them a tight top-five scoring spread. What we did not foresee, however, was just how good this pack would turn out to be! That was first on display during their runner-up performance at the Running of the Cows, ahead of an excellent Johns Hopkins program. But it was all the more evident at the Augustana Interregional Invitational, where the Eagles logged an unheard-of 15-second scoring split. One of the greatest surprises is that the Eagles were led by a newcomer to the team, Marah Benedict (9th), who stunned with a borderline low-stick performance. Veteran Annika Elliott (14th) is also one of the major over-performers of this season. The other UW-La Crosse scorers have been on our radar for one performance or another, with each of Julia Zalewski (11th), Molly Novotny (16th) and Madison Twarling (17th) pretty much running as expected. Sure, this is not a team with overwhelming firepower, but in a year in which some of the better teams don’t look as solid as we once envisioned, there is a very clear path to the podium for the Eagles. 3. Middlebury Panthers (+2 / 5) Gosh, was Middlebury good at the Connecticut College Invitational! The Panthers were led by arguably the best lead trio in the country right now, with Audrey Maclean taking home a 13-second victory over the greatest threat to her national title chances, Haley Schoenegge. Meanwhile, Claire Palmer (3rd) is only improving upon her All-American cross country season last fall, and Annelise Jensen (5th) is the middle distance runner-turned-cross country star nobody saw coming! And both Palmer and Jensen are sophomores, making their runs all the more impressive. The backend of this lineup was not particularly impressive by any means, but it was effective in closing down the scoring relatively quickly thanks to the efforts of Annecy Vlieks (21st) and Mary Cestaro (35th). That all summed to an exhilarating team title over NCAA title favorite, Williams. However, we do need to acknowledge that the Ephs were missing a pair of scorers who we expect to return to the lineup in the coming weeks. By the looks of it right now, everything is going to plan as much as it could for Middlebury. Sure, the Panthers' fourth and fifth runners will be more exposed in larger fields, but their front three will also stand out more. 2. NYU Violets (0 / 2) For a team that already lays low for much of the fall, it was a bummer to lose out on the chance to see NYU at the Paul Short Run. But that made the Violets' appearance at the Mike Woods Invitational all the more anticipated. Josephine Dziedzic (1st) looks nothing short of one of the best runners in the country, even if she was not heavily challenged this weekend. Behind her, it was nice to see the trio of Ashlyn Pallotta, Stella Kuttner and Olivia Jackson go 3-4-5 in the results, validating the idea that each of them can earn All-American status this season. Sub-4:30 (1500) runner Katherine Frank (16th) did not quite look like the fifth scorer NYU was likely hoping for, but that did not matter thanks to an excellent performance from rookie Gigi Bass (7th). NYU will need Grace Rowley -- a top-10 finisher at last fall’s NCAA XC Championships -- present in order to challenge Williams. But that is not something we are worrying about just yet, considering she debuted during the conference weekend last fall. Even without her, this is a complete team that is safely on the podium. 1. Williams Ephs (0 / 1) At the Connecticut College Invitational, it was startling to see Middlebury upset a Williams team we had penciled in as the national title favorite. However, upon further observation, that loss can be chalked up to the fact that Williams rested low-stick star Sophie Capozzi and crucial scorer Morgan Eigel. Plus, the gap was only a two-point deficit even without those integral members. Kate Tuttle (6th) does not quite look like she will fully translate her track success to the grass this season, which was also the case last fall, but she is still a plenty effective low-stick. Tamar Byl (7th) and Jordan Liss-Riordan (11th) have practically played the same role, adding much-needed potency and stability to this lineup. With other Ephs finishing 20-23-25-31, this is a consistently great program that delivered very solid depth compared to the rest of the field. Of course, the Ephs will need Capozzi and Eigel back in the lineup if they are to pursue the highest honors in Division Three. But for now, we do not have reason to doubt their ability to do so. ADDED U. of Chicago Maroons MIT Engineers KICKED OFF Washington and Lee Generals Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Washington and Lee Generals Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas Emory Eagles Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens Vassar Brewers SUNY Geneseo Knights HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) UW-Eau Claire Blugolds Hope Flying Dutch Connecticut College Camels Bates Bobcats Wesleyan Cardinals Bowdoin Polar Bears Calvin Knights Notes - N/A

Written by Kevin Fischer & Gavin Struve Additional edits and commentary via Gavin Struve & Garrett Zatlin NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at a singular meet or (eventually) at the 2026 NCAA XC Championships. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria (which was published in 2023). KEY (Unranked): Was not ranked in our last update. (#/#): First number indicates how much the athlete has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the athlete was ranked in our last update. 10. Washington U. Bears (Unranked) The Bears' nice showing at the Running of the Cows (6th) was complemented by a 4th place finish at the Augustana Interregional Invitational this past weekend. Performing that well in the two most competitive D3 men's fields thus far this season is cause for inclusion in our rankings. Having seven runners go 25:05 (8k XC) or faster at Augustana, with just a 26-second split between those men, gives the Bears some of the best depth in the country. They did that even without Charlie Houck (their second scorer at the Running of the Cows) serving as a scorer. Sophomore Max Sudryznski continues to be the kind of lead scorer this team needs, and we think he's capable of even more after opening this fall with two top-20 finishes in competitive fields. 9. UW-Stevens Point Pointers (-3 / 6) If the Running of the Cows showed UW-Stevens Point's ceiling as a dark horse podium contender and outside threat to challenge UW-La Crosse in the WIAC, then the Augustana Interregional Invitational was a bit of a reality check. Focal stars Mateo Alvarado-Venegas and Logan Murphy weren't quite as strong as they were at the Running of the Cows, but they were still quite potent and weren't what hampered the Pointers. The issue, however, was a 59-second gap between Murphy and the Pointers' third scorer, a gap that dropped them to 5th place in the team standings just behind the Bears (who they remain in front of by virtue of beating them comfortably at the Running of the Cows). There's only so much that Alvarado-Venegas and Murphy can do to carry this team if the backend scorers can't close the gap a bit more. 8. North Central Cardinals (Unranked) The Cardinals' runner-up finish at the Augustana Interregional Invitational was arguably THE statement result of the past two weeks among all D3 men's teams. Not only did usual lead scorer BJ Sorg put forth one of the best finishes of his career (3rd), but he wasn't even the Cardinals' top runner on Saturday! That was Daniel Kasperan, who finished runner-up. With more firepower than any other team in the field, North Central was able to survive having some gaps in the scoring lineup. It's hard to gauge just how good Kasperan can be, but that result doesn't seem like a fluke, given that he was also solid at the John McNichols Invitational, where the 'Cards finished narrowly behind Washington U. That loss -- and the fact that they likely would have lost to UW-La Crosse at Augustana had the Eagles' lead scorer been present -- means we're going to be a bit conservative with vaulting them up our rankings for now. Nonetheless, the Cardinals may have more front-end firepower than in any season since 2023, when they reached the podium. 7. MIT Engineers (+1 / 8) The Engineers' team title at the Connecticut College Invitational felt like a disparate result from their 7th place finish at the Running of the Cows. In a slightly smaller, but still nationally competitive field, their depth shone in a major way. Renne Cooper, Sam Hansen, Nate Martinez, Owen Sondag and Yichen Sun went 3-9-11-14-20, respectively. MIT deserves praise for winning such a competitive meet with ease, but we think the Running of the Cows (where they struggled, comparatively) was more competitive and more predictive of what the national meet will look like. As such, the Engineers' rise in our rankings isn't as large as some may have expected. 6. NYU Violets (-4 / 2) The SUNY Geneseo Mike Woods Invitational this weekend was the first place where we really saw NYU compete this season, given that the Violets' race at the Paul Short Run was canceled. Edomias Mulugeta placed 5th to lead the way in a welcome surprise, but NYU otherwise lacked scoring potency in a good-not-great field despite having solid depth. That was particularly true with Liam Hagerty (preseason TSR #11) finishing only 26th and Theo Udelson-Nee (preseason TSR #3) not having raced yet this season. NYU thus fell to 3rd place. The Violets can get better, but their status as a heavy podium favorite has truthfully dissipated. 5. RPI Engineers (+4 / 9) For the second time this season, RPI finished 2nd behind SUNY Geneseo. This time around, at the Mike Woods Invitational, was more competitive. It also involved a head-to-head win for the Engineers over our then-TSR #2 squad, NYU. The Engineers certainly weren't bad at their first few competitions this fall, but this looked like their most polished performance top-to-bottom. RPI looks well equipped to make a run at the podium if all goes well. Evan Lacey and Colin Goldschmidt continue to shine up front, and there’s enough coverage behind them that the Engineers shouldn’t lose much scoring ground in the backend. As the only nationally competitive team in the Liberty League, and the only top-10 team in the Mideast region, it’s hard to imagine they will be tested much again until the cross country national meet. 4. UW-La Crosse Eagles (+1 / 5) The Eagles finished 3rd at the Augustana Interregional Invitational, losing to a North Central team that we previously had outside of our top-10. As such, it might be a surprise to see them move up a spot after this weekend. But we still have plenty of reason to be high on them. The first thing worth noting is the absence of Owen Clark at Augustana. If he were there, he would probably finish within the top-10, which would have been more than enough for a runner-up team finish. We saw Chuck Vater make his return, although he fell back 26 spots in the last 2.4 kilometers. A few more weeks of fitness can help him improve in those late-race situations, which would be a huge boost. This is a squad that beat four of our current top-10 teams at the Running of the Cows, including RPI (TSR #5). Ultimately, the pieces are there for this to be a podium team, and this weekend didn't change that. 3. SUNY Geneseo Knights (+1 / 4) After a couple extra weeks without racing, SUNY Geneseo knocked off in-state foes RPI and NYU on its home course. The Knights are undefeated this fall when running their “A” team, and it’s not for a lack of facing quality teams. We noted in our last update that Emerson Comer and Pierce Young had underwhelming starts to the season. The first half of that duo is clicking on all cylinders now after winning the Mike Woods Invitational. Young isn’t quite there at this point, but this team has the type of depth to make up some of that missing scoring, especially if Owen Murphy returns to the lineup. SUNY Geneseo has a veteran squad with plenty of championship experience, and there’s no reason to think the Knights won’t once again perform in November. 2. Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (-1 / 1) The Johns Hopkins men have not fielded an “A” lineup since our last rankings update. With star Anthony Clark not having competed in over a month, the growing uncertainty regarding his return to the lineup is a factor in the Blue Jays' drop to TSR #2. 1. Wartburg Knights (+2 / 3) After the Running of the Cows, we were ready to admit that Wartburg was much better than we had projected. But even then we weren’t quite ready to give the Knights title favorite status, placing a bit of an asterisk on their narrow win over an Anthony Clark-less Johns Hopkins. But following their Augustana Interregional Invitational performance, the picture is becoming clearer, and there aren’t really any “buts” when evaluating them. Isaiah Hammerand is Isaiah Hammerand, Ayden Buchanan continues to be phenomenal, and Solomon Zaugg and Andrew Smith are running like All-Americans as well. You might point to the 27 places between their fourth and fifth runners at Augustana as a potential concern. Even so, that’s more of a reflection of how great they are through four runners than any kind of shortcoming; they were still the second team in the field to have five scorers finish. Ultimately, this team has a lineup with very few flaws, and their star power is going to be very difficult for any other team in the country to handle. ADDED North Central Cardinals Washington U. Bears KICKED OFF U. of Chicago Maroons Amherst Mammoths JUST MISSED (in no particular order) U. of Chicago Maroons Amherst Mammoths Washington and Lee Generals Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens Carnegie Mellon Tartans HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Williams Ephs Tufts Jumbos Central College Dutch Hope Flying Dutchmen Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen Wesleyan Cardinals Notes - N/A

Last week, Oregon announced that they have signed Sofia Thogersen, a versatile distance star from Denmark. The 21-year-old enters the NCAA with freshman eligibility, per the Ducks' roster. She recently made her collegiate debut at the Bill Dellinger Invite last week, securing a 6th place finish. Thogersen was one of the two international signees recently announced by Oregon. The Ducks also signed Northern Ireland distance standout Nick Griggs, a former pro runner for Puma who has posted times of 3:35 (1500), 7:32 (3k) and 13:05 (5k). The Danish distance runner has emerged as a true star over the last few years. With times of 2:03 (3k), 4:05 (1500), 4:29 (mile), 8:50 (3k), 15:26 (5k) and 10:02 (steeple), Thogersen has been able to secure numerous U20 national records. Thogersen has also found success on the grass, winning the 2024 and 2025 U20 Danish XC Championships. She would go on to qualify for the U20 European XC Championships in both years where she recorded a 3rd place finish (2024) and a DNF (2025). She also took runner-up honors at the 2022 U20 European XC Championships. Sofia Thogersen (center) competing at the Bill Dellinger Invite // Photo via Oregon Athletics On the track, Thogersen has made multiple appearances at the U20 World Championships. She also qualified for the 2025 World Championships over 1500 meters where she took 11th place in her preliminary heat. The addition of Sofia Thogersen to Eugene is a massive one, especially for this fall. The Ducks continue to be led by two All-American stars in Juliet Cherubet and Diana Cherotich. However, depth has been a major question mark for this team in 2026, and that's especially true as we have yet to see 2025 cross country All-American, Dalias Frias, make her debut this fall. Thogersen, however, theoretically gives the Ducks a third high-impact scorer who can potentially bridge the two-halves of this lineup. And if she fully translates her track success to the grass, then Coach Shalane Flanagan may have a third low-stick star to lean on this season (and beyond).

