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Ty Jones competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover Yes, we have photos! TSR readers can download our photos from the 2026 Nuttycombe Invite via our SNAPSHOTS page! When posting to social media, all we ask is that you (please) cite and tag the respective photographer (Suvir Grover // suvirsphotos) as well as @thestridereport. Enjoy! 2026 Nuttycombe Invite (via Suvir Grover) Instagram: suvirsphotos UCLA women huddle before racing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover

NOTE: These rankings are based on how a team 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 team has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the team was ranked in our last update. 25. Eastern Kentucky Colonels (Unranked) We knew that the Eastern Kentucky women had a couple of lethal low-stick talents, but seeing that firepower translate to an 8th place finish at the John McNichols Invite was very encouraging for the Colonels. Brighter Jepchumba is better than we ever realized and Edna Chelulei is still borderline elite. Sure, the Colonels depth was questionable-at-best during their race in Terre Haute, but Morgan Kobylinski looked like a surprisingly solid middle-lineup scorer. When it comes to Eastern Kentucky, their margins are thin, their depth is lacking and they are still mostly unproven. Even so, there is enough scoring potency at the front of this lineup to make this team nationally competitive. 24. North Carolina Tar Heels (-1 / 23) We've only see the North Carolina women toe the line for one nationally competitive meet this season: the Princeton Meadows Classic. There, the Tar Heels showcased exceptional depth and pack-running tactics, taking spots 10-14-15-17-19-24. Not only that, but key support pieces such as Maddie Gardiner, Reese Dalton and Kinley Wolfe exhibited promising development as well. Admittedly, defeating teams such as Providence, Duke and Syracuse aren't necessarily going to make us think of the Tar Heels as some dramatically dominant team. Even so, the progress that we were hoping to see out of this lineup was very clearly present in the early portion of the season. 23. Boston College Eagles (-4 / 19) The Boston College women had a fine outing at the John McNichols Invite, taking 7th place overall, just one spot and 31 points ahead of Eastern Kentucky. Imogen Gardiner looks like she is leaning into her role as a low-stick, while Ella Fadil and Annabelle Miller looked like fairly solid middle-lineup contributors. That said, the backend support on this team wasn't quite as strong as we had hoped, with Claire Daniels and Natalie Millerova likely being capable of more (they both fell outside of the top-60 in that field). The good news is that Rosalie Ten Bruggencate has yet to make her NCAA debut. And if she does race this season, then she could improve this team by a good bit. Plus, even as currently constructed, the Eagles are still a nationally competitive team that deserve a nod of respect. Annabelle Miller warming up for the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg 22. Washington Huskies (-1 / 21) The ongoing absence of veteran Julia David-Smith is truthfully not ideal for a team that is, a) VERY young, and b) lacking a true low-stick. And yet, somehow, the Washington women have remained nationally competitive without their experienced ace. Seeing the Huskies take 6th place at the John McNichols Invite was encouraging, but the more impressive aspect may have been the overwhelming level of depth that they showed at that meet. There, Abby Hennessy, Nicole Bissell, Elena Aldrink, Josephine Welin and Sherry Drury went 30-33-36-38-39, respectively. Sure, there wasn't any potent firepower, but Washington's depth gave them an extremely high floor. Now, admittedly, the Nuttycombe Invite did exploit the inexperience of this squad and further spread out Washington's scorers. Even so, with four women in the top-100, there was enough value in this lineup for the Huskies to salvage a somewhat competitive 16th place finish. Some may argue that Washington's performance in Madison, Wisconsin should bump them out of our rankings. However, with the possibility of Julia David-Smith maybe returning, and their John McNichols Invite run showing promise, we're opting to keep Washington in our top-25...for now. 21. Minnesota Golden Gophers (-1 / 20) It admittedly feels a bit unfair to drop the Minnesota women one spot in our rankings for what has been an otherwise strong start to their 2026 fall campaign. Defeating Northwestern at the Loyola Lakefront Invite validated our TSR #20 preseason ranking of the Golden Gophers. However, the roles were later flipped at the Nuttycombe Invite as the Wildcats took down their Midwest region rivals at the larger (and more important) meet. Regardless, Ali Weimer still looks like a low-stick and Isabella Schmitz has evolved into a very strong secondary scorer. The depth behind them, however, has produced very mixed results in their last two races. And truthfully, it's still difficult to gauge just how reliable that support cast is. Either way, Minnesota's drop in our rankings is largely based on what other teams did rather than anything that they did poorly. 20. Northwestern Wildcats (+4 / 24) The Northwestern women have looked fairly strong so far this season. No, they aren't going to be anywhere as good as they were in 2025, but the Wildcats should still be a nationally competitive team that will give certain programs some trouble. Sure, a 3rd place finish behind Virginia and Minnesota at the Loyola Lakefront Invite wasn't totally ideal, but that wasn't exactly a poor performance, either. Then, at the Nuttycombe Invite, the Wildcats' top-four looked very complete and void of any major flaws as Skye Ellis, Ava Criniti, Katie Clute and Cary Drake finished between 46th place and 86th place. The challenge, however, is that Northwestern's fifth runner had a glaring gap open up between them and the rest of the team's scorers. That wasn't as big of a deal at the Loyola Lakefront Invite, though. No, the Wildcats aren't perfect, but they may be a bit better than we initially gave them credit for. 19. South Carolina Gamecocks (-7 / 12) This admittedly feels like a harsh drop in our rankings given that the South Carolina women were expected to take 3rd place at the Joe Piane Invite -- and did exactly that. That said, newcomer Louise Bailly was the only woman in the top-10 for that race and proven low-stick Salma Elbadra clearly struggled with a 16th place finish. The rest of this lineup wasn't bad in South Bend, but they weren't amazing, either. With other teams improving by a good bit, and other programs not having much of a reason to drop, we are reluctantly putting the Gamecocks at TSR #19 in this week's rankings update. South Carolina women after competing at the Joe Piane Invite // Photo via South Carolina Athletics 18. Virginia Cavaliers (-2 / 16) Comfortably defeating both Northwestern and Minnesota at the Loyola Lakefront Invite is a performance that deserves respect. That's especially true given that Tatum David wasn't even at 100% for that race. The Cavaliers combination of depth and scoring value in that race was incredibly encouraging to see. And yet, at the same time, they were fully expected to take home that win. Yes, we are dropping the Virginia women in our rankings, but that's not really their fault. Other teams have simply proven to be better than we thought. And if certain teams did drop in our rankings, very few of them faded past this point. In other words, don't look too closely at this two-spot drop -- there's a world where the Cavalier women are listed as high as TSR #10 this season. 