That, ladies and gentlemen, was one of the few weekends of Pre-Nationals racing that, a) left me truly entertained, and b) held significant implications for the national landscape. Friday's races in Terre Haute weren't as stacked as what we saw at the Nuttycombe Invite earlier this season. Even so, there multiple national team title contenders, star individuals and key nuances from this meet that need further dissecting. As such, it felt important for us to offer some analysis on a number of programs that headlined this field -- so we did just that, specifically for the top-10 squads in the men's race and top-10 squads in the women's race. And yes, for the sake of time, we are implementing our "three sentences or less" rule, meaning that we can offer no more than three sentences worth of analysis per team. Let's dive in, shall we? Men's Analysis 1. Syracuse Orange (115 points) The Syracuse men delivered on pre-race expectations of being the favorites, securing team gold with 115 points by putting four men in the top-22. Even so, the Orange likely left a good chunk of points on the table, and they didn't give themselves much breathing room over Villanova compared to their last outing. Even so, Syracuse also has a good amount of room to improve if Anderson is more potent next time out, and if their fifth runner (who took 44th place) isn't as far back. 2. Villanova Wildcats (127 points) The Wildcats clearly took a step up on Friday as they beat Notre Dame and closed the gap on a Syracuse squad that somewhat comfortably trounced them earlier this fall. Bailey Habler (6th) continues to be excellent, but it was the contingent of Charlie Moore (25th), Thomas McMahon (26th) and Jack Fenlon (28th) that offered greater-than-expected stability and value. With CJ Sullivan not even scoring, and clearly holding greater potential moving forward, Villanova should be incredibly encouraged by this overall performance. Bailey Habler charging to the finish line at Pre-Nationals // Photo via Villanova Athletics 3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (148 points) The Notre Dame men entered this meet being viewed as legitimate threats for the team title, making their 3rd place result on Friday a touch disappointing. Daelen Ackley (4th) looks like a true low-stick who could be an All-American in November, and Cameron Todd (14th) may be a secondary ace, but no other Fighting Irish runner cracked the top-35. That said, Notre Dame is expected to return star ace Ethan Coleman in the postseason, someone who could have absolutely given them the win if he debuted and was in top form. 4. Wichita State Shockers (212 points) The Wichita State men were on my radar this season after it was announced that they had signed Nicholas Kipchirchir from Virginia Tech to add with low-stick Elkana Kipruto. Sure enough, those two men were excellent on Friday (taking 3rd and 2nd, respectively), with the rest of their scoring group being just good enough. We will admit, going 57-58-92 at the final three scoring spots is hardly exciting if you're the Shockers, but the firepower in this lineup is clearly doing enough to keep this team nationally relevant. 5. North Carolina Tar Heels (243 points) Everything that we said about Wichita State's race is the opposite for the North Carolina men. Caden Leonard (19th) continues to look like a promising freshman standout while Noah Breker (32nd) and Jacob Laney (37th) are beginning to come into their own as impactful scorers. Sure, the team's final two scorers took 74th place and 81st place, but Tar Heels, despite not having nearly as much firepower, were more balanced than the Shockers. North Carolina men competing at Pre-Nationals // Photo via North Carolina Athletics 6. Arizona Wildcats (244 points) This was a flat-out tough race for the Arizona men who faltered on Friday despite showing early-season promise with a win at the Loyola Lakefront Invite. Sure, Evans Tanui (11th) mostly delivered on his role as a low-stick, and Vincent Gwachi (20th) was fairly solid, but no other Wildcats cracked the top-50, and their fifth man took 104th place. Sure, some guys are capable of more, and they still haven't debuted Osian Perrin, but it's hard to find many positives for a team that had clearly raised the bar this fall. 7. Cornell Big Red (246 points) The Cornell men deserve your respect after putting together a second team performance this season that made us say, "Hey, they're actually pretty good." Pierre Attiogbe (10th) is a clear low-stick, Aryan Abbaraju (23rd) was sneaky-strong, Griffin Mandirola (40th) was quietly valuable and Alex Mazzeo (52nd) was an excellent backend runner as just a freshman. Yes, their fifth man faded to a not-so-great 122nd place finish, but Big Red may have an outside shot of qualifying for this year's NCAA XC Championships if enough things bring in their favor. 8. Toledo Rockets (277 points) For the most part, the Rockets' performance was roughly aligned with what we expected out of them going into Friday's race. The trio of Joad Martinho, Eloshas Kipkirui and Patrick Kiprop (who went 9-13-21) are looking more cohesive and effective as a 1-2-3 punch, but the team's backend scorers can only take them so far, especially with their fifth runner taking 180th place. They aren't out of the national qualifying conversation yet, but it's certainly leaning that way. 9. Duke Blue Devils (294 points) For a Duke team that is still developing talented recruits and looking for an identity, this was a fairly solid effort. Finlay Ross-Davie (12th) suddenly looks like a low-stick and the rest of this squad -- which featured Alden Keller, Will Purnell, Rendon Kuykendall, Braden Lofquest and Aden Bandukwala -- was quietly deep, going 50-69-75-88-90, respectively. Give them two years and the Blue Devils may be a problem for their ACC opponents. 10. California Baptist Lancers (298 points) Pedro Marin (8th) wasn't at his best, but he was still plenty effective as a low-stick scorer, while Yemane Mulugeta (24th) and Itumeleng Ngxabazi (36th) deserve credit for being really strong secondary talents who offered great value. That said, the team's fifth runner took 170th place and Gabriel Guzman is still not operating at his peak form. There is a world where the Lancers can qualify for the national meet this year, but that would likely require Ernesto Ruiz and/or Victor Rosas getting their eligibility waivers cleared for this fall. Individual Race After seeing Silas Kiptanui take a somewhat unexciting 7th place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invite, I would not have chosen him to secure the individual title at Pre-Nationals on Friday. And yet, the full potential of this Tulane star was on display in Terre Haute as he secured what may have been the most impressive win of his career. Also, strong run by Kentucky's Edward Bird (5th) who surprised many with a better-than-expected result. Women's Analysis 1. BYU Cougars (84 points) Winning Pre-Nationals over the top-ranked team in the nation without a phenom in Jane Hedengren deserves massive respect, regardless of the women that the Wolfpack were missing. The depth of the Cougars was as elite as ever, putting seven in the top-30, while Taylor Rohatinsky's return gave BYU a 9th place low-stick finisher! Truthfully, it may not be fair to say that BYU is definitively better than NC State right now (given who both teams were missing on Friday), but we can't necessarily say the opposite, either. 2. NC State Wolfpack (88 points) Hannah Gapes (1st) has undoubtedly entered the "elite" tier as an individual, Bethany Michalak (8th) looks slightly stronger than her last time out, and Angelina Napoleon (13th), while not at her peak form, is still looking like a fringe low-stick. However, with no other women cracking the top-30 -- but with Emily Wisniewski (32nd) and Brooke Rauber (34th) holding their own -- the Wolfpack lost to the depth-heavy Cougars. That said, the ongoing absences of Grace Hartman, Sadie Engelhardt and Rachel Forsyth lead us to believe that this team will be substantially stronger, IF those ladies return to racing. Hannah Gapes charges to the finish line at Pre-Nationals // Photo via NC State Athletics 3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (213 points) Truthfully, I was a bit underwhelmed by the Notre Dame women on Friday despite being expected to place 3rd in this field (which is exactly what happened). Mary Bonner Dalton (26th) and Amaya Aramini (48th) aren't nearly as potent as they were last fall, clearly limiting the Fighting Irish's upside in a major field. And while women such as Gretchen Farley (36th), Chloe Huyler (49th) and Isabel Allori (54th) offered solid depth, their performances didn't put much distance between Notre Dame and a dpeth-scarce Clemson team. 4. Clemson Tigers (229 points) The good news for Clemson is that they had all four of their high-impact scorers racing on the same day, giving the Tigers a series of key wins over North Carolina, Duke and Indiana. Yes, we can admit that their depth is still a massive issue, and Gladys Chepngetich (47th) wasn't at her peak. That said, putting three women in the top-16 -- Silvia Jelelgo (4th), Nancy Cherop (11th) and Judy Kosgei (16th) -- solves a lot of those backend issues. 5. North Carolina Tar Heels (249 points) This is roughly what I expected from the North Carolina women, although I thought each woman in their lineup was likely capable of being seven to 12 spots better than where they actually finished. Ciara O'Shea, Logan St. John Kletter, Reese Dalton, Katelyn Rupe, Maddie Gardiner and Kinley Wolfe all offered valuable depth and stability by going 30-38-58-60-64-69, respectively. Sure, Pia Beaulieu (80th) is probably capable of more, but the Tar Heels as a whole can only be so effective without any true firepower. North Carolina women preparing to compete at Pre-Nationals // Photo via North Carolina Athletics 6. Duke Blue Devils (260 points) We saw Victoria Garces (10th) validate her low-stick role (for the most part) on Friday, while freshmen Cassidy Armstrong (33rd) and Sundara (Weber (53rd) continue to leave us extremely optimistic about the long-term future of this Duke roster. Sure, their final two runners "only" took 81st place and 87th place in this race, but all things considered, Coach Kevin Jermyn should be fairly happy with this team result. 7. Indiana Hoosiers (324 points) Another meet, another sneaky-good performance from the Indiana women. The addition of Katy Zang (6th) to this squad has been unbelievably massive for the Hoosiers, while the team's middle-lineup scorers -- Lily Myers (68th), Lucinda Rourke (77th) and Maddie Rocchio (78th) -- deserve major credit for acting as a strong backbone. Sure, their depth is shaky-at-best, but I wouldn't count out this Indiana team (yet) when it comes to national qualification. 8. Boston College Eagles (341 points) Given the high expectations that we had for this squad coming into this season, and the fact that Boston College took 7th at the John McNichols Invite without Rosalie Ten Bruggencate, we truthfully thought they could have been better than this on Friday. Imogen Gardiner (21st) was fairly strong, while Ten Bruggencate (41st) and Ella Fadil (59th) held their own. However, with the next-two BC scorers taking 107th place and 121st place, there was only so much that the Eagles' top-three scorers could do. Ella Fadil (center) competing at John McNichols Invite // Photo via Boston College Athletics 9. Villanova Wildcats (376 points) This was a very top-heavy cross country lineup last fall that had limited depth. And now, without Margaret Carroll, Nicole Vanasse or Amelia Arrieta, the Villanova women only have a handful of high-impact scorers to lean on this season. Sure, Tilly O'Connor (37th), Rosemary Shay (39th) and Maeve Smith (70th) each had solid days on Friday, but with no others cracking the top-100, Villanova's ceiling was clearly limited. 10. Kentucky Wildcats (380 points) Just like we saw at the Gans Creek Classic, the Kentucky women have a lethal 1-2 punch in Ann Lemirisho (3rd) and Doricah Minsari Isoe (7th), while Janet Jepkemboi Amimo (40th) can provide strong middle-lineup stability. Of course, as was the case earlier in the season, the Wildcats' latter two scorers dropped off A TON during Friday's race. The Kentucky women have a strong top-three, but it will take greater recruiting to fill out their lineup and turn them into a national qualifying squad. Individual Race NC State's Hannah Gapes was simply phenomenal on Friday, comfortably taking the individual win in what was a course record. I'm not saying that she's a national title favorite, but she has absolutely entered the conversation to win it all. Also, outstanding run by Auburn's Faith Chelangat (2nd) who has suddenly emerged as a possible top-half All-American threat this season (or close to it).

Typically, the biggest and best regular season meet of each cross country campaign is the Nuttycombe Invite -- and that is still very much the case in 2026. However, this year's Pre-Nationals field for Division One is certainly deeper and more competitive than it has been in recent years (outside of the one year that Wisconsin hosted). Naturally, it's our job to break down the entries and highlight what to watch for in both the men's race and women's race. In fact, this year's men's and women's fields for Pre-Nationals are so large that we wouldn't have time to do our traditional preview where we analyze every single team. Instead, we'll be trying a broader approach that is more essay-style rather than what you're used to seeing. Oh, and don't forget to check out our predictions below! Alright, let's begin... Women’s Preview TSR #1 vs TSR #2. That is the matchup that we will get to see this Friday in the women's race at Pre-Nationals. This is a fairly rare regular season development as we don't usually get to see NC State and BYU go head-to-head with each other until they reach the NCAA XC Championships. That is because the former typically attends the Nuttycombe Invite while the latter often attends this meet. However, this year's Nuttycombe Invite was earlier than usual, a move that may have incentivized Coach Laurie Henes to have her team compete in Terre Haute. NC State women celebrate on the podium at the NCAA XC Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay The challenge with gauging this race is that we can't say with the upmost confidence who will or will not race for the Wolfpack. The current individual entries suggest that NC State will be without Grace Hartman, Sadie Engelhardt and Rachel Forsyth this Friday, which was also the case at the Joe Piane Invite. If that is actually the case, and NC State is missing all of those women, then one would believe that BYU that should be favored for the win, right? Well, maybe not...more on that in a moment. NC State still has a star ace in Hannah Gapes as well as two returning All-Americans in Bethany Michalak and Angelina Napoleon. Sure, those latter two women didn't look super sharp in their season opener, but truthfully, very few women in that Joe Piane Invite field did. If NC State is going to win this race despite missing three high-impact scorers, then it's going to be their fourth and fifth runners who make that happen. Women such as Brooke Rauber, Ellie Shea and Emily Wisniewski all cracked the top-20 at the Joe Piane Invite earlier this season, and Kate Putman can likely be better. Even so, BYU's depth is arguably the best in the NCAA. The Cougars, meanwhile, were supposed to have superstar phenom Jane Hedengren for this race. However, Hedengren is reportedly out for Pre-Nationals due to illness, per FloTrack. Jane Hedengren warming up for the NCAA XC Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay That is a massive development when talking about the team title battle. If Hedengren doesn't toe the line, then BYU will only have one true low-stick in this race (Jenna Hutchins) who can counter the firepower of NC State. And sure, Hutchins is an excellent secondary low-stick who should be plenty dangerous in this field on Friday. But who will finish behind her? And how close will they be to her? BYU may have better overall depth in this race, but can that counter NC State's trio of Gapes, Napoleon and Michalak? Taylor Rohatinsky can be found in the live results, but it's unclear if she's actually going to be racing and/or if she received additional eligibility via waivers. Regardless, the contingent of Lexi Goff, Nelah Roberts, Taylor Lovell, Karrie Baloga and Zariel Macchia should give the Provo-based women an extremely high floor. And if two of those women can crack the top-15 portion of this race, then BYU's chances of winning the overall title will undoubtedly rise. We then come to the Notre Dame women who, on paper, are somewhat clearly the third-best team in this field. That said, their season opener, the Joe Piane Invite, wasn't exactly exciting. Star low-sticks Mary Bonner Dalton and Amaya Aramini didn't crack the top-10 in that race while only one other Notre Dame scorer cracked the top-20. Mary Bonner Dalton competing at the Joe Piane Invite // Photo via Notre Dame Athletics On paper, this team is significantly better than what they showed a few weeks ago. And frankly, even if they aren't firing on all cylinders this season, they should still be able to take bronze in this field. At their best, the Fighting Irish have a potent 1-2 punch as well as a very solid (and seemingly stable) backend scoring trio featuring Gretchen Farley, Chloe Huyler and Reagan Riley. Other women such as Rosie Mucharsky and Isabel Allori aren't far behind, either. Put simply, the South Bend-based ladies may not have the ceiling to truly contend with BYU and NC State. Their floor, however, should be high enough to fend off teams like North Carolina and Clemson. Speaking of which, I really like the North Carolina women. They were better than I expected them to be at the Princeton Meadows Classic earlier this season. Their pack-running was brilliant as they essentially had zero gaps and they seem deep enough through six names where they can afford an "off" day from a backend runner. However, unlike the Princeton Meadows Classic, this meet is far larger, far deeper and far more competitive. Could that ultimately break up the scoring contingent that UNC put together earlier this year? And if so, then do the Tar Heels have the proper firepower (potentially via Ciara O'Shea) to stay in contention for the top-five? North Carolina women preparing for the Virginia Invitational // Photo via North Carolina Athletics The final team to consider in this equation is Clemson. They are a fascinating squad that has looked exactly like we thought they would this fall. The Tigers have an ultra-elite top-three, boasting lethal firepower via Nancy Cherop, Silvia Jelelgo and Judy Kosgei. Their depth, however, is simply poor. That, of course, could change this Friday. That is because Gladys Chepngetich, a 2023 cross country All-American, is listed in the entries. And if she actually makes her debut, then she gives Clemson a fourth low-stick standout and dramatically changes the team's scoring structure in the process. That said, Chepngetich hasn't raced all season, and the entries for this meet were due back in late September. We should also note that Chepngetich hasn't been quite as good on the grass in recent seasons as she was back in 2023. That, naturally, gives us a moment for pause when making our predictions. Also, keep an eye on the SMU women and the Boston College women. Both teams have more to like than not. They both have a true low-stick and they are both more complete than some people realize. Women's Team Predictions NC State Wolfpack BYU Cougars Notre Dame Fighting Irish North Carolina Tar Heels Clemson Tigers Boston College Eagles SMU Mustangs Duke Blue Devils Kentucky Wildcats Indiana Hoosiers Women's Individual Predictions Hannah Gapes (NC State) Katy Zang (Indiana) Nancy Cherop (Clemson) Jenna Hutchins (BYU) Mary Bonner Dalton (Notre Dame) Angelina Napoleon (NC State) Silvia Jelelgo (Clemson) Bethany Michalak (NC State) Mercy Chepkemoi (Arizona) Victoria Garces (Duke) Faith Chelangat (Auburn) Rose Mburu (SMU) Imogen Gardiner (Boston College) Ann Lemirisho (Kentucky) Lexi Goff (BYU) Amaya Aramini (Notre Dame) Judy Kosgei (Clemson) Maureen Cheruiyot (Pittsburgh) Caren Kipsirat (Utah Valley) Ciara O'Shea (North Carolina) Men’s Preview We will fully admit that the men's field for this year's Pre-Nationals meet isn't quite as stacked as it is for the women's race. That said, the men's race is arguably just as interesting, with the team battle expected to be fairly tight between numerous squads. Going into Friday, the top teams to watch will be Syracuse and Notre Dame, two ACC rivals that have often battled for conference titles in recent years. Both squads appear to be on fairly equal footing in terms of talent and depth, and both teams have lingering questions that could/should get answered on Friday. The Orange were a podium team at the NCAA XC Championships last fall, but have lost numerous low-stick veterans since then. And yet, the Syracuse men have rebounded beautifully in 2026, putting together a promising performance at the Princeton Meadows Classic where they were runner-up to a lethal Alabama team. Benne Anderson competing at the Princeton Meadows Classic // Photo via Mason Canton Benne Anderson looked phenomenal in that race, emerging as a star low-stick, while Ben Gabelman and Connor Ackley were incredibly valuable middle-lineup scorers. If the Orange are going to take home the win on Friday, then they need those latter two names to replicate their performances from earlier this season and offer some secondary firepower. That is especially important given the upside that Notre Dame holds. The challenge for Syracuse, however, is whether or not their latter two scorers can hold up in this kind of field. Can guys like Connell Alford and Louis Small be just as good as the backend contributors for the Fighting Irish? Their top-25 performances at Princeton suggest that they can, but there's no guarantee, either. Thankfully for the Orange, Columbia transfer Edward Blaha should offer some solid scoring support should one of those men falter. And if Indiana transfer Abe Eckman makes his season debut, then the overall depth of this team should be unflappable. On paper, you can argue that Syracuse is more stable and a safer pick to take the win compared to the Fighting Irish. That said, there is arguably just as much talent (if not more so) on Notre Dame's roster. They have multiple men capable of stepping into a low-stick role, and the best version of this squad is extremely dangerous. However, the biggest question for the Fighting Irish going into Friday is whether or not we will see Ethan Coleman. The 2025 cross country All-American ran 13:24 for 5000 meters in December, but has been completely absent from racing since then. Ethan Coleman on the podium at the NCAA XC Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay If Coleman is absent from racing again on Friday, then that is a hefty dose of firepower that clearly limits Notre Dame's ability to win this race. And, more importantly, it would call into question whether or not he'll be racing at all this season. That said, Daelen Ackely looks really strong. Sure, none of the meets that he has competed in this season have been all that exciting, but let's not forget that this is the same guy who took 99th place at the 2024 NCAA XC Championships. And frankly, it wouldn't surprise us if he was better than that in 2026. Teammate Cameron Todd looked plenty strong in his effort at the Joe Piane Invite, taking runner-up honors. He could be a key name to watch given the promising success that he had on the track this past winter and spring. However, maybe the most fascinating name in this Fighting Irish lineup is Drew Griffith. He showed tons of promise as a freshman and seemingly held fringe low-stick talent that year. Of course, over the last year, injuries and a lack of availability have made it difficult to gauge him. A 5th place finish at his home meet, the Joe Piane Invite, earlier this season didn't make analyzing him for this race any easier. That said, Kevin Sanchez looks very promising as a stable backend scorer and he has made appearances at the front of this lineup before. And when you start piecing all of these names together, you get a scoring group that is more dangerous than some people realize. Kevin Sanchez competing at the 2025 Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg And yet, just because Syracuse and Notre Dame are the headline acts in this field doesn't mean that they are unstoppable. After all, we're still learning more about an Arizona team that has been quietly competitive in 2026. The Wildcats took home gold at the Loyola Lakefront Invite earlier this season, taking down Michigan by three points for the win. At the time, that seemed like a quality victory. However, after seeing the Michigan men falter at the Nuttycombe Invite (settling for 30th place), it's fair to wonder what that should mean for Arizona. Even so, there is a solid amount of talent and balance within the Wildcats' lineup. Evans Tanui looks like a more reliable low-stick this fall compared to last year, while Vincent Gwachi has seemingly stepped up in distance nicely. However, Arizona's success on Friday will likely come down to how effective Josphat Meli, Ryder James and Lawi Ngetich are, especially as they try to narrow lineup gaps. It should also be noted that we haven't seen a few key Wildcats toe the line yet this season, specifically Osian Perrin, a Welsh distance runner who has run 3:38 (1500), 7:50 (3k) and 13:34 (5k roads). If Perrin enters this lineup and translates his track success to the grass, then there is MAYBE a world where Arizona can realistically threaten Syracuse and/or Notre Dame...but a lot of things would have to break in their favor. Villanova is another interesting to team to watch. They look far better this fall than they did last year, at least when looking at the Princeton Meadows Classic results. Part of that is because Bailey Habler looks like he is returning to low-stick form, while CJ Sullivan acted as a very solid secondary scorer. And with Pitt transfer Thomas McMahon offering decent middle-lineup stability, the Wildcats seemingly have the nucleus of a competitive scoring contingent. Bailey Habler competing at the Princeton Meadows Classic // Photo via Mason Canton Admittedly, there are questions as to how the backend of their lineup will fare on Friday. That's especially true in a field that is larger and deeper than what they saw earlier this season. Even so, this will be a massive opportunity for the Wildcats to score Kolas points, especially with Georgetown and Princeton looking like real threats to be auto qualifiers out of the Mid-Atlantic region this fall. Other teams to watch include Wichita State, Utah Valley, North Carolina, California Baptist and Utah State. Each of those squads have promising qualities that could allow them to stand out in this field. The Shockers have outstanding firepower while Utah Valley has a true low-stick and a surprisingly complete scoring contingent. The North Carolina men are young, but their collective pack looked solid the last time they raced. Utah State is fairly balance and California Baptist is certainly better than what they showed at the John McNichols Invite...I think. However, if I had to guess, firepower will end up being a massive asset in a field where many teams already hold great depth. Men's Team Predictions Syracuse Orange Notre Dame Fighting Irish Arizona Wildcats Villanova Wildcats Wichita State Shockers Utah Valley Wolverines North Carolina Tar Heels California Baptist Lancers Utah State Aggies Toledo Rockets Men's Individual Predictions Bernard Cheruiyot (Tulane) Benne Anderson (Syracuse) Nicholas Kipchirchir (Wichita State) Pedro Marin (California Baptist) Evans Tanui (Arizona) Elkana Kipruto (Wichita State) Daelen Ackley (Notre Dame) Stephen Maroro (Kansas) Pierre Attiogbe (Cornell) Bailey Habler (Villanova) Ethan Coleman (Notre Dame) Collins Kiprop Kipngok (Kentucky) Joad Martinho (Toledo) Sila Kiplagat (Utah Valley) Ben Gabelman (Syracuse) Caden Leonard (North Carolina) Cameron Todd (Notre Dame) Connor Ackley (Syracuse) Nick Sloff (Penn State) Silas Kiptanui (Tulane)