17. Missouri Tigers (+1 / 18) The Missouri women have gotten off to an impressive start so far this season, taking home a dominant win at the Gans Creek Classic with a complete and balanced lineup. Sure, they had challenges with their fifth scorer at the Nuttycombe Invite, but that can be addressed by having their Tulsa transfer, Evyn Humphrey, actually finish the race rather than record a DNF. With two Kenyan newcomers having not yet raced this season, and a handful of support pieces evolving into high-impact middle-lineup names, it's hard not to be high on the Missouri women right now. And yet, at the same time, Missouri has fallen behind Utah on two occasions this season. That admittedly makes it difficult to place the Tigers any higher than this. 16. Oklahoma State Cowgirls (-3 / 13) It does, admittedly, feel a bit unfair to drop the Oklahoma State women three spots in our rankings. However, as is the case with many teams, this movement isn't based on anything that the Cowgirls did wrong -- it's more about what other teams did right. Taking down New Mexico at the Cowboy Jamboree (which took place on Oklahoma State's home course) was promising to see. Of course, it's important to realize that the Lobos didn't have Pamela Kosgei or Marion Jepngetich for that race. The lethal 1-2 punch of Billah Jepkirui and Marueen Cherotich was beyond elite in their last outing, and we think Victoria Lagat is better than what she showed. That said, the depth in this lineup is still very suspect. While both Gentry Turner and Autumn Michalski looked respectable, it's clear that there is still some backend vulnerability in Oklahoma State's top-five. 15. Utah Utes (-1 / 14) We'll be honest, we have no idea how to rank Utah right now. The Utes took a runner-up finish at the John McNichols Invite, taking down nationally competitive squads such as Washington State, Toledo and Florida in the process. However, at the more important Nuttycombe Invite, the roles were reversed, as all three of those teams defeated the Utes by varying margins. There isn't necessarily a glaring flaw or issue with Utah's lineup. Sure, they didn't have the most potent firepower in the field, but Millie Wilcox showed big improvement last weekend. And yes, there were noticeable gaps in the Utes' top-five, but all of their scorers cracked the top-100 at the Nuttycombe Invite. At the end of the day, keeping Utah roughly around the same spot as where we had them in the preseason feels like an appropriate decision...for now. Millie Wilcox (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 14. Washington State Cougars (+11 / 25) To put it simply, we heavily underrated the Washington State women coming into this cross country season. Through the two biggest meets of the collegiate cross country season (the John McNichols Invite and the Nuttycombe Invite), the Washington State women have comfortably beat expectations. Newcomer Millie Bii has looked like a true low-stick, transfer Nelly Jemeli has been as good as advertised, Caroline Jepkorir has made a significant leap in her fitness and the same can be said for Lauren Hoyt as well as transfer, Faith Kipmaiyo. Almost every woman in the Cougars' 2026 lineup has been better than expected. Their depth is also far better than we thought it would be and the firepower has largely remained the same despite Zenah Cheptoo clearly not being in top form. No, they're not a perfect squad, but Washington State could absolutely be listed in our top-10 by season's end. 13. Toledo Rockets (Unranked) Sure, we may have under ranked the Washington State women, but no team should feel more disrespected by The Stride Report's preseason cross country team rankings than Toledo. That's especially true after they took 4th at the John McNichols Invite and 6th at the Nuttycombe Invite. The Rockets have looked like a far different (and better) team in the fall of 2026 compared to the fall of 2025. The introduction of Purity Chepkirui has given Toledo a national-caliber star to rally around, while Melody Jebiwot and Dorcas Kiptanui are looking more like actual low-sticks rather than really good middle-lineup runners. Sure, Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough doesn't have the best depth in the world, but the contingent of Karina James, Lianna Surtz and Bella Earl has proven to be far more capable than we initially gave them credit for (especially the latter two names). With a lineup that is complete through six runners and high-upside international firepower leading the way, the Rockets look extremely dangerous this fall. 12. Stanford Cardinal (-1 / 11) The Stanford women just placed 12th at the Nuttycombe Invite this past weekend in their first real test of the season. And at first glance, some may wonder why the Cardinal would remain ranked ahead of teams like Toledo, Washington State and Utah. Well, when you take a closer look at the results, you'll realize that Stanford didn't run their top-two women last Friday. And not only are those two women the best names on Stanford's roster, but they are also top-40 All-American favorites for this fall. Both Amy Bunnage and Sophia Kennedy were absent from racing in Madison, Wisconsin. And if they return at full force in the postseason, then the Cardinal women are arguably just as good, if not better, than Toledo, Washington State and Utah. In the meantime, Julia Flynn looks outstanding as a fringe low-stick while freshman Amaya Bharadwaj has been way better than we thought she would be. There are still questions about this team's depth, but for the most part, this is roughly what we expected to see from the ladies of Palo Alto. 11. Oregon Ducks (-3 / 8) We've haven't seen the Oregon women truly test themselves against a nationally competitive field yet. That isn't uncommon for the Ducks, but it's hard to keep them in our top-10 when, a) we haven't seen Dalias Frias make her season debut yet, and b) other teams in this range have faced dramatically greater challenges. 10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-4 / 6) It admittedly feels unfair to knock the Notre Dame women down four spots in our rankings after settling for a predictable runner-up finish to NC State, the defending national champions, at their home meet, the Joe Piane Invite. And yet, when you look at those results, you have to admit, the Fighting Irish didn't exactly look sharp. Low-stick stars Mary Bonner Dalton and Amaya Aramini both failed to crack the top-10 while Gretchen Farley was the only other Notre Dame runner in the top-20. Sure, Chloe Huyler and Reagan Riley were close behind in the top-23, and the Fighting Irish still took down a nationally ranked South Carolina squad. Even so, Notre Dame didn't look quite like the possible podium threat that we thought they may be during the summer months. Thankfully, they have many weeks ahead of them to change our minds. 