Written by Rachel Hickey, Mike McKean, Finn Birnie & Garrett Zatlin NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at a singular meet or (eventually) at the NCAA XC Championships. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria. We will only list a max of 10 names in both our "Just Missed" section and our "Honorable Mentions" section (each). KEY (Unranked): Was not ranked in our last update. (#/#): First number indicates how much the athlete has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the athlete was ranked in our last update. 50. Dennis Kipruto, Junior, Alabama (-23 / 27) Dennis Kipruto entered the fall months with the credentials to be a major factor in the national landscape. That, however, didn't appear to be the case in his first major race of the season. After finishing 26th at last year's NCAA XC Championships, and earning All-American honors over 10k this past spring, the Alabama junior was expected to build on that momentum. However, a very unexciting 24th place finish at the Princeton Meadows Challenge has given us reason to pause. And now, we're searching for the consistency that made him such a dangerous runner over the last year. The concern isn't that Kipruto has been outright poor, but rather, that he hasn't separated himself from the pack the way that his resume suggests he could. His drop at Princeton raises questions about his ability to maintain position against deeper fields and translate his fitness into a stronger individual result. There is still plenty of season left to find that next gear. However, Kipruto will need a more convincing performance against top competition to show that his early-season struggle was a blip rather than a trend. 49. Ethan Coleman, Senior, Notre Dame (-20 / 29) Has not yet competed this season. However, given that Ethan Coleman has been absent from racing since December, his drop in our rankings is more significant than other men who have not yet debuted this season. 48. Valentin Soca, Senior, Georgia (-22 / 26) Valentin Soca entered the season with plenty of hype after returning to the NCAA ranks following a professional stint, and for good reason. Fresh off of a pair of South American Championship titles on the track, the Georgia senior arrived in Athens with an elite distance running resume. However, that track pedigree hasn't quite translated to the same level of dominance over the grass. Soca's 64th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational was a shrug-inducing introduction to his Bulldog career, particularly given the expectations surrounding his return to collegiate competition. The question with Soca has always been how his track strength translates to natural unevenness of cross country. His talent and endurance are hardly in doubt, but navigating a crowded field, maintaining position through the middle stages and closing against a deep pack require a different skill set. Soca will need a more competitive showing against the SEC's top runners to show that his cross country ceiling can match his considerable track credentials. 47. Nicholas Kipchirchir, Senior, Wichita State (Unranked) Nicholas Kipchirchir has wasted little time turning heads in his first few outings for Wichita State. Already a relatively proven competitor from his time at Virginia Tech, Kipchirchir has translated his success smoothly to his new landing spot. After opening the season with a win at the JK Gold Classic, he followed that up with a 3rd place finish at the Gans Creek Classic, losing only two an Arkansas duo of Ernest Cheruiyot and Nick Busienei, but defeating standouts such as Kidus Misgina, teammate Elkana Kiprtuo, Stephen Mararo and many others. Kipchirchir has now demonstrated an ability to race near the front and stay competitive against other names who are simply more proven/accomplished. If he can reproduce that form against an even deeper national-caliber field, then Kipchirchir could quickly become one of the biggest risers in the NCAA this fall. Nicholas Kipchirchir competing at the Gans Creek Classic // Photo via Wichita State Athletics 46. Meshack Kimutai, Sophomore, Iowa State (-15 / 31) 45. Rodgers Kiplimo, Senior, Iowa State (-20 / 25) 44. Robin Kwemoi Bera, Junior, Iowa State (-28 / 16) There’s no easy way to put this one: The Nuttycombe Invitational was a reality check for Iowa State's upper-tier talent. Meshack Kimutai, Rodgers Kiplimo and Robin Kwemoi Bera all left Madison, Wisconsin with results that were well below what their individual resumes suggested they were capable of, raising more questions than answers about where the Cyclones stand at this point in the season. Kiplimo was 67th, Kimutai finished 100th and Kwemoi Bera fell all the way to 191st. Let’s remember that all three of these men were critical pieces of a team that looked poised for a national title last fall. For runners with the credentials to contend nationally, the collective showing was a significant step backward, particularly in a field that offered an early measuring stick for championship-level fitness. The biggest question now is whether this was simply a bad day at the office or a sign of a more concerning trend. All three of those men will need to show better tactical discipline, sharper positioning and an ability to stay engaged when the pace inevitably picks up against elite competition. With the postseason approaching, the Cyclones need answers, quickly. Their next outings will go a long way towards determining whether the Nuttycombe Invite was an anomaly or a warning sign. 43. Thomas Westphal, Sophomore, Michigan State (-1 / 42) We indicated in our preseason rankings that there was a lot to like about Thomas Westphal’s rookie campaign. After all, the Michigan State product proved himself to be a reliable supporting scorer for the Spartans as his freshman season progressed. And this year, it seems like Westphal is picking up where he left off. Yes, an 8th place finish at the John McNichols Invitational was a much more potent result than we might have anticipated out of the rising talent at the beginning of the fall. However, placing 33rd in a stacked field at the Nuttycombe Invitational, while still strong, wasn't quite as strong as what he produced at the same meet in 2025 (where he took 23rd place). Sure, Westphal finishing in the top-25 would have better verified his early season performance, and a 33rd place finish on Friday wouldn't have been enough for him to be ranked by itself. Even so, we're still plenty high on this Spartan sophomore. Thomas Westphal charging to the finish line at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg 42. Tam Gavenas, Sophomore, Harvard (Unranked) Tam Gavenas is quickly emerging as one of the Northeast region's most dangerous individual threats. After a strong season debut led to a brilliant 7th place finish at the John McNichols Invite, the Harvard sophomore backed up that performance with a 23rd place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational. In doing so, Gavenas showed that he can translate early-season momentum into a top result against a national-caliber field. That kind of consistency is an encouraging sign of his developing fitness, and it leads us to believe that he can fully deliver on the pedigree that he flashed in high school. Gavenas is establishing himself as more than just an Ivy League standout, with the potential to become a legitimate national-level scorer. That said, he must continue closing the gap on the lead pack and proving that he can remain in contention as the pace intensifies. If he continues progressing, then he could be a top-half All-American come November. 41. Joshua Abraham, Sophomore, New Mexico (Unranked) New Mexico’s Joshua Abraham is making an early case as one of the most improved runners in the country this fall. After producing an unexpected 6th place low-stick performance at the Cowboy Jamboree, the New Mexico sophomore followed that up with an excellent 22nd place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational, showing that his breakout wasn't limited to one strong outing. In turn, he has quickly gone from an intriguing name to a legitimate presence in a deep national field. What makes Abraham's start particularly compelling is his ability to carry that momentum into two very different settings and very different competition. If he continues to make this kind of jump, then Abraham could become one of the most consequential risers of the 2026 season. 40. Jake Liebert, Rs. Sophomore, Colorado (Unranked) Jake Liebert has quickly gone from being a relative unknown to one of the more intriguing dark horses in the national picture. His 21st place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational was no fluke result buried in a weaker field -- he held his own against a loaded lineup of national contenders. Of course, anyone who saw him run 13:32 (5k) and 28:07 (10k) on the track, while racing unattached, this past winter and spring, knows that this performance does make sense. If Liebert proves that the Nuttycombe Invite was a sign of things to come rather than a one-off performance, then he could become a serious factor as Colorado guns for the podium. 39. Elkana Kipruto, Junior, Wichita State (-17 / 22) Mid-major standout Elkana Kipruto has been "good" early-on this season, but "good" might not be enough to hold his ground in an increasingly crowded national picture. The Wichita State star opened his fall campaign with a runner-up finish at the JK Gold Classic before settling for a 5th place at the Gans Creek Classic, demonstrating that he's fit enough to contend near the front of fields. However, he hasn't yet delivered the kind of signature performance that would separate him from the pack of runners fighting for spots in the national rankings. Kipruto's early-season resume is solid, but the lack of a breakthrough against top competition makes it difficult to justify keeping him closer to the top-20 portion of our rankings. Sure, the Gans Creek Classic was a useful measuring stick, but he'll need to show that he can remain in the mix deeper into a race against a stronger field to regain some momentum. For now, Kipruto is a dependable presence whose ceiling remains to be determined. 38. Kidus Misgina, Senior, Ole Miss (-4 / 34) Ole Miss senior Kidus Misgina put together a fairly solid performance at the Nuttycombe Invitational, finishing 28th in a deep national field. Cracking the top-30 at this stage of the season suggests that he's building a strong aerobic foundation, but it also leaves some room for improvement if he's going to contend for All-American honors come November. Coming off of narrowly missing All-American status last fall, Misgina is likely hungry to earn his keep among the NCAA’s best. Kidus Misgina competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 37. Benne Anderson, Junior, Syracuse (Unranked) Benne Anderson is off to a strong start to his junior campaign! The 3rd place finish that we saw from this Syracuse star at the Princeton Fall Classic gave us way more to pull from as he now rightfully earns his place in our latest rankings update. Anderson executed a beautifully-run, tactical affair in poor weather conditions to gradually reel in a pack of Alabama athletes who took control of the race early. By the final 1000 meters, Anderson was within striking distance of the lead, ultimately leading the Orange to an impressive runner-up finish. We’re left feeling excited about what Anderson will be able to put together in a more densely-packed field, especially given, a) the upside he just showed, and b) the talent he showcased on the track. Not only that, but he looks primed for the postseason that could be better than he has ever displayed before. 36. Nickson Chebii, Junior, Auburn (-6 / 30) Has not yet competed this season. 35. William Zegarski, Senior, Butler (-12 / 23) Butler’s William Zegarski has long been one of the NCAA’s most reliably great mid-major cross country runners. And sure enough, this fall appears to be no different. However, given the current landscape of the NCAA, Zegarski does take a step back in our rankings this week. The Bulldog ace opened his season with a strong and respectable 12th place performance at the John McNichols Invitational before taking an arguably more impressive 19th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational this past Friday. In two fields loaded with nationally-ranked talents, those results indicate that Zegarski is about as fit as he’s ever been at this point in the season. Even so, if he wants to make a jump that is more comfortably back into the All-American picture, then we’ll need to see the Butler senior close out the back-half of his races a bit stronger in the postseason. 34. Aiden Smith, Senior, Oregon (-2 / 32) Aiden Smith (and the Oregon men as a whole) have yet to be truly tested this fall, making it difficult to properly rank him. Historically speaking, Smith is a guy who peaks well for the postseason, placing 25th at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships and 29th at the 2024 NCAA XC Championships. With just one race under his belt at the lower-stakes Bill Dellinger Invitational on their home course, it’s hard to make too many quick judgments about Smith’s season. Sure, 10th place in that field isn’t quite what we would’ve liked to see out of a guy with Smith’s credentials, but it also wasn’t a terrible result, either. After all, it is the first time that we’ve seen the Oregon senior compete since December 2025, making it a genuine rust-buster after a longer hiatus from the competitive spotlight. Paired with his consistency and reliability over 10,000 meters on the grass, we’re comfortable giving Smith some benefit of the doubt…for now. 33. James Corrigan, Senior, BYU (Unranked) What should we even make of James Corrigan? The BYU veteran entered this fall off of a track season that simply didn’t live up to the hype. After winning an NCAA steeplechase title in 2025, Corrigan admittedly struggled in the spring of 2026, failing to even make the national meet. That said, it seems like Corrigan is again showing signs of life this fall. A pair of top-20 finishes at the John McNichols Invitational (16th) and the Nuttycombe Invitational (18th) put some high-octane performances on his cross country resume heading into the postseason. Although, it's also fair to say that the latter result was significantly better than the former, which is partially why he's not ranked any higher than this (for now). Regardless, not only do those results immensely benefit the Cougars' team podium hopes come November, but it also makes Corrigan one of the more dangerous “underdogs” in this portion of our rankings. 32. Titus Kimaru, Sophomore, Texas Tech (+9 / 41) Few men in the country have raced as much as Texas Tech sophomore Titus Kimaru has this fall. And considering that he’s also four-for-four on wins this season, he’s been one of the most dominant racers this season. The most "impressive" of his victories is likely the Nike XC Town Twilight, where Kimaru decimated the field by over a minute in the men’s 8000-meter race on this year’s NCAA course. That being said, the Red Raider product been relatively untested this season, so it will be interesting to see how Kimaru rises to the occasion when he is actually challenged. Titus Kimaru competing at the Texas Tech Open // Photo via Texas Tech Athletics 31. Nickson Kogei, Junior, Louisville (-17 / 14) For most, a 22nd place finish at the stacked John McNichols Invite and a 17th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational might be a solid indication of a strong season ahead. But for a guy like Nickson Kogei, who was 18th at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships while at Cincinnati, these early-season performances feel somewhat lackluster. And truthfully, his performances leave some questions about whether he's back to the level that he showed at the end of last year. A returning All-American who is now representing Louisville, Kogei entered this fall with the credentials to contend closer to the front of major fields that he just contested. His Nuttycombe Invite result, especially, suggests that he's in the mix nationally, but has not yet demonstrated that same championship-level impact. 30. Vincent Chirchir, Junior, New Mexico (-10 / 20) New Mexico junior Vincent Chirchir hasn’t necessarily demonstrated quite the same sharpness that we saw during his sophomore season. Chirchir was a top-20 All-American last fall, and his regular season resume leading up to that held plenty of evidence that such a result was to be expected. He was reliable and consistently placing among the top of heavily-contested fields. So far this fall, Chirchir fell to "good-not-great" 14th place finish at the Cowboy Jamboree, but delivered a noticeably stronger 20th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational this past weekend. The Lobo junior has admittedly not demonstrated quite the same level of firepower that we saw from last year -- but he's not terribly far off, either. For that reason, he takes a double-digit tumble in our rankings, but not by enough to hit the panic button. 29. Nick Busienei, Freshman, Arkansas (Unranked) Arkansas rookie Nick Busienei has wasted no time establishing himself as one of the most intriguing freshmen in the country. His 16th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational helped the Razorbacks secure a 4th place team result. However, more importantly, it showed that he can hold his own against a deep field of established national contenders. For Busienei’s first NCAA cross country season, that's a major statement. It also backs up his runner-up performance from the Gans Creek Classic in a major way, proving that his result was no fluke. He has now proven that he can take down top stars in two fairly different settings. Sure, Busienei will need to continue producing against upper-tier competition as the championship season approaches (especially at the top-heavy SEC XC Championships). However, his early-season positioning suggests that he has the firepower to make a serious push for the national spotlight. 