9. Colorado Buffaloes (+1 / 10) The biggest critique that we had for the Colorado women last fall is that, despite their grand depth, they lacked potent firepower. That, however, no longer seems to be the case in 2026. The Buffalo women were fantastic in Madison, Wisconsin this past Friday. Kenyan newcomer Sheylah Kurgat (7th) is better than advertised, and the same can absolutely be said for Adrianna Buitelaar (16th) who offered an outstanding dose of firepower. With Abby Mathison (née Nechanicky) looking like a low-stick in her own right (taking 21st place), the Colorado women were hard to beat. Sure, the Buffaloes' latter two scorers were a bit further back in 51st place and 71st place, but those are still fairly solid results. Plus, if you believe that Jessie Secor (85th) will be better moving forward, then you may also believe that Colorado can be a real podium threat come November. 8. Alabama Crimson Tide (-1 / 7) The Princeton Meadows Classic wasn't exactly a poor race for the Alabama women, but there were certain aspects of their lineup that we thought could be a bit better. And yes, we recognize that they easily dominated that field. Make no mistake, the trio of Caren Kiplagat (1st), Cynthia Jemutai (3rd) and Mildred Rono (5th) were hyper-potent as expected. That was the lethal 1-2-3 punch that we thought the Crimson Tide could have coming into this summer. That said, Milicent Wafula (16th) and Brenda Tuwei (32nd) will need to be better moving forward, especially the latter name, if Alabama wants to be a podium team. A lack of depth hurt this team last year, and while that issue won't be nearly as prominent in 2026, it could be a (possible) limiting factor for this group. Although, in fairness to Tuwei, she took down Clemson's hyper-talented trio of Nancy Cherop, Judy Kosgei and Silvia Jelelgo at the Southern Stampede in mid-September. 7. Iowa State Cyclones (-4 / 3) The Iowa State women faded to 10th place at the Nuttycombe Invite, a challenging result for a team viewed as a podium favorite entering this season. Of course, the Cyclones' performance from Friday also needs context. The Iowa State trio of Betty Kipkore (2nd), Rosemary Longisa (10th) and Mercy Kibet (22nd) were highly elite in Madison, Wisconsin. And frankly, those latter two names likely could have been (slightly) better. The challenge, however, was that the Cyclones' depth simply wasn't good...at all. With their final two scorers taking 135th place and 199th place, the Iowa State women weren't all that competitive with the top teams in the field. Of course, if you add superstar ace Mercyline Kirwa back into this lineup (she'll likely debut in the postseason), and give her a conservative 10th place finish, then Iowa State ultimately scores 182 points and takes 6th place. Admittedly, that kind of result wouldn't necessarily suggest that Iowa State is a podium favorite. Of course, if you assume that the Ames-based ladies can put four in the top-20 at the NCAA XC Championships (which is mostly realistic), then they wouldn't need a crazy-impressive performance from their fifth runner to make the podium. Trying to find a proper spot for the Iowa State women in our rankings is far from easy, but this feels like the most appropriate placement for them (at least for now) given everything we know. Betty Kipkore celebrates as she crosses the finish line at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 6. New Mexico Lobos (-2 / 4) The New Mexico women didn't have Marion Jepngetich or Judy Rono at the Nuttycombe Invite (the latter isn't racing this season), but they still came away with a 4th place finish. The rise of Mercy Kirarei (3rd) as an elite low-stick is huge given Rono's lack of availability this season, while Pamela Kosgei (13th) is still a star low-stick even if she wasn't at her best on Friday. However, more importantly, the supporting cast of Christina Nisoli (31st), Li-Mari Dekker (52nd) and Jasmine Wood (58th) was highly competent and stable in Madison, Wisconsin. For a team that has been missing women and seen some minor instability at the top of their lineup, having a solid backend group should keep the Lobos in the podium hunt. 5. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (0 / 5) The Northern Arizona women had a good day at the Nuttycombe Invite, but it wasn't quite as strong as what we saw from them at the John McNichols Invite. The Lumberjacks ran a full lineup this past Friday. And while they did have four women crack the top-30, none of those women finished any better than 14th place. Not only that, but you could argue that Carmen Cernjul (28th), Hayley Burns (50th) and Grace Copeland (84th) were all capable of more (to varying extents). The depth on this team is immense and the collective firepower is still pretty solid. However, it's not clear whether or not the NAU women realistically have a top-half All-American on their roster this fall. And if they don't, then how will that affect their chances of reaching the podium in November? 4. Florida Gators (+11 / 15) Gosh, the Florida women were simply fantastic on Friday at the Nuttycombe Invite. However, there is one name in particular who shattered expectations. Yes, Judy Chepkoech (1st) and Desma Chepkoech (12th) were outstanding, but in terms of scoring value, both of those Kenyan stars largely delivered on expectations. Instead, it was sophomore Claire Stegall (9th) who had a beyond-monumental day, erupting for a monster performance despite "only" taking 151st place at the NCAA XC Championships last fall. For an inexperienced underclassman who is overwhelmingly better in the middle distances than on the track, Stegall's result is landscape-altering. And suddenly, the Florida women have three top-tier cross country low-sticks. But maybe just as importantly, Maggie McCormick (40th) and Isobelle Jones (49th) produced performances that didn't just offer stability, but were legitimately impactful scoring results as well. The Nuttycombe Invite showed us just how dangerous this Florida contingent can be when they're firing on all cylinders. Sure, the ongoing absences of Reagan Gilmore and Caroline Jepchirchir give the Gators limited margin for error, but the best version of Florida is absolutely a podium team. 3. West Virginia Mountaineers (+6 / 9) It's one thing to win the Nuttycombe Invite. But to win the Nuttycombe Invite with a score of 66 points? Well, that's something special. The interesting thing about West Virginia's performance is that there weren't many individual performances that were truly shocking. Even so, multiple women in this lineup still beat expectations, specifically Mercy Kinyanjui (6th), Naomi Kemboi (19th) and Alexis Lamb (25th). Yes, Sheila Chepkirui (11th) was exceptional as well, but she was simply a new name that we didn't have any information on. And with Joy Naukot (5th) continuing to be a star, while Emily Bryce (44) offered excellent insurance, the Mountaineers looked complete and lethal through six names. The WVU women should absolutely be considered podium favorites after their incredible performance on Friday. And frankly, they also deserve a (small) spot in the national title conversation as well. West Virginia women after competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 2. BYU Cougars (0 / 2) The BYU women cruised through the Cowboy Jamboree with ease, taking wins over Oklahoma State and a limited New Mexico squad. The Cougars put six in the top-10 and eight in the top-13 to showcase an elite mix of firepower and depth. There truthfully isn't much to analyze when it comes to BYU. We're still waiting on the status updates for the eligibility waivers of Riley Chamberlain and Taylor Rohatinsky. That said, an NC State vs BYU matchup at Pre-Nationals this Friday will very much be on our watch list. 1. NC State Wolfpack (0 / 1) A comfortable win at the Joe Piane Invite over a top-ranked Notre Dame team without three top-tier names (i.e. Grace Hartman, Sadie Engelhardt and Rachel Forsyth) makes it easy to keep the NC State women listed at TSR #1. Truthfully, there isn't much analyze from a race that the Wolfpack cruised through despite not being at full strength. Hannah Gapes looks incredible right now, and Bethany Michalak and Angelina Napoleon will likely be better at Pre-Nationals than they were a few weeks ago. ADDED Eastern Kentucky Colonels Toledo Rockets KICKED OFF Penn State Nittany Lions Wake Forest Demon Deacons JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Clemson Tigers Penn State Nittany Lions Wake Forest Demon Deacons Princeton Tigers Providence Friars Oklahoma Sooners Tennessee Volunteers Louisville Cardinals SMU Mustangs Vanderbilt Commodores HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Furman Paladins Kentucky Wildcats Gonzaga Bulldogs Michigan State Spartans Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Indiana Hoosiers Duke Blue Devils Syracuse Orange UConn Huskies Oregon State Beavers Notes - N/A

NOTE: These rankings are based on how a team 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 team has moved in the rankings. The second number indicates where the team was ranked in our last update. 25. Villanova Wildcats (Unranked) After a rough 2025 cross country season, the Villanova men look far more complete and balanced as a team in 2026...well, at least through one major meet. The Wildcats took 3rd place at the Princeton Meadows Classic a few weeks ago. Sure, they may have lost to Alabama and Syracuse, but they beat a Georgetown squad that just took 7th place at the Nuttycombe Invite. That, in our eyes, has to give Villanova the nod for a ranking. Bailey Habler may be returning to top form, CJ Sullivan looks like an impactful secondary name, Thomas McMahon is respectable enough midd-lineup scorer and the team's depth seems passable. No, the Villanova men are definitely not perfect, but they are absolutely better than they were last fall. 24. Washington State Cougars (-14 / 10) We had high expectations for the Washington State men entering this fall. Sure, we knew that they already had an elite duo in Solomon Kipchoge and Evans Kurui, but it was newcomers Benedict Njoroge and Joshua Nderitu who seemingly held a tremendous level of upside and natural talent. Unfortunately, we haven't seen those latter two names race at all this season. The same can be said for Vincent Koech. And while Kutoven Stevens looked very strong at the John McNichols Invite, he was not able to replicate that magic at the Nuttycombe Invite. There is still a world where the Cougars debut their newcomers in the postseason and change this ranking. Even so, their ongoing absences and recent blunder in Madison, Wisconsin (where they took 23rd place) makes it difficult to keep them so highly ranked. 23. Washington Huskies (Unranked) One of the single-most challenging teams to rank in this update was the Washington men. The Huskies were outstanding at the John McNichols Invite, taking 3rd place while defeating a number of top-ranked teams. There, Tyrone Gorze looked like a true low-stick while the rest of the team's scorers were incredibly compact. The same, however, could not be said about their Nuttycombe Invite performance where the Huskies were just flat-out bad. The Washington men faded to 24th place in that field, had no one crack the top-75, and their final two scorers had massive gaps in front of them. We have seen two VERY different results from a Washington lineup that has mostly been the same. They clearly hold talent, but we have no idea when or if they will replicate that early-season performance. Tyrone Gorze (center) competing at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg 22. Michigan State Spartans (-8 / 14) A 15th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite could best be described as "fine" for the Michigan State men. And when it comes to the John McNichols Invite, their 6th place finish is probably closer to being described as "good." That, in our eyes, forces us to drop the Spartans a good bit in our rankings, but not enough to be in any real danger of falling outside of our top-25, altogether. Thomas Westphal continues to be a highly potent lead scorer while Lezawe Osterink has emerged as a very solid secondary scorer. That said, low-stick star Riley Hough is clearly not in top form this season. And while he is still a meaningful contributor, his lack of firepower has been the limiting factor in Michigan State not replicating last year's success. 21. Minnesota Golden Gophers (Unranked) The Minnesota men showed promise at the Loyola Lakefront Invite a few weeks back, taking 3rd place behind Arizona and Michigan. And naturally, it would be fair to suggest that those latter two teams deserve to be ranked ahead of the Golden Gophers. That said, the men in maroon and gold put together a far better performance at the Nuttycombe Invite, taking 14th place to defeat squads such as Michigan State, Furman, Princeton, Butler and Iowa State. Aidan Jones and Emmett Gerres have evolved into a very solid 1-2 punch. And while their depth as a whole could be a bit better, Minnesota has generally done enough to stay competitive each time out. They're not the most exciting team, but if they're going to be this effective with their current personnel, then frankly...who cares? 20. Virginia Tech Hokies (-3 / 17) The Virginia Tech men comfortably dominated the Fire Tower Project. And while newcomer Ryan Hagan wasn't quite as strong as we thought he would be, everyone else seemed to be plenty serviceable. Regardless, we haven't learned much about the Hokies this season and that will continue to be the case until VT reaches the ACC XC Championships. 19. Syracuse Orange (-3 / 16) The Syracuse men may be falling in our rankings, but that is not based on anything that they have done wrong. The Orange men took runner-up honors at the Princeton Meadow Classic the other week, losing only to a top-tier Alabama squad while defeating Villanova, Georgetown and North Carolina. Benne Anderson looks like a star low-stick, both Ben Gabelman and Connor Ackley were solid secondary scorers, and both Connell Alford and Louis Small deserve credit for offering great stability. Sure, this team isn't nearly as good as they were last year, but they are still a legitimate threat and deserve respect. There is a good chance that they vault back up our rankings after Pre-Nationals. Benne Anderson competing at the Princeton Meadows Classic // Photo via Syracuse Athletics 18. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (-5 / 13) The Northern Arizona men have been a very tricky team to get a read on so far this season. The Lumberjacks were 7th at the John McNichols Invite and 13th at the Nuttycombe Invite. The challenge, however, is that they didn't field Iker Sanchez Lopez or Justin Keyes in either of those races. And with Rheinhardt Harrison recently recording a DNF, it's hard to be all that excited about NAU. The good news for the Lumberjacks is that they have remained somewhat competitive despite not having multiple key names. Plus, if those men return, then they could certainly help Northern Arizona in the final standings. But for the time being, it's hard to justify ranking the Flagstaff-based men any higher than this. 17. Eastern Kentucky Colonels (-5 / 12) The Eastern Kentucky men truthfully underwhelmed at the John McNichols Invite, settling for a not-so-great 12th place finish. Sure, Taha Er Raouy was solid on that course, and Enoch Bokaba was better than expected, but the Colonels were simply unexciting after those two men. It also didn't help that they were missing All-American Brian Kimutai as well as newcomer Abel Kirui. Thankfully for EKU, the latter name appeared at the Nuttycombe Invite. Not only that, but Er Raouy looked borderline elite with a 10th place finish while Brett Rushman and Bradley Giblin were dramatically better. All of that led to the Colonels getting an 11th place team finish in Madison, Wisconsin without one of their returning All-Americans from last fall. The ongoing absence of Brian Kimutai in the two-biggest regular season meets of the year is a glaring absence. Although, thankfully for EKU, that only really hurt them at one of those meets. The current version of the Colonels isn't as good as their preseason ranking suggested, but that could change if/when Kimutai returns. 16. Georgetown Hoyas (Unranked) The Georgetown men were absolutely phenomenal at the Nuttycombe Invite, smashing expectations with a monstrous 7th place finish. Joe O'Brien (24th) and Birhanu Harriman (29th) were a better-than-expected 1-2 punch. However, it was Quinn Parrish (52nd), Maxwell Friedrich (82nd) and Luke Ondracek (108th) who were all more valuable in the team scoring than they had ever been before. The challenge with ranking Georgetown is that the Hoyas were not anywhere near as good at the Princeton Meadow Classic. There, they faded to 4th place behind Alabama, Syracuse and Villanova. They also narrowly beat a VERY young North Carolina team by just two points. Trying to reconcile the two major performances that we've seen from the Hoyas this season isn't easy. That is also why teams like Tennessee, Harvard, Stanford and Wisconsin are ranked ahead of Georgetown despite beating those programs this past Friday. 15. Tennessee Volunteers (+9 / 24) Despite struggling last fall, we were fairly high on the Tennessee men coming into this fall as we saw tons of potential within their lineup. That suspicion, of course, needed to be validated before we could rank the Volunteers any better than TSR #24. Well, sure enough, the Tennessee men have been definitively better in the fall of 2026. Their runner-up finish at the Gans Creek Classic was a promising result, not just because of who they beat, but because they were four points behind a Brian Masai-less Arkansas squad. Then, at the Nuttycombe Invite, the Volunteers took 12th place overall in the team standings. The catch, however, is that impact scorer Ethan Edgeworth was a DNF, causing their team score to inflate out of control. Tennessee's lack of depth is a clear issue, and it's something that limited them in Madison, Wisconsin. That being said, the best version of this team is very dangerous. Their top-four of Nelson Setek, Zouhair Redouane, Ethan Edgeworth and Victor Kipkoech is extremely effective, and Ty Steorts is good enough to keep this team nationally competitive. As such, we thought a TSR #15 ranking was an appropriate nod to their upside while recognizing a few backend hiccups that they have had. Zouhair Redouane (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+1 / 15) A dominant win at their home meet, the Joe Piane Invite, didn't tell us anything new about the Notre Dame men. The Fighting Irish weren't facing any major competition and they were still without low-stick Ethan Coleman. We're hoping to get a better idea of what this team truly looks like when they toe the line for Pre-Nationals this Friday. 13. Harvard Crimson (+7 / 20) The Harvard men have been way more impressive this season than some people may give them credit for. Sure, a 10th place finish at the John McNichols Invite doesn't seem ideal, but when you realize that the Crimson didn't have low-sticks Sam Burgess or Charlie Ortmans, their result becomes far more impressive. More importantly, Ben Bouie looks dramatically stronger this fall, and Grant Schroeder was far more effective at the Nuttycombe Invite than he ever was before. With Tam Gavenas further elevating his talent to be a star, and Burgess looking plenty strong in Wisconsin, the Harvard men look far more complete in 2026 than they did in 2025. Admittedly, the ongoing absence of low-stick Charlie Ortmans isn't ideal for a team that was expected to heavily lean on their firepower this fall. However, if he returns to this lineup come the postseason, then the Crimson are one of the last teams that I would want to face. 12. Wisconsin Badgers (-1 / 11) We'll admit, a 9th place finish at the John McNichols Invite wasn't pretty for a Wisconsin team that we had high expectations for. Sure, Johnny Livingstone was a true low-stick in that race, but Matan Ivri and Archie Noakes were both absent, and the Badgers' support cast was clearly capable of more. At the Nuttycombe Invite, the Wisconsin men clearly felt more comfortable on their home course where they earned another (but comparatively more impressive) 9th place result. No, they didn't have any notable firepower, and their fifth scoring spot was clearly an issue, but they had four scorers pack together to go 53-54-55-68 in the overall results. If Matan Ivri returns to action in the postseason, then Wisconsin has the chance to be a top-10 team in the country. Even so, their firepower seems limited and certain men haven't been very consistent this fall. 11. Stanford Cardinal (+10 / 21) On paper, it doesn't look like the Stanford men should be as good as they have been. However, a 4th place finish at the John McNichols Invite, paired with an 8th place result at the Nuttycombe Invite, shows us that the Cardinal are very much back to be a nationally competitive team. But what's the most surprising about their recent success is that multiple men have either been absent or not at their best. Leo Young is not anywhere near low-stick form and the same could be said for Lex Young who raced in Terre Haute, but was sidelined on Friday. And Paul Bergeron? The team's top runner at the John McNichols Invite? He also didn't race at the Nuttycombe Invite. And yet, despite those challenges, Stanford's elite pedigree and the natural talent of their roster is coming through in a way that it simply didn't last fall. Paul Bergeron charging to the finish line at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg 10. Florida Gators (+8 / 18) The Florida men have just been awesome this fall. Sure, Kelvin Cheruiyot is elite, but it's JUCO signee Geofrey Ronoh who is as good as advertised, and maybe even better than that. More importantly, men such as Josh Ruiz, Jonathan Leon, Oussama Allaoui and Ian Sanchez Lopez have all made tremendous improvements in their own endurance-based fitness. Each of those men have been incredibly clutch this fall between the John McNichols Invite (where the Gators placed 2nd) and the Nuttycombe Invite (where the Gators placed 5th). Not only that, but we're fairly confident that Kenyan newcomer Eliud Muchiri will be better than his 66th place finish in Madison, Wisconsin suggests. If that's the case, then you're looking at the Florida women AND men being realistic podium threats this fall. 9. Iowa State Cyclones (-7 / 2) I have no idea what happened to the Iowa State men on Friday. Sure, they didn't have Joash Ruto, but that was only part of the Cyclones' issues at the Nuttycombe Invite. Essentially every single athlete in Iowa State's lineup underwhelmed -- and not just a little bit, but dramatically so. A 19th place finish with a mostly-full lineup is stunning for a national title contender -- it almost never happens. And no matter how generous you want to be, we had to knock the Cyclones down a good bit in our rankings. But at the same time, this is Iowa State we're talking about. There is zero chance that Friday was anywhere close to an accurate indication of how good they actually are. Sure, we have real concerns about this team, but suggesting that they aren't a national-caliber threat after a very flukey performance feels a bit ridiculous. 8. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (-1 / 7) Sure, a 6th place finish at the Nuttycombe Invite probably isn't what you would expect out of a team that is ranked as highly as the Wake Forest men are. That said, the Demon Deacons weren't at full strength on Friday as JoJo Jourdon, Paul Specht and Alex Thompson were all held out from racing. That, in our eyes, has to matter when we are reranking the Wake Forest men. At the same time, we have to also wonder how much better the Winston-Salem men would have been had those men been in their lineup. With their latter four scorers going 39-48-62-69 behind Rocky Hansen, there was only so much room for the Demon Deacons to improve in the margins...right? 7. Arkansas Razorbacks (+2 / 9) The Arkansas men took care of business at the Gans Creek Classic, taking down a very good Tennessee team by four points despite, a) not having Brian Masai, and b) All-American Timothy Chesondin majorly struggling. Not only that, but the Razorbacks then went to the Nuttycombe Invite where they STILL didn't have Masai and were now without Chesondin. That would have left most of us at The Stride Report very concerned about a team that didn't seem to have much depth -- or so we thought. Sure, Ernest Cheruiyot (15th) and Nick Busienei (16th) were great low-sticks, and James Sankei (32nd) was strong as well, but the real heroes on this team were AJ Bonnesen (65th) and Trey Caldwell (80th). Those latter two men both had the best races of their careers, and by substantial margins, to minimize the absences of two high-impact names. With Arkansas' depth clearly improved, and the potential for greater firepower to return in the postseason, it's easy to be high on the Razorbacks right now. Ernest Cheruiyot (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 6. BYU Cougars (+2 / 8) The BYU men have been really, really good...shocker, I know. The Cougars predictably took home a comfortable win at the John McNichols Invite against a field that, in retrospect, is looking stronger than we initially gave it credit for. And at the Nuttycombe Invite, the BYU men were able to take home an excellent 3rd place result despite missing Isaac Hedengren! For the most part, everyone on this team has been doing their jobs well, especially James Corrigan who took 18th place in Madison, Wisconsin. However, we also need to give Dalton Mortensen credit for making a clear leap in his fitness and now translating that leap to the grass. 5. Colorado Buffaloes (+1 / 6) Gosh, Meshack Kipruto was simply incredible at the Nuttycombe Invite. His scoring spark was beyond elite, and his presence changes this Colorado team for the better. Not only that, but Isaiah Givens (14th) looks stronger than ever while Jake Liebert (21st) is fully translating his 10,000-meter talent from the track to the grass. Heck, Lukas Haug (26th) and Jack Graffeo (31st) weren't far behind, either! Those two men deserve a massive amount of credit for being some of the best backend scorers who we have seen throughout the entirety of this NCAA cross country season (so far). In their first major test of the season, the Buffaloes proved to have three legitimate low-sticks and support scorers -- and they didn't even field star ace Dominic Serem or 2024 All-American Dean Casey. Sure, certain international names such as Stephen Ndugu and Peter Bii weren't as good as we thought they would be, but Colorado can absolutely be a podium team in 2026. 4. Oregon Ducks (-1 / 3) Sure, some of their top men may have debuted at the Bill Dellinger Invite, but it's safe to say that the Oregon men haven't faced any national-caliber competition yet. Yes, we knew back in August that Oregon had signed Irish superstar Nick Griggs for this fall (although we had that news off the record). However, a recent feature article suggests that Griggs has been coming back from an injury and is aiming to be back for the NCAA XC Championships. With Griggs' current health and fitness status unclear, and his recruitment being a major reason why the Oregon men were originally listed at TSR #3, we opted to push the Ducks back a single spot. 3. Alabama Crimson Tide (+2 / 5) The first real test of Alabama's 2026 cross country season came at the Princeton Meadows Classic where they would face Syracuse, Villanova, Georgetown and North Carolina. Of course, with the immense level of firepower on the Crimson Tide's roster, none of those teams had a realistic chance of taking down this SEC power. Rodgers Minatum and Duncan Gituku are ridiculously good, while Dismus Lokira is still an elite star. It's also been great to see Ezekiel Pitireng emerge as such a reliable backend scorer for a team that has some depth, but not a lot of it. All of that is largely why we're bumping up Alabama to TSR #3. The only real concern is that Dennis Kipruto faded to 24th place at that Princeton meet despite being a projected top-10 finisher. That was likely a fluke given how strong he looked last fall and at the end of this past spring, but that is something to monitor as we further evaluate Alabama's podium chances. Alabama men competing at the Princeton Meadows Classic // Photo via Mason Canton 2. Oklahoma State Cowboys (-1 / 1) The Oklahoma State men were somewhat comfortably defeated at the Cowboy Jamboree by a New Mexico team that currently looks unstoppable. Denis Kipngetich and Brian Musau continue to be elite, and Jacob Deacon has made massive improvements in his fitness. If Oklahoma State wins the national title this fall, then he will (probably) be the biggest reason why. However, if that is going to happen, then Adisu Guadia needs to be WAY better than he was a few weeks ago, and someone else on this roster (likely Laban Kipkemboi) needs to emerge as a more potent scorer. 1. New Mexico Lobos (+3 / 4) Put simply, the New Mexico men are the best cross country team in the NCAA -- and there isn't much of an argument to suggest otherwise. The Lobos comfortably defeated the Oklahoma State men on their home course and later scored a brilliant total of just 59 points at the Nuttycombe Invite to secure the overall win. Pasanjo Kitonga is better than we could have imaged, Collins Kiprotich and Evans Kiplagat are as good as they have ever been, Vincent Chirchir still looks like an All-American and Joshua Abraham has been a massive breakout name for the Lobos. Depth is, admittedly, a bit of a question mark after those five names, but New Mexico has very much deserved this TSR #1 ranking. ADDED Villanova Wildcats Washington Huskies Minnesota Golden Gophers Georgetown Hoyas KICKED OFF Tulane Green Wave Missouri Tigers California Baptist Lancers Georgia Bulldogs JUST MISSED (in no particular order) Tulane Green Wave California Baptist Lancers Georgia Bulldogs Furman Paladins Princeton Tigers Butler Bulldogs Tulsa Golden Hurricane Utah Valley Wolverines Arizona Wildcats North Carolina Tar Heels HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) Missouri Tigers Utah State Aggies Wichita State Shockers Louisville Cardinals UCLA Bruins Michigan Wolverines Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Utah State Aggies Toledo Rockets Air Force Falcons Notes - N/A