28. Isaiah Givens, Senior, Colorado (Unranked) Isaiah Givens is quickly establishing himself as one of the nation's most dangerous front-pack runners. Givens made an immediate statement at the Nuttycombe Invitational, finishing 14th overall to help Colorado secure an impressive runner-up team finish. His ability to deliver a top-15 result in a field loaded with national contenders gave the Buffaloes another crucial low-stick scorer near the front of the race. That performance showed us that this star miler can hold his own in the longer distances and that his past moments of cross country success were far from a fluke. If he continues to consistently mix it up with the nation's best, then he'll be a key piece of the Buffaloes' push towards the podium come November. 27. Zouhair Redouane, Junior, Tennessee (Unranked) Tennessee’s Zouhair Redouane has exceeded all expectations so far this fall. After placing 78th at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships, Redouane showed the same promise that he showed in the fall of 2024 when he was a 26th place All-American with California Baptist. However, the Tennessee product had not been consistently at his best over the last year prior to this season. That, of course, seems to be changing. After taking a "just okay" 9th place finish at the Gans Creek Classic, Redouane followed up that performance with a brilliant 12th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational. In doing so, he proved that he has (probably) returned to his peak low-stick form from 2024 while simultaneously giving Tennessee a dangerous 1-2 punch alongside Nelson Setek. Redouane's back-to-back top-15 finishes show that he can consistently mix it up near the front and be a valuable weapon for the Volunteers in one of the country's toughest conferences. Zouhair Redouane competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 26. Nelson Setek, Sophomore, Tennessee (Unranked) Already making a case as one of the NCAA's most improved athletes through early October, Tennessee's Nelson Setek has taken a sophomore leap that has us completely reevaluating his ceiling on the grass. An 8th place finish at the Gans Creek Classic showed solid improvement, but a far more impressive 11th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite validated our suspicions of a meteoric rise for Setek. That's a substantial statement for a sophomore who is quickly establishing himself as a legitimate name to watch, nationally. Of course, the challenge now is sustaining that momentum as the stakes continue to rise. Regardless, Setek has already shown that he can hang with a loaded field, and his latest performance suggests that his early season success is no fluke. If this trajectory continues, then don't be surprised if the Volunteer star climbs even higher in our next rankings update. 25. Dominic Serem, Junior, Colorado (-3 / 21) Has not competed yet this season. 24. Joash Ruto, Junior, Iowa State (-5 / 19) Has not competed yet this season. 23. Taha Er Raouy, Senior, Eastern Kentucky (+17 / 40) After opening his season with a 21st place finish at the John McNichols Invite, we felt like that showing wasn't indicative of the true talent that Taha Er Raouy possesses. And while that result wasn't necessarily a cause for concern, it also didn't do much to suggest that the Eastern Kentucky veteran was ready to make a significant leap in our rankings. However, a stellar 10th place finish at this past weekend's Nuttycombe Invite felt much more in line with our preseason expectations for the Colonel star. And frankly, it may have even beaten our expectations. That kind of performance against a nationally competitive field is exactly what we wanted to see from Er Raouy. His jump from our previous ranking reflects a much more convincing display of his potential, and he's now positioned himself to make some noise as the season progresses. If he can carry this level of racing into the championship portion of the fall, then this ranking may not be high enough. 22. Adisu Guadia, Senior, Oklahoma State (-12 / 10) Cowboy veteran Adisu Guadia takes a tumble in our rankings after a very uncharacteristic "off" day at the Cowboy Jamboree. An 18th place finish in his season opener certainly felt like a far cry from the version of the Oklahoma State star that we saw take 12th at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships. And considering the expectations surrounding Guadia entering this fall, it was a result that naturally left us wanting a more from the Cowboy veteran. That said, we're not hitting the panic button just yet. Guadia has a propensity for rounding into form at the right time, and his well-executed postseason peak from last fall leaves us plenty optimistic moving forward. While he'll need to show more consistency in the coming weeks to climb back towards our top-10, we're certainly not ready to write-off an athlete with his championship pedigree. 21. Simeon Birnbaum, Rs. Junior, Oregon (+3 / 24) As is customary with Oregon athletes, there's only so much to analyze during the first updates of our individual rankings. Eugene-based low-stick Simeon Birnbaum opened his season at the Bill Dellinger Invite, taking home the win in dominant fashion. It was a strong start for the Duck veteran who didn't need much convincing to remind us of the talent that he brings to the table. Sure, that meet doesn't provide the same cut-throat competition that the Nuttycombe Invite does, but it was still a positive to see Birnbaum operating at a high level. After all, he finished 18th at this same meet last fall before ultimately placing 33rd at the NCAA XC Championships. That contrast is a reminder that early-season wins only tell us so much, but Birnbaum has given himself a solid foundation to build upon. 20. Pedro Marin, Junior, California Baptist (Unranked) The raw talent and sheer strength that Pedro Marin possesses has long been apparent throughout his career, and he's shown glimpses of that ability on the oval. Of course, success on the grass has eluded him -- that is, until this fall. A 6th place finish at the John McNichols Invite was far and away the best cross country result of Marin's career, marking a potentially important turning point for the California Baptist junior. Sure, we'll need to see Marin continue his progression throughout the fall, but only being bested by the likes of Evans Kurui, Solomon Kipchoge, Tayvon Kitchen, Elsingi Kipruto and Kelvin Cheruiyot in a season opener leaves us incredibly optimistic about his chances of earning his first All-American honor. 19. Dennis Kipkogei, Freshman, Texas (Unranked) Has not yet competed this season. 18. Ernest Cheruiyot, Rs. Sophomore, Arkansas (-14 / 4) Coming into this season, we felt that Ernest Cheruiyot could be a dark horse in the individual national title conversation. And, while not surprising, an impressive win at the Gans Creek Classic only strengthened that belief. Taking down numerous national-caliber names in the process, the Razorback star looked every bit the part of a legitimate contender. It was the kind of season-opening performance that made his lofty preseason ranking feel entirely justified. However, a 15th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite was clearly an “off” day for Cheruiyot. That result forces us to temper our expectations a little, particularly after placing Cheruiyot so high in our initial rankings. But if 15th place at the most competitive regular season meet of the year is an "off" day, then your talent speaks for itself. One race isn't enough to erase what we saw at the Gans Creek Classic, but Friday did prove that he is human. 17. Dismus Lokira, Junior, Alabama (-6 / 11) Dismus Lokira's drop in our rankings isn't necessarily a knock on him. A 4th place finish at the Princeton Meadows Classic isn't a bad result by any means, but we expected the Crimson Tide star to be competing for the win in that race alongside teammates Rodgers Minatum and Duncan Gituku. Even so, our opinion of the Alabama low-stick hasn't changed. Lokira has already demonstrated that he can dictate a race and take down quality competition, and his strength-based racing style should be particularly valuable over the 10k distance. His experience is another important asset as the season progresses, and we fully expect those qualities to shine through when the postseason rolls around. For now, this is more of a slight adjustment rather than a major shift in our outlook. 16. Duncan Gituku, Sophomore, Alabama (Unranked) 15. Rodgers Minatum, Freshman, Alabama (Unranked) Let's lump these two phenom newcomers into the same analysis, shall we? It only feels right considering the amount of hype surrounding them before touching down in Tuscaloosa. Of course, it hasn't taken long for Duncan Gituku and Rodgers Minatum to make waves in their first taste of racing in the NCAA, with both Kenyan-born stars earning top-three finishes at the Southern Showcase. Those results were an encouraging introduction, but their next outing showed just how dangerous this duo could become. Their 1-2 finish at the Princeton Meadows Classic, while taking down star teammate Dismus Lokira in the process, was a much more convincing statement. That said, we'll need to see how these rookies fare during the postseason, and particularly how they handle the bright lights of the NCAA XC Championships, before jumping the gun too much. But the early returns are difficult to ignore. Gituku and Minatum have already demonstrated that they can win against quality competition, and as of right now, both men look the part of top-half All-Americans. Alabama men competing at the Princeton Meadows Classic // Photo via Mason Canton 14. Bernard Cheruiyot, Junior, Tulane (+1 / 15) We'll admit, there isn't a ton to report on Tulane's Bernard Cheruiyot when comparing his early-season campaign to where he stood at this point last fall. The Green Wave ace opened his season by taking care of business and coming away with the win at the Loyola Lakefront Invite. It was a solid way to begin the year, even if the field didn't provide the kind of national-level measuring stick that would tell us much more about his current form. That remains Cheruiyot's only appearance of the season, but his proven resume gives him the benefit of the doubt. We've seen enough from the Tulane veteran over the course of his career to feel comfortable keeping him in the top-15 portion of our rankings for now. 13. Evans Kurui, Junior, Washington State (0 / 13) Evans Kurui has proven to possess one of the higher floors in the NCAA during his tenure with the Cougars, and his ever-so-reliable racing has only continued into his junior campaign. A 4th place finish at the John McNichols Invite, followed by a 13th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite, reflects the kind of consistency that we have come to expect from the Washington State star. Neither result is particularly surprising, but that's part of what makes Kurui such a dependable presence in these rankings. Those performances are the resume of a borderline top-10 athlete in the NCAA, and Kurui has done little to suggest that his standing should change. Let's also not forget that he tends to get even better as the racing distance increases. With his reliable floor and potential to deliver even more over the longer distances, Kurui remains a difficult athlete to overlook. 12. George Couttie, Senior, Virginia Tech (-4 / 8) A victory at the Fire Tower Project Meet is certainly a positive result for Couttie, but it came against a very limited field. His drop in our rankings is largely based on what others have done rather than anything Couttie has done wrong. We know just how good this Virginia Tech star can be when championship season rolls around, which is precisely why he remains so close to our top-10. We're certainly not questioning his ability, but we'd like to see him tested against stronger competition before moving him back up in our rankings. 11. Brian Musau, Senior, Oklahoma State (-6 / 5) Brian Musau falls out of our top-10 after finishing a distant 4th place at the Cowboy Jamboree. And for an athlete of his caliber, that result feels very underwhelming. That, admittedly, is not to take anything away from those who finished ahead of him. However, seeing a multiple-time national champion get beaten fairly handily on his home course certainly leaves us scratching our heads just a bit. The BIG 12 Championships will likely be the next time when we see him tested against a truly elite field, and that should give us a much clearer picture of where Musau stands heading into the postseason. Brian Musau (center) competing at the Cowboy Jamboree // Photo via Oklahoma State Athletics 10. Solomon Kipchoge, Junior, Washington State (-7 / 3) It's remarkable to think that we have to view a 5th place finish at the John Nichols Invite and a 9th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite as "underwhelming" results. That, however, speaks to just how highly we think Solomon Kipchoge's ceiling is. The Washington State star was very much perceived as a contender for the individual national title coming into the season. However, from what we've seen from the Cougar ace so far, he doesn't look to be in that kind of form (yet). Last fall, we saw him excel in the early-season races and carry that momentum right through to the postseason. This time around, he seemingly has a little more work to do before reaching that point. Of course, we don't want to count him out just yet, which is why we still have him at TSR #10. 9. Collins Kiprotich, Junior, New Mexico (-2 / 7) 8. Evans Kiplagat, Senior, New Mexico (+4 / 12) There truthfully isn't much to discuss with this New Mexico duo despite having raced at two major meets this fall. At the Cowboy Jamboree, Collins Kiprotich secured a brilliant 3rd place finish, taking down all of his teammates (sans Pasanjo Kitonga), as well as Oklahoma State star, Brian Musau. In that same race, Evans Kiplagat was 5th, offering a similar level of scoring potency and firepower. Then, at the Nuttycombe Invite, this duo was spectacular once again, taking 7th place and 8th place, this time in reverse order. Put simply, this lethal Lobo duo looks just as good as they were last fall -- and in the case of Kiplagat, maybe even better. Not only that, but both of these New Mexico men are showing improved consistency, operating an elite level on multiple occasions. That is an important caveat to consider given the chaotic nature of the NCAA XC Championships. 7. Denis Kipngetich, Junior, Oklahoma State (-1 / 6) There truthfully isn't much to talk about when it comes to Denis Kipngetich. The always-reliable Oklahoma State star was excellent in his season debut at the Cowboy Jamboree, taking runner-up honors behind a New Mexico runner in Pasanjo Kitonga who looks truly elite. And although he didn't win that race, the Cowboy star still down numerous top names in the process. We won't get another good look at Kipngetich until he reaches the postseason, specifically for the BIG 12 XC Championships. That said, his history of reliability suggests that he'll almost certainly be a top-five name, and maybe a top-three name, in that field. 6. Kelvin Cheruiyot, Sophomore, Florida (+3 / 9) It has been an outstanding start to the season for Kelvin Cheruiyot who has thrived at both the John McNichols Invite and the Nuttycombe Invite. Of course, it was the former meet that caught our attention in a big way. There, the Gator sophomore looked like he was out of contention for the win in Terre Haute going into the final quarter mile. However, a massive wave of momentum and a big kick allowed him to narrowly snag the win over Louisville superstar Elsingi Kipruto and BYU's Tayvon Kitchen. That individual victory was massive, as it fully showcased the upside and talent that we saw from Cheruiyot throughout his freshman year. And sure, his 6th place finish in Madison, Wisconsin wasn't quite as exciting by comparison, but it's fair to suggest that the Florida standout seemingly has greater control of his unreal fitness than he has in prior seasons. Kelvin Cheruiyot competing at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg 5. Tayvon Kitchen, Sophomore, BYU (+12 / 17) We knew that Tayvon Kitchen was going to be a national-caliber superstar at the collegiate level. After all, he was an All-American as a freshman last fall, ran a monster 7:36 (3k) PR on the indoor oval and posted a 13:16 (5k) personal best this past spring. Even so, expecting the BYU ace to further build upon that already-high level of fitness and become even stronger on the grass this fall wasn't a guarantee. Of course, a 3rd place finish at the John McNichols Invite and a 5th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite indicate that Kitchen has firmly entrenched himself in the elite tier of NCAA stars. What's encouraging about Kitchen is that, even as he moves up in the NCAA's hierarchy of stardom, he is still being aggressive, being fully unafraid to lead races and push paces. That hasn't always worked well for him in the final 1000 meters of his last two meets, but it's fair to say that this BYU runner is still ahead of his projected progression. 