Palm Beach Atlantic women prior to racing at the Lewis XC Crossover // Photo via Griffin Forberg Yes, we have photos! TSR readers can download our photos from the 2026 Lewis XC Crossover via our SNAPSHOTS page! When posting to social media, all we ask is that you (please) cite and tag the respective photographer (Griffin Forberg // griffinxphoto) as well as @thestridereport. Enjoy! 2026 Lewis XC Crossover (via Griffin Forberg) Instagram: griffinxphoto Saginaw Valley State fans & team members rooting for the Cardinals at the Lewis XC Crossover // Photo via Griffin Forberg

Since the summer months, rumors have floated that the Oregon men have signed a standout international distance superstar. And now, that "secret star" has a name. In late August, one source confirmed to The Stride Report that Irish distance standout Nick Griggs had signed with the Ducks. However, at the time, that news was off the record. Since then, Cathal Dennehy of the Irish Independent has published a feature piece on Griggs signing with Oregon, citing that the newest Duck will hold three years of eligibility at the NCAA level. It should be noted that Griggs is not currently listed on Oregon's 2026 cross country roster, although summer-time expectations were that he would compete this fall. The Stride Report has since received separate confirmation (via screenshot of the NCAA's Eligibility Center) that Griggs has signed with Oregon. In the article, Dennehy noted that Griggs was recently battling an injury, forcing him to miss roughly five weeks of training. It is unclear whether or not he will be ready to compete at this year's NCAA XC Championships. It should also be noted that the 21-year-old, who will turn 22 in December, was previously a professional athlete for Puma. Griggs enters the NCAA with unreal pedigree and elite-level times. The Irishman has posted jaw-dropping marks of 3:48 (mile roads), 3:52 (mile), 3:35 (1500), 7:32 (3k) and 13:05 (5k). We also saw Griggs earn a massive win at the 2025 U23 European XC Championships back in December, defeating current Wake Forest runner Aurélien Radja by 12 seconds for gold. The Oregon men entered the fall months listed at TSR #3 in our preseason cross country team rankings. The Ducks return two All-American standouts in Aiden Smith and Simeon Birnbaum, as well as a number of key names such as Michael Mireles, Tayson Echohawk, Connor Burns, Ben Balazs, Juan Gonzalez and more. Evan Bishop, a 27:57 (10k) runner, is listed on Oregon's TFRRS roster, but not on their athletic website roster. We also saw Oregon add a 13:33 (5k) runner in Xavier Perras-Phaneuf (via Canada) this past summer, as well as two key transfers in Evan Jenkins (via Washington) and Connor McCormick (via Princeton). And now, with Nick Griggs set to (potentially) give the Ducks yet another low-stick, one has to believe that the Oregon men will be favorites for the podium come November should he be ready/healthy enough.

The Stride Report's live stream for the 2026 Lewis XC Crossover can now be found on our YouTube channel! Please note that there are two separate streams, one for the women's race and one for the men's race. Embeds for both live streams can be found below or directly on our YouTube channel. Men's Race (9:45am CST) Women's Race (10:30am CST)

Phew. The Nuttycombe Invite is officially wrap and, even 24 hours later, I am still exhausted...and I didn't even run! The biggest and best regular season meet of the entire year has concluded. As such, it felt important for us to offer some analysis on a number of teams that headlined this field -- so we did just that, specifically for the top-20 squads in the men's race and top-20 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. New Mexico Lobos (59 points) Welp, that was a good old fashioned ass-kicking if I've ever seen one. The New Mexico men entered this meet being viewed as this year's national title favorites, and they looked every bit worthy of that status on Friday, putting three men in the top-10 and five men in the top-25. And, as it turns out, Joshua Abraham (22nd) is actually as good as his Cowboy Jamboree performance suggested he is. 2. Colorado Buffaloes (93 points) I said that this was an "ass-kicking" by the New Mexico men, but Colorado deserves a lot of credit for how strong they were, acting as the only legitimate threat to the Lobos (sorta). Meshack Kipruto took the overall win and looked unbelievable in doing so, while Isaiah Givens (14th) and Jake Liebert (21st) were incredibly potent scorers in their own right. Keep in mind that the Buffaloes didn't even field Dominic Serem or Dean Casey this weekend, meaning that they could be EVEN BETTER once we reach the postseason (assuming those guys eventually race). 3. BYU Cougars (146 points) This is a really strong performance for a BYU team that didn't have a low-stick-caliber runner in Isaac Hedengren and had some questions about their depth coming into this weekend. Tayvon Kitchen (5th) was elite, James Corrigan (18th) is rounding back into form and Noah Jenkins (34th) was about as good as we expected him to be. That said, Dalton Mortensen (42nd) and Hunter Kitchen (47th) were the unsung heroes on this team after beating expectations on Friday. 4. Arkansas Razorbacks (208 points) If we had known that the Arkansas men would not have Brian Masai or Timothy Chesondin for Friday's race, then I would have been very concerned about them. Ernest Cheruiyot (15th) and Nick Busienei (16th) mostly delivered on their roles as low-sticks (even if we thought the former would be better) while James Sankei (32nd) was roughly as good as we thought he would be. However, it's Allen Bonnesen (65th) and Trey Caldwell (80th) who are the true MVPs for giving the Razorbacks respectable depth. Ernest Cheruiyot (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 5. Florida Gators (221 points) If you had told me that Eliud Muchiri would finish 66th in his NCAA debut, and that both Ian Sanchez Lopez and Jonathan Leon weren't going to score for Florida at the Nuttycombe Invite, then I would have thought that the Gators were in major trouble. But as it turns out, Florida was totally fine thanks to Geofrey Ronoh, Josh Ruiz and Oussama Allaoui going 40-50-59, respectively, behind Kelvin Cheruiyot's top-10 effort. 6. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (222 points) Considering that they didn't have JoJo Jourdon, Paul Specht or Alex Thompson, this was actually a fairly strong showing for the Wake Forest men. Sure, Rocky Hansen (4th) was incredible, but the balanced scoring spread delivered by Charlie Sprott, Aurelien Radja, Hunter Jones and Bryce Gilmore collectively settled in a range from 39th place to 69th place. We will admit, this team needs much more firepower to be a podium threat, but all things considered, this was a solid enough effort. 