4. Rocky Hansen, Senior, Wake Forest (-3 / 1) It's hard to be too critical of Rocky Hansen's 4th place finish on Friday given that he, a) was just part of the fastest race in Nuttycombe Invite history by a HEAVY margin, and b) was in contention for the win in the final stretch of the race. We came into this season believing that the Wake Forest veteran was a favorite for the individual national title in November. And frankly, we still believe that, even after he was defeated by the top-three men in our rankings in Madison, Wisconsin. Hansen's experience, proven turnover, past success and ongoing competitiveness suggests that he can still win NCAA gold in November. That said, we simply have to put other men ahead of him in our rankings for now -- Hansen's staying power is truthfully not as concrete as what we saw from Habtom Samuel in recent years. 3. Elsingi Kipruto, Sophomore, Louisville (-1 / 2) We haven't really seen any surprises from Elsingi Kipruto so far this season. Sure, he was upset by Florida's Kelvin Cheruiyot at the John McNichols Invite, but that felt more like a clutch run from the Gator sophomore rather than a poor race from the Cardinal standout. Remember, Kipruto still beat Tayvon Kitchen in that battle. And on Friday, as the final stretch unfolded, it was still Kipruto battling for the individual win until he was narrowly out-kicked in the final moments. In a slightly different race scenario, maybe he comes out with gold. Admittedly, Kipruto has lost gold in his last two races due to a lack of a kick -- or, more accurately put, due to being out-kicked. And given how crowded the top of the NCAA appears to be amongst individuals, that may matter when we reach November. 2. Pasanjo Kitonga, Freshman, New Mexico (Unranked) There was a lot of summer-time hype and rumored promise surrounding Pasanjo Kitonga when it was announced that he was signing with New Mexico. He did, after all, run 28:27 for 10,000 meters on the roads at the Beach to Beacon race back in August. Let's also not forget that he ran 13:49 for 5000 meters in 2025...at roughly 6000 feet of altitude. Nearly everything that we knew about Kitonga entering this fall (which truthfully wasn't a lot) suggested that he was going to be an immediate NCAA star. Even so, I don't think we expected him to be THIS good THIS fast. An overall win at the Cowboy Jamboree was extremely impressive when you consider that he took down numerous top-level collegiate stars, both from his own team and from Oklahoma State. And if that wasn't enough, Kitonga settled for a narrow runner-up finish at the Nuttycombe Invite, taking down Rocky Hansen and Elsingi Kipruto in the process (our top-two preseason runners). Put simply, Kitonga is a beast. He is aerobically dominant and he has largely not been fazed by the depth of elite competition that he has faced as of late. Sure, his lack of collegiate experience is something to monitor in November, but there is absolutely a world where he wins the NCAA title this fall. 1. Meshack Kipruto, Freshman, Colorado (Unranked) We will fully admit that it feels a bit reactionary to list Meshack Kipruto at TSR #1 in our individual rankings. After all, he has only competed in one national-caliber race this season and he's extremely inexperienced at this level otherwise. However, what we saw from Kipruto last Friday at the Nuttycombe Invite was simply phenomenal. In a race where he was tasked with taking down Rocky Hansen, Elsingi Kipruto and Pasanjo Kitonga, he did exactly that. And not only did he beat all of those men on the nation's biggest regular season stage, laying down an unreal kick, but he also SMASHED the former meet record of 22:58 (8k) held by Habtom Samuel from 2025. Kipruto's time on Friday? 22:30 for 8000 meters. That mark erased the former meet record, and despite the aggressive pace, Kipruto still had a lethal enough kick to outlast other NCAA superstars while celebrating at the finish line. At The Stride Report, we try not to overreact to one race and we almost certainly never look at times on the grass in a serious way. But the manner in which we saw Kipruto win the Nuttycombe Invite last Friday was truly astonishing. And if that's what he can do in early October, then what can he do in late November? ADDED Nicholas Kipchirchir (Wichita State) Tam Gavenas (Harvard) Joshua Abraham (New Mexico) Jake Liebert (Colorado) Benne Anderson (Syracuse) James Corrigan (BYU) Nick Busienei (Arkansas) Zouhair Redouane (Tennessee) Isaiah Givens (Colorado) Nelson Setek (Tennessee) Pedro Marin (California Baptist) Dennis Kipkogei (Texas) Duncan Gituku (Alabama) Rodgers Minatum (Alabama) Pasanjo Kitonga (New Mexico) Meshack Kipruto (Colorado) KICKED OFF Geoffrey Kirwa (Louisville) Brian Masai (Arkansas) Silas Kiptanui (Tulane) Birhanu Harriman (Georgetown) Noah Jenkins (BYU) Ronald Ngetich (Oklahoma) Benedict Njoroge (Washington State) Jacob Nenow (Princeton) Brian Kimutai (Eastern Kentucky) Fredrick Kipkosgei (Hofstra) Stephen Maroro (Kansas) Myles Hogan (Oregon)* Meshack Kuyo (Duke) Riley Hough (Michigan State) Evans Biwott (Oklahoma) Timothy Chesondin (Arkansas) JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Birhanu Harriman (Georgetown) Noah Jenkins (BYU) Jacob Nenow (Princeton) Fredrick Kipkosgei (Hofstra) Stephen Maroro (Kansas) Brian Kimutai (Eastern Kentucky) Evans Tanui (Arizona) Joe O'Brien (Georgetown) Bailey Habler (Villanova) Lukas Haug (Colorado) HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Silas Kiptanui (Tulane) Brian Masai (Arkansas) Joad Martinho (Toledo) Johnny Livingstone (Wisconsin) James Dargan (Stanford) Sam Burgess (Harvard) Brian Kiprotich (Boise State) Collins Kiprop Kipngok (Kentucky) Christopher Knight (Furman) Freddy Collins (Boston U.) Notes - We have opted to not include Oregon signee Nick Griggs in our rankings. It appears that Griggs is returning from injury and it is unclear if/when he will race this fall. With so much uncertainty and ongoing absence, we waiting to see what happens with the Duck signee before he is listed.

Written by Mike McKean, Finn Birnie & Garrett Zatlin NOTE: These rankings are based on how an individual fared throughout the entirety of a season, not just how they ran at a singular meet or (eventually) at the NCAA XC Championships. Click here to learn more about our ranking criteria. We will only list a max of 10 names in both our "Just Missed" section and our "Honorable Mentions" section (each). KEY (Unranked): Was not ranked in our last update. (#/#): First number indicates how much the athlete has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the athlete was ranked in our last update. 50. Rose Mburu, Sophomore, SMU (Unranked) After securing a pair of wins at two low-key rust-busters, Rose Mburu ventured to the Cowboy Jamboree to take on a top-heavy field. Sure, the SMU standout "only" got 6th place in that field, but there is zero shame in losing to women such as Billah Jepkirui, Maureen Cherotich, Jane Hedengren, Mercy Kirarei and Jenna Hutchins. At the end of the day, Mburu was still able to take down a heavy portion of BYU's stacked lineup, as well Sooner ace Domtila Cheruto in Stillwater, Oklahoma. And while her resume is a bit limited beyond that, we have seen enough progression from Mburu over the last year to know that she is deserving of this final spot in our rankings. 49. Katie Bohlke, Sophomore, Virginia Tech (-8 / 41) Has not yet competed this season. 48. Monica Wanjiku, Sophomore, Missouri (-14 / 34) Yes, it's true, Monica Wanjiku is taking a somewhat hefty hit in our rankings this week. That, however, isn't to say that she has been running poorly In fact, for the most part, she has actually been quite good. The Missouri sophomore took 5th place at the Gans Creek Classic in her first major test of the season. That was a decent result, but it also meant that she took losses to two unranked Kentucky women, as well Isca Chelangat (Arkansas) and Elizabeth Khatevi (Texas A&M-CC). However, a 20th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite was a stronger step in the right direction. And sure, that latter result by itself likely wouldn't have been enough to put Wanjiku in our top-50 rankings had she not already been listed. Even so, being a prior All-American and showcasing solid consistency in two major races this season was enough to keep her in our rankings. 47. Victoria Garces, Sophomore, Duke (Unranked) One of the more pleasant surprises of the Princeton Meadows Classic was seeing Duke sophomore Victoria Garces produce an outstanding runner-up result! Her only loss came to Alabama star Caren Kiplagat, and she was able to take down an All-American ace in Cynthia Jemutai as well. Admittedly, the rest of that field wasn't exactly littered with low-stick stars or proven All-Americans. Even so, Garces' performance felt like a massive one. Remember, this Blue Devil held a tremendous resume at the high school level and clearly boasted tons of pedigree. However, her freshman year was a clear acclimation period. Regardless, that Princeton race showed us a lot about Garces, specifically her upside and current fitness. Sure, we need to see more from her moving forward, but taking down Jemutai deserves a nod in our rankings. 46. Allie Zealand, Junior, Liberty (-29 / 17) We'll admit, the first two meets of this season haven't exactly been great for Liberty ace Allie Zealand. The Flames' focal low-stick settled for an uneventful 9th place effort at the Eye Opener XC Meet in early September, taking losses to multiple Clemson and South Carolina women. Fast forward to the Paul Short Run, and Zealand still didn't look like herself, fading to 4th place despite being favored for the win (or close to it). It would be a bit too harsh to immediately drop someone who was listed at TSR #17 in our preseason rankings after two races that took place before mid-October. That said, we felt that a substantial drop in Zealand's stock was necessary given who has beaten her so far this fall. 45. Millie Bii, Freshman, Washington State (Unranked) We truthfully didn't know much about Mille Bii coming into this year. Sure, we knew that she was a Kenyan newcomer, but there was little-to-no information on her prior to entering these fall months. Of course, we have very quickly learned that Bii is, in fact, a low-stick-caliber name. That much was obvious at the John McNichols Invite where she threw down a fantastic 6th place result. That was a statement performance as she narrowly lost out to Florida's Desma Chepkoech, but defeated other top names such as Ava Mitchell, Purity Chepkirui, Elsa Sundqvist, Erin Vringer and more. Now, admittedly, Bii's collegiate inexperience did show at the Nuttycombe Invite where she settled for a slightly less impressive 26th place finish. That is largely why she is "only" ranked at TSR #45 and not ahead of the women we just mentioned. Even so, it's clear that Bii holds a good bit of firepower and that she can be competitive in major fields. That is huge for a Washington State team that doesn't have focal ace Zenah Cheptoo in top form this fall. 44. Ava Mitchell, Junior, Northern Arizona (+4 / 48) So far so good for Ava Mitchell who has largely been right on par with our expectations for her this fall. The Northern Arizona talent earned a promising 7th place finish at the John McNichols Invite to start her season and later secured a respectable 23rd place effort at the Nuttycombe Invite. Sure, you could argue that Mitchell's former result was better than what she produced at the latter meet. Even so, there isn't a whole lot to discuss with this Colorado native who has matched expectations and continues to sit on the fringes of the All-American discussion. 43. Taylor Lovell, Junior, BYU (-11 / 32) No, Taylor Lovell didn't have a "poor" race at the Cowboy Jamboree where she took 9th place overall. The top of that field was particularly loaded and much of her competition in the top-13 consisted of her own teammates. Even so, it's admittedly hard to keep Lovell ranked as highly as she was during the preseason. Her season debut, while not bad, wasn't all that exciting, and a number of other women have created more sparks since then. Of course, Pre-Nationals on Friday will likely give us a better idea of just how good the reigning 3000-meter steeplechase national champion actually is on the grass. 42. Mercy Kibet, Sophomore, Iowa State (-19 / 23) We'll admit, it's really hard to gauge and rank Mercy Kibet right now. We've only seen this Iowa State runner toe the line for one meet this season. That meet, of course, was the prestigious Nuttycombe Invite where she settled for a 22nd place finish. And for someone who was listed at TSR #23 in our preseason, you would likely expect Kibet to produce a better result than that. However, it's important to point out that Kibet was 29th at the Nuttycombe Invite last year before going on to be outstanding in the postseason. And, from that perspective, the Cyclone low-stick may actually be ahead of schedule in her development this season. Regardless, we can only operate on what we've seen so far this fall. And for now, that means (reluctantly) placing Kibet at TSR #42. Mercy Kibet (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 41. Eleanor Voykin, Freshman, Northern Arizona (Unranked) 40. Elsa Sundqvist, Sophomore, Northern Arizona (Unranked) When we learned that Northern Arizona had signed two talented European distance athletes this summer, we were encouraged. At the very least, the newcomer duo of Elsa Sundqvist and Eleanor Voykin could add strong depth and greater backend scoring to this Lumberjack squad. However, it's fair to say that we severely underestimated just how good both of those women would be on the cross country course. That's because, through two meets, both ladies have looked like national-caliber low-sticks and legitimate All-American talents. At the John McNichols Invite, Sundqvist took 9th place while Voykin was 12th. And this past Friday? At the more competitive Nuttycombe Invite? Well, those two women took 14th place and 15th place, respectively. Despite being tasked with racing in the two most competitive cross country meets of the entire season (so far), the Sundqvist-Voykin duo has not been rattled. They clearly hold national-caliber talent, they run with each other fairly well and they seemingly have a high floor -- they aren't going to produce too many "poor" performances. If that holds true at the NCAA XC Championships, then the natural chaos of the meet could cause other top names to falter from All-American contention (which always happens). And in that scenario, both Sundqvist and Voykin could walk away with top-40 finishes. 39. Elizabeth Khatevi, Junior, Texas A&M-CC (0 / 39) Elizabeth Khatevi may only have one result to analyze so far this fall, but boy, was it impressive. A strong runner-up finish at the Gans Creek Classic deserves a nod of respect, especially considering her only defeat came at the hands of Arkansas star, Isca Chelangat. That's an impressive way to open the season, and Khatevi has already given us reason to believe that her momentum from last fall has carried over into this fall campaign. Khatevi was quite literally unbeatable leading up to the NCAA XC Championships last fall, and she looks primed to build on that success. With another year of experience under her belt, we feel confident in her chances of earning an All-American honor this fall. 38. Sophia Kennedy, Senior, Stanford (-12 / 26) Has not yet competed this season. 37. Claire Stegall, Sophomore, Florida (Unranked) Have a day, Claire Stegall! The fast-rising sophomore star is setting out to prove that she has the ability to become a national-caliber, three-season athlete for the Gators. A 9th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite represents a massive step forward on the grass, showcasing a level of cross country fitness that we frankly haven't seen from Stegall before. The Gainesville-based low-stick has clearly benefited from an entire year of experience racing at the NCAA level, and she's already translating that development into results against some of the country's best. Now in her sophomore campaign, Stegall looks poised to carry the success she's achieved on the track over to the grass. If her Nuttycombe Invite performance is any indication of what's to come, then this ranking could prove to be a conservative starting point for the Florida sophomore. Claire Stegall (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 36. Salma Elbadra, Sophomore, South Carolina (-15 / 21) We'll admit, Salma Elbadra was underwhelming at the Joe Piane Invite earlier this month. A 16th place finish in that field paled in comparison to her showing in South Bend last fall, when she secured an impressive 3rd place result at the same meet. And with that underwhelming performance serving as our only appearance to evaluate this season, we're left with little choice but to drop her a good bit in our rankings. That said, Elbadra's resume speaks for itself, especially when considering her entire body of work on the grass last fall. We know what the South Carolina sophomore is capable of when she's firing on all cylinders, and one difficult outing doesn't suddenly erase that potential. There's still plenty of time for Elbadra to work her way back toward the near top-half All-American expectations that we had for her in the preseason. However, she'll need to show more in her next outing to regain some of that lost ground. 35. Amaya Aramini, Rs. Sophomore, Notre Dame (-13 / 22) We've only seen the Notre Dame women compete once so far this fall, and Amaya Aramini's 12th place result at the Joe Piane Invite certainly left a lot to be desired. The strange results from both Aramini and teammate Mary Bonner Dalton have left us here at The Stride Report perplexed, to say the least. While there's some suspicion that the Notre Dame women deployed a more conservative, pack-running approach at their home meet, we can only go off the results in front of us. Needless to say, Aramini's season opener wasn't what we expected. However, her stellar campaign from last fall still deserves plenty of respect when debating her ranking. One underwhelming performance isn't enough to erase what she showed throughout the previous year, and we're willing to bet on Aramini returning to the form that made her such a compelling name in our preseason rankings. 34. Amy Bunnage, Senior, Stanford (-10 / 24) Has not yet competed this season. 33. Bethany Michalak, Junior, NC State (-5 / 28) Was a 7th place finish at the Joe Piane Invite ideal for Bethany Michalak, a 29th place All-American from last fall? Truthfully, no, it was not. And yet, at the same time, it's hard to be too concerned by that result. In fact, that entire meet in general produced a series of odd performances. Star distance runners such as Salma Elbadra, Mary Bonner Dalton and Amaya Amarini all faded outside of the top-10 in that race. Plus, NC State teammate Angelina Napoleon even settled for one spot behind Michalak in that race. As such, it's hard to penalize this Wolfpack junior too much for a race that, in the grand scheme of things, may not mean much in terms of athlete's current fitness levels. 32. Silvia Jelelgo, Junior, Clemson (-18 / 14) Silvia Jelelgo's dip in our rankings is more a reflection of the athletes around her than an indication that she's been outright poor. That said, the Clemson ace has very clearly not been as sharp as she has been at other points over the last year. Her 7th place finish at the Southern Showcase, paired with a 4th place finish at the Joe Piane Invite, certainly aren't bad results, but they haven't exactly been inspiring, either. In a year where the NCAA's individual field looks particularly deep, solid performances alone simply aren’t enough to maintain a lofty ranking. It's fair to say that Jelelgo looked a bit sharper at this point last fall, although we're not going to harp too much on early-season performances. There's still time for the Clemson veteran to find another gear as the championship portion of the season approaches. For now, however, a ranking of TSR #32 feels more appropriate given the amount of talent across the country and the stronger early-season resumes that we've seen from other athletes. 31. Cynthia Jemutai, Sophomore, Alabama (-16 / 15) Much of what we said about Silvia Jelelgo can also be applied to Alabama's Cynthia Jemutai. A 6th place showing at the Southern Showcase felt largely unexciting, albeit not bad, while a 3rd place finish at the Princeton Meadows Classic offered a similar impression when considering the top-end competition at both contests. Neither result is cause for alarm, but we haven't been given much reason to keep Jemutai near the top-15 range where we initially placed her. Of course, Jemutai really came into her own during the postseason last fall, and her proven ability to time a peak gives us some reason to remain patient. We don't want to overreact, particularly when we know the Alabama sophomore has shown more when the stakes are highest. Cynthia Jemutai competing for Alabama // Photo for Alabama Athletics 30. Jenna Hutchins, Rs. Senior, BYU (+7 / 37) After an early-season rust-buster, BYU veteran Jenna Hutchins earned a very respectable 5th place finish at the extremely top-heavy Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater, Oklahoma. That result was a welcomed step forward and a strong indication that Hutchins can hold her own against a quality field as she works her way back into the national conversation. Perhaps the most promising aspect of Hutchins' campaign so far is that she looks to be in full health, a welcomed sight after missing the entirety of last fall. For an athlete with her experience and pedigree, simply getting back to consistent racing is an important first step. Now, the BYU veteran looks every bit the part of one of the more reliable secondary low-sticks in the NCAA, and her rise in our rankings reflects both her recent results and the encouraging direction of her season. 29. Marion Jepngetich, Sophomore, New Mexico (-10 / 19) Has not yet competed this season. 28. Juliet Cherubet, Senior, Oregon (+2 / 30) 27. Diana Cherotich, Sophomore, Oregon (+2 / 29) These two can be lumped together, as it only makes sense. There isn't a ton to report on with Oregon's individual standouts this early in the fall, as the Ducks typically don't give us much to analyze until we reach the postseason. However, Juliet Cherubet and Diana Cherotich cruised to a 1-2 finish at the Bill Dellinger Invite, taking care of business just as we expected them to. It was a straightforward season opener, but sometimes that's exactly what you want to see from established stars. Cherubet and Cherotich look poised to replicate their All-American honors from last fall, although we'll need to see how they fare against deeper fields before making any major adjustments to our expectations. For now, the Oregon duo remains firmly in the mix as we wait for the championship portion of the season to reveal more. 26. Mary Bonner Dalton, Junior, Notre Dame (-18 / 8) Similar to teammate Amaya Aramini, Mary Bonner Dalton's result at the Joe Piane Invite was a bit odd. We'll admit, an 11th place finish at that meet was a considerable departure from the Notre Dame star's impressive win at the same meet last fall, leaving us with more questions than answers for the Fighting Irish ace. We truthfully can't be sure whether that result was influenced by a more conservative approach, but it's difficult to ignore the contrast between this year's showing and what we saw from Bonner Dalton previously. Fortunately, we still have plenty of stellar results to fall back on when projecting her season outlook. After all, this is the same Notre Dame star who finished 10th at the NCAA XC Championships last fall, and that kind of championship pedigree doesn't just disappear after one underwhelming performance. Mary Bonner Dalton competing at the Joe Piane Invite // Photo via Notre Dame Athletics 25. Nancy Cherop, Freshman, Clemson (+2 / 27) Nancy Cherop was a difficult athlete to rank coming into the season. There was no questioning her talent, but she remained something of an unknown quantity in the NCAA landscape, particularly when it came to cross country. However, after seeing her performances at the Southern Showcase and the Joe Piane Invitational, we think it's fair to say that our initial assessment was pretty close to the mark. The Clemson newcomer opened with a respectable 4th place finish at the particularly top-heavy Southern Showcase before building on that performance with an excellent 3rd place finish at the Joe Piane Invite. Along the way, she beat a host of ACC talent, including several of NC State's leading scorers. This has been an exceptionally encouraging regular season from an athlete with an incredibly high ceiling, and perhaps the biggest takeaway is what it means for Clemson. 24. Desma Chepkoech, Junior, Florida (Unranked) Deservedly breaking into our rankings is Desma Chepkoech, who has been consistently impressive throughout the regular season. A 5th place finish at the John McNichols Invitational, followed by an equally as impactful 12th place performance at the Nuttycombe Invite, has made a convincing case for her inclusion. Last year, Chepkoech looked remarkably strong throughout the regular season, but a lack of NCAA Championship experience appeared to catch up with her when it mattered most, as she struggled to replicate that form at the national meet. Fast forward a year, and we're once again seeing those flashes of brilliance, only this time with another season of collegiate experience under her belt. The talent of this Florida star has never been in question, but the big question now is whether she can carry that regular season consistency into the postseason. If she can, then Chepkoech could be an athlete capable of becoming a top-half All-American. 23. Sheila Chepkirui, Freshman, West Virginia (Unranked) We knew very little about West Virginia newcomer Sheila Chepkirui coming into the season. That's why her emphatic 11th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational this past Friday came as a shock. Finishing that high at the nation's premier regular season meet, in what was truthfully her first proper outing in the NCAA, is exceptional and goes a long way towards showing just how talented the Mountaineers' new star is. Her instant impact was also pivotal for West Virginia, adding another weapon to an already-packed roster. Perhaps most exciting is that we still don't really know where Chepkirui's ceiling is. An 11th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite is an outstanding result in itself, but given how little NCAA experience she had coming into the race, there is every reason to believe she can continue to improve. 22. Angelina Napoleon, Senior, NC State (-12 / 10) Angelina Napoleon takes a tumble in our rankings after a fairly underwhelming start to the season. A 3rd place finish at the Adidas XC Challenge can probably be chalked up as an early-season rust-buster, but we have to admit that we were hoping for a higher finish than 8th at Joe Piane. Of course, her result in South Bend was by no means bad; it's just that, for the reigning ACC individual cross country champion, we were expecting her to be contesting for the victory. That said, the Wolfpack star has proven time and time again that she comes alive during the championship season. We certainly don't want to be too dismissive of Napoleon based on a couple of early-season results, particularly given what she's already shown what she can do when the stakes are highest. There's still plenty of time for her to find her best form, and we'd be far from surprised to see her climb back up our rankings as the season progresses. 21. Edna Chelulei, Sophomore, Eastern Kentucky (-1 / 20) We'll admit, there isn't a great deal to analyze with Edna Chelulei so far. She finished 4th at the John McNichols Invitational, which isn't too far removed from where we expected her to finish (2nd). Chelulei showed us just how talented she is on the track, producing electric performances over both 5000 meters and 10,000 meters, so we expected a good deal of that fitness to translate to the grass, and clearly it has. The Colonel star has the potential to work her way into our top-20 as the season progresses. The real question is how much further she can build on what has already been a very promising start. Edna Chelulei charging to the finish line at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg 20. Sheylah Kurgat, Freshman, Colorado (Unranked) What a way to kick off your NCAA career! In her very first race stateside, Sheylah Kurgat posted a massive 7th place finish at the nation's premier regular season meet, the Nuttycombe Invitational. We truthfully knew very little about the Buffalo newcomer prior to the season. A 16:19 mark at 6800 feet of altitude was certainly an indicator of talent, but we know that transitioning to the NCAA can, in some cases, require a significant adjustment period for international athletes. Well, Kurgat clearly didn't need much of one, and her transition to life in Boulder is seemingly going incredibly smoothly. Sure, we don't want to draw any definitive conclusions from just one race, but the talent is certainly there. Finishing 7th at a meet of this caliber in your NCAA debut is no small feat, and it immediately puts Kurgat on our radar as a serious postseason contender. A top-half All-American finish may seem like a bold prediction for someone so new to the realm, but based on what we've seen so far, it's certainly within her capabilities. 19. Mary Ogwoka, Sophomore, Tennessee (-1 / 18) Remaining within our top-20 is Mary Ogwoka, someone who has offered something of a mixed bag of results this season. The first opportunity we had to properly see Ogwoka in action came at the Gans Creek Classic. However, after initially finding herself in contention with the chase pack, we unfortunately saw her step off the course and record a DNF. In many cases, that would be a cause for concern. But in the Volunteers' case, it didn't appear to be anything too serious, as she was back in action at the Nuttycombe Invitational, where she crossed the line with an excellent 8th place finish. An All-American on the grass last year, we know that a healthy Ogwoka is a serious force, and this season, she could well be looking at a top-half All-American finish. Her performance in Madison, Wisconsin was a timely reminder of just how good she can be. And while consistency will be important from here on out, we remain confident in her ability. 18. Mercy Kinyanjui, Junior, West Virginia (+18 / 36) Skyrocketing into our top-20 is West Virginia ace Mercy Kinyanjui, and her rise couldn't be more deserved. A 6th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational truthfully came as a small surprise. Of course, we saw flashes of excellence during her first season at West Virginia last year, as she featured in the top-eight at the BIG 12 XC Championships before narrowly missing out on All-American honors with a 45th place finish at the NCAA XC Championships. Even so, a performance as strong as this at a meet as prestigious as the Nuttycombe Invite represents a serious step forward. An All-American finish now feels far more like a realistic expectation rather than an outside possibility for this Kenyan ace. Having already shown that she can compete with the nation's best, Kinyanjui looks ready to take that next step, and having a superstar teammate like Joy Naukot to train and race alongside should only help her development. 17. Rosemary Longisa, Junior, Iowa State (-8 / 9) A 10th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite would be an outstanding result for virtually anyone. However, for someone as elite as Rosemary Longisa, it's probably fair to say it was, "just okay." The reigning NCAA 1500-meter champion proved last fall that she is far more than just a middle distance talent, with a victory at the 2025 Gans Creek Classic and a 3rd place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite. We know just how much quality Longisa possesses, and while this latest result was certainly respectable, we can't help but feel that there's another gear that she has yet to show us this season. We expect a little more, and we remain confident that she'll deliver as the championship season approaches. 16. Purity Chepkirui, Freshman, Toledo (Unranked) Toledo have a new star in the making! Purity Chepkirui has made a terrific introduction to her new teammates and has seemingly transitioned to the NCAA ranks with remarkable ease. An 8th place finish at the John McNichols Invitational was a very promising start for the Glass City newcomer, but that was only the beginning. She followed that up with a stunning 4th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational, firmly establishing herself as one of the most exciting newcomers in the entire country. For Toledo, having an athlete of this caliber emerge so quickly is hugely valuable. Chepkirui has the makings of an elite low-stick, and her consistency across the opening few races has been particularly encouraging. The obvious question now is whether her relative inexperience in the NCAA will become a limiting factor as the season progresses. The championship environment is an entirely different challenge, but based on what we've seen so far, there is little reason to doubt her ability to handle it. Purity Chepkirui (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 15. Katy Zang, Freshman, Indiana (Unranked) The immediate impact of Katy Zang has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season thus far. And, putting it simply, she has been outstanding. We got our first proper look at Zang at the John McNichols Invitational, where she finished an excellent runner-up, taking down some serious names in the process, including Florida's Judy Chepkoech, who would go on to win at Nuttycombe. That performance was a real sign of things to come, and the Hoosier's fearless and aggressive racing style is particularly commendable. She would then go on to validate that performance with another runner-up finish at the Joe Piane Invitational, this time finishing behind NC State's Hannah Gapes. Zang has fearlessly established herself among the nation's finest and looks completely at home doing so. What is perhaps most encouraging is that these performances haven't come from one isolated standout result, but from a consistent willingness to take the race to some of the country's best. If she can maintain this approach as the competition gets tougher, then there is every reason to believe Zang could be a major factor in the battle for a top-10 finish on the national stage. 14. Brighter Jepchumba, Sophomore, Eastern Kentucky (Unranked) A massive victory at the John McNichols Invitational was a true statement performance from Brighter Jepchumba. We knew that Jepchumba was talented, after all, as she featured in the 10,000-meter field at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this past spring. Even so, that early-season victory at a major invitational still came as a huge surprise. Taking down Florida's Judy Chepkoech, who would go on to claim victory at the Nuttycombe Invite, makes this result all the more impressive. So, what does this mean for the rest of the season? Has Jepchumba put herself in the conversation for a potential top-10 push? Or was this simply an exceptional performance on the day? It's certainly an intriguing possibility, but we'd like to see a little more before making any bold predictions. There is no questioning the talent, and this victory has undoubtedly raised her stock considerably, but the real test will be whether she can reproduce that level of performance against another strong field. 13. Mercy Kirarei, Junior, New Mexico (Unranked) In the span of two races, Mercy Kirarei has gone from someone with an outside shot at an All-American finish to someone who could very well be contending for the top-10 at this year's national meet. A 4th place finish at the Cowboy Jamboree was already a strong result and one that truly set the tone for Kirarei's season. However, she has since taken things to an entirely different level with a monstrous 3rd place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational, an elite result and something that has felt like a long-time coming. Back in 2024, we saw her finish 35th at the NCAA XC Championships as a freshman, and we expected to see her continue that upwards trajectory. However, that progress was halted last fall with what was a fairly underwhelming set of results. Now, Kirarei has taken things up a significant notch. Perhaps most impressive is the company she's now keeping. A 3rd place finish in Madison, Wisconsin means that she's not just competing with the nation's best, but beating a number of established stars in the process. That's a huge statement and suggests her ceiling could be considerably higher than we initially anticipated. Of course, the big question now is whether this is a genuine step forward that she can sustain throughout the season or simply one exceptional afternoon. Consistency will be key, but if Kirarei can reproduce anything close to this level during the championship season, a top-10 finish at the NCAA XC Championships is no longer an unrealistic ambition. 12. Maureen Cherotich, Sophomore, Oklahoma State (+32 / 44) The biggest mover and shaker this week is Oklahoma State's Maureen Cherotich, someone who takes a giant leap into TSR #12. This jump is more than deserved after her brilliant 2nd place finish at the Cowboy Jamboree. Now, you might be thinking, "Huh? 2nd place at her home meet? What's so significant about that?" Well, in that race, she beat national title favorite Jane Hedengren and the rest of a very talented BYU contingent. Her only loss was to her teammate, Billah Jepkirui. We knew that Cherotich was talented. After all, she finished 42nd at last fall's NCAA XC Championships. But to take down a phenom-like name suggests a significant jump in fitness and warrants a serious reassessment of her ranking. Of course, we don't want to get too carried away, as this is still just one result in a relatively low-stakes setting. Even so, that certainly gives us a glimpse of just how high the young Kenyan's ceiling could be. If she can carry this level of performance into the championship season, then there is no reason why Cherotich can't establish herself among the nation's select elite. 11. Joy Naukot, Junior, West Virginia (-5 / 6) Joy Naukot’s removal from the top-10 portion of our rankings largely comes at the expense of the excellence seen from others rather than anything that she has necessarily done wrong. In fact, she ran very well at the Nuttycombe Invite, finishing in 5th place overall. Although, we felt like there was certainly an opportunity to finish a few places higher. That said, the almost blanket nature of the women's finish meant that there was virtually no separation between the leading individuals, with very little to distinguish those who were just ahead of her. Consistency has always been the West Virginia star's greatest quality. And given what we've seen from her year after year, we don't expect Naukot to remain too far outside of our top-10 for long. West Virginia women after competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 10. Pamela Kosgei, Junior, New Mexico (-8 / 2) New Mexico star Pamela Kosegi barely hangs on to a top-10 ranking following a somewhat underwhelming (by her standards) 13th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational. We know that the Lobo superstar has considerably more to offer and, truthfully, Friday featured a field that Kosegi could have comfortably taken down had she been at her best. While her performance certainly left us wanting more, it's no reason to overreact. On her best day, Kosegi is one of the nation's most elite distance runners and boasts a championship pedigree that very few can match. We're talking, after all, about a multiple-time NCAA champion. One result, however disappointing, does little to change that. The question now is how quickly she can rediscover that top gear as the season moves towards championship season. 9. Caren Kiplagat, Sophomore, Alabama (+2 / 11) Alabama's Caren Kiplagat has been about as dominant as you would expect, opening her season with two very comfortable victories. The most impressive of the two came at the Princeton Meadows Classic, where she cruised to a commanding 30-second victory. Truthfully, these results don't tell us anything that we didn't already know about Kiplagat. She's an aerobic monster and a fearless racer, and neither of those qualities have been in question. The championship portion of the season should give us a much clearer indication of just how fit Kiplagat really is, as she'll face considerably deeper competition and be pushed in ways that she simply hasn't been so far. 8. Mercyline Kirwa, Sophomore, Iowa State (-3 / 5) Has not yet competed this season. 7. Betty Kipkore, Sophomore, Iowa State (+5 / 12) An agonizing runner-up finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational saw Betty Kipkore come within inches of a huge victory, only to be caught on the line by Florida's Judy Chepkoech. While she ultimately had to settle for 2nd place, it was abundantly clear that Kipkore was more than capable of taking the win. A premature celebration may well have cost the Cyclone youngster at the finish, but that shouldn't take away from what was an outstanding performance. More importantly, this was exactly the type of race we were hoping to see from Kipkore. Having already shown during her freshman season that she was capable of mixing it with the very best, it was hugely encouraging to see her carry that same level of performance into her sophomore campaign. 6. Judy Chepkoech, Junior, Florida (+7 / 13) What a tremendous start to the season for Florida star, Judy Chepkoech! The Gator ace kicked things off with a ver strong 3rd place finish at the John McNichols Invitational. And while we felt that Chepkoech was capable of winning that race in Terre Haute, it was by no means a poor performance. Instead, it was a promising starting point to build from. And gosh, did she build from that! Chepkoech travelled to Madison, Wisconsin for the Nuttycombe Invitational and delivered a massive victory. It was a statement performance that showed is that she is more than capable of mixing it with the very best in the country despite the crowded nature of the finish. Perhaps it's a little early to get carried away. But based on what we've seen so far, we wouldn't rule out Chepkoech making a genuine push for the top-three come November. Judy Chepkoech celebrates winning the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 5. Isca Chelangat, Sophomore, Arkansas (-1 / 4) Newly minted Arkansas standout Isca Chelangat seems to be settling into life in Fayetteville incredibly well. The former Oklahoma State runner looked very assured en route to her victory at the Gans Creek Classic, producing a comfortable performance which suggests that she's lost little, if anything, in her transition to a new program. While it may not have been the strongest field by any means, the victory was more than enough to signal that things are going smoothly for the sophomore and that she remains very much the runner we saw break through last fall. And for an Arkansas squad that needed a spark, that's an extremely encouraging sign. 4. Hannah Gapes, Senior, NC State (+3 / 7) Despite it still being very early in the season, NC State standout Hannah Gapes has already been busier than most. That is largely thanks to a trip across the Atlantic Ocean to Copenhagen, Denmark where she represented New Zealand at the World Athletics Road Running Championships. There, the New Zealand native was fantastic, securing a 9th place finish in a blazing time of 15:06 for 5000 meters! Less than two weeks later, Gapes was back stateside and comfortably claimed victory at the Joe Piane Invitational, taking down a fast-rising rookie star in Katy Zang with relative ease. Simply put, Gapes looks to be in the best shape of her life. Given her proven ability on the grass, this early-season form is particularly exciting. If she can carry this momentum into the heart of the cross country season, then there's every reason to believe that we'll be seeing plenty more of her at the front of the field. 3. Grace Hartman, Senior, NC State (0 / 3) Has not yet competed this season. 2. Billah Jepkirui, Rs. Senior, Oklahoma State (+14 / 16) After an extended absence in the middle of her college career, followed by an acclimation period since returning to competition, we think it's fair to say the best version of Billah Jepkirui is fully back! A huge victory at the Cowboy Jamboree over national title favorite Jane Hedengren certainly makes a statement. With just one kilometer remaining in that race, the Cowgirl made a decisive move and opened up what would eventually become a healthy eight-second gap. During the track season, we saw glimpses of the runner who made such an impression in 2023. However, her failure to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships left some questions about where she stood heading into the cross country season. Thankfully, those questions have now been answered, with the Oklahoma State veteran arguably looking better than she did in 2023 when she finished 7th at the NCAA XC Championships. If Jepkirui can maintain this level of elite fitness throughout the season, and later carry this form into her championship races, then there is little doubt she will be among the leading contenders. It's also worth noting that she seems to have a particular knack for getting the better of Hedengren, having beaten her at both the 2026 BIG 12 Indoor Championships (mile) and BIG 12 Outdoor Championships (1500m). With the Cowboy Jamboree victory now added to that list, Jepkirui has once again shown that she has the ability to challenge even literally anyone who the NCAA throws at her. 1. Jane Hedengren, Sophomore, BYU (0 / 1) Is a surprising upset loss in the opening race of the season enough to hit the panic button? No, absolutely not, especially not when the woman who lost is Jane Hedengren. That is largely why we still have her at TSR #1. That said, her 3rd place performance at the Cowboy Jamboree does suggest that the gap between Jane Hedengren and the rest of the nation may not be as large as what some had presumed entering the season. After leading the majority of the race at the Cowboy Jamboree, Hedengren still had the Oklahoma State duo of Billah Jepkirui and Maureen Cherotich for company through 5000 meters. Traditionally, the latter stages of a race have favored the BYU phenom, with her relentless pressure eventually proving too much for those around her. This time, however, it was the Cowgirl duo who got the better of her on their home course. A 3rd place finish is hardly a disaster, but it was certainly a surprising result in a race that someone of Hedengren's caliber would have been expected to win. It doesn't fundamentally change how we view her heading into the season, and it's worth remembering that this was just the opening race of a long campaign. However, it does provide an early reminder that even the nation's best aren't immune to an "off" day. ADDED Rose Mburu (SMU) Victoria Garces (Duke) Millie Bii (Washington State) Eleanor Voykin (Northern Arizona) Elsa Sundqvist (Northern Arizona) Claire Stegall (Florida) Desma Chepkoech (Florida) Sheila Chepkirui (West Virginia) Sheylah Kurgat (Colorado) Purity Chepkirui (Toledo) Katy Zang (Indiana) Brighter Jepchumba (Eastern Kentucky) Mercy Kirarei (New Mexico) KICKED OFF Zenah Cheptoo (Washington State) Taylor Rohatinsky (BYU) Ali Weimer (Minnesota) Rachel Forsyth (NC State) Domtila Cheruto (Oklahoma) Dalia Frias (Oregon) Nelah Roberts (BYU) Sadie Engelhardt (NC State) Hayley Burns (Northern Arizona) Rylee Blade (Florida State) Paityn Noe (Arkansas) Carmen Cernjul (Northern Arizona) Angelina Perez (Wake Forest) JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Ali Weimer (Minnesota) Rachel Forsyth (NC State) Domtila Cheruto (Oklahoma) Sadie Engelhardt (NC State) Carmen Cernjul (Northern Arizona) Adrianna Buitelaar (Colorado) Nancy Chepleting (Louisville) Naomi Kemboi (West Virginia) Abbey Mathison (Colorado) Mercy Chepkemoi (Arizona) HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Alexis Lamb (West Virginia) Caren Kipsirat (Utah Valley) Erin Vringer (Utah) Dalia Frias (Oregon) Nelah Roberts (BYU) Hayley Burns (Northern Arizona) Lexi Goff (BYU) Karrie Baloga (BYU) Julia Flynn (Stanford) Ann Lemirisho (Kentucky) Notes - N/A

Production via Wyatt Barnsley On this week’s episode of The Stride Report Podcast, Ben and Garrett recap a thrilling weekend of NCAA cross country action at the Nuttycombe Invitational, headlined by a dominant 66-point victory from the West Virginia women that has the Mountaineers firmly in the national title conversation. The guys break down the rest of the women’s team results and Judy Chepkoech’s dramatic victory at the line before shifting their attention to the men’s race, where New Mexico defended their Nuttycombe title with an impressive 59-point performance. They also analyze Meshak Kipruto’s statement individual win and what it means for the NCAA title picture, while discussing the news of Irish standout Nick Griggs signing with Oregon. With several national contenders making major statements, Ben and Garrett examine how the weekend’s results could reshape the championship landscape. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review! (2:57) Oregon Signs Northern Ireland Phenom Nick Griggs (9:00) West Virginia Women Score 66 Points in Convincing Victory at Nuttycombe & Rest of Women’s Team Results (24:02) Judy Chepkoech Claims Nuttycombe Individual Title AT THE LINE! (27:36) New Mexico Men Defend Nuttycombe Title With 59-Point Effort & Rest of Men’s Team Results (47:48) Meshak Kipruto Firmly Puts Himself In the National Title Picture With Nuttycombe Win 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.