7. Georgetown Hoyas (315 points) Wow, what an absolutely outstanding performance as the Hoyas shattered any and all expectations that we had for them! Joe O'Brien (24th) and Birhanu Harriman (29th) were excellent, but it was the supporting cast of Quinn Parrish (72nd) and Maxwell Friedrich (82nd) who offered better-than-expected results. Sure, their fifth man was a bit further back in 108th place, but all things considered, Georgetown should be absolutely thrilled with this result. 8. Stanford Cardinal (328 points) Overall, this was a very solid outing for the Stanford men, but I'm still having trouble trying to gauge their lineup. James Dargan (25th) was great, but we didn't get to see Lex Young or Paul Bergeron race on Friday. It's also clear that Leo Young isn't in top form this season, and their fifth spot wasn't ideal, but despite all of that, the Cardinal look far more complete than they did last year. James Dargan (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 9. Wisconsin Badgers (356 points) After a not-so-great showing at the John McNichols Invite, there weren't many people who were super high on the Wisconsin men going into this weekend. However, the Badgers took advantage of racing on their home course where they looked closer to the top-15 team that we originally predicted them to be in the preseason. Sure, they lacked firepower, and their was a noticeable drop-off at their fifth scoring spot, but having four men go 53-54-55-68 certainly holds strong value in this kind of field. 10. Harvard Crimson (366 points) The fact that the Harvard men didn't even have Charlie Ortmans for this race and still managed to earn a 10th place finish is fairly remarkable. Tam Gavenas (23rd) and Sam Burgess (27th) were impressive lead scorers, but it's Ben Bouie (74th) who continues to beat expectations while Grant Schroder (97th) has improved as well. That said, the ongoing absence of Ortmans isn't ideal for a team that doesn't have the greatest depth in the world. 11. Eastern Kentucky Colonels (375 points) For a team that has a history of inconsistency, and didn't have All-American Brian Kimutai in their lineup this Friday, I thought the Eastern Kentucky men held their own at the Nuttycombe Invite. Taha Er Raouy (10th) was shockingly great, while Brett Rushman (52nd) was a valuable secondary scorer. Abel Kirui and Bradley Giblin both cracked the top-100, and although their fifth man faded to 127th place, it feels like there is a clear avenue for this team to have an even stronger performance moving forward. 12. Tennessee Volunteers (387 points) The Tennessee men severely lack long distance depth on their roster, something that was showcased by their fifth man settling for 208th place. That said, high-impact scorer Ethan Edgeworth was a DNF, something that explains the massive scoring drop-off that the Volunteers had to deal with on Friday. And frankly, the fact that Tennessee ran this well despite those backend challenges is what leaves us optimistic about the Volunteers moving forward. Zouhair Redouane competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 13. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (416 points) The scoring quartet of Erik Le Roux, Ethan Godsey, Ford Washburn and Derebe Ayele were generally "good" on Friday, going 43-77-83-94, respectively, but they weren't necessarily "great," either. With Justin Keyes, Iker Sanchez Lopez and a few others still not toeing the line, it's hard to get a proper read on expectations for the Northern Arizona men this fall. 14. Minnesota Golden Gophers (418 points) I said in our meet preview that, "Minnesota probably won't be a top-15 team on Friday (surely I won't regret saying that)," and I do, indeed, regret saying it. Aidan Jones (49th) and Emmett Gerres (56th) were fairly solid while Aloysius Franzen (93rd) held his own. With the final two scorers taking 102nd place and 118th place, the Golden Gophers were just complete enough to prove me wrong. 15. Michigan State Spartans (435 points) Sure, Thomas Westphal (33rd) could have been a little better, but he was generally on par with expectations, and the same could be said for Lezawe Osterink (73rd). That said, Riley Hough (76th) is still not back to his regular self while the backend of this lineup began to fall off pretty hard. This team is still good, but they may not be quite as strong as they were in 2025. 16. Furman Paladins (439 points) If I'm the Furman men, then I am very happy with this result. The Paladins almost certainly scored multiple Kolas points on Friday, potentially enough to secure themselves a spot to the national meet as long as they don't collapse at the Southeast Regional XC Championships. Christopher Knight (36th), Ty Jones (57th) and Trevor Coggin (81st) were a sneaky-good trio who were ultimately able to mitigate the scoring deficiencies seen at the backend of this lineup. Ty Jones competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 17. Princeton Tigers (484 points) Considering that the Princeton men struggled a bit at their home meet, the Princeton Meadows Classic, seeing them take 17th place in this field should leave them fairly encouraged. Jacob Nenow (30th) and Brian Boler (44th) continue to be a quietly strong 1-2 punch while Sebastian Martinez (101st) was decent enough. That said, scoring support is still a major issue for this group, a rarity for the often depth-heavy Tigers. 18. Butler Bulldogs (493 points) This result is roughly about right when it comes to the Butler men. William Zegarski (19th) was great as always while Belgian newcomer, Simon Jeukenne (51st), proved to be very valuable. Even so, no other Bulldog in this field cracked the top-130, leaving the Butler men with a major lack of depth that could ultimately hurt their chances of qualifying for this year's NCAA XC Championships. 19. Iowa State Cyclones (514 points) Trust me, I'm just as confused as you are. The Iowa State men entered this weekend being viewed as a very legitimate threat for the national title, but they didn't even look like a national qualifying team on Friday. Sure, they didn't have Joash Ruto, but his absence was a small part of the issues that the Cyclones were dealing with in Wisconsin. 20. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (521 points) Considering how unexciting they looked at the Cowboy Jamboree, I thought the Tulsa men had a decent race on Friday. Luke Birdseye (41st) and Ben Brown (45th) were better than expected, and that helped the Golden Hurricane counter the not-so-great efforts of their final two scorers who faded outside of the top-150. I'm still not 100% sure that Tulsa can qualify for this year's national meet, but they may have snagged a Kolas point or two in Wisconsin. Individual Race I have said time and time again that times in cross country are irrelevant...but I may make an exception for Friday's race. Seeing a total of 16 men go under the 23-minute barrier is absurd, and smashing a meet record (once held by Habtom Samuel) by 28 seconds blows my mind. And, maybe more importantly, Colorado's Meshack Kipruto just took down a loaded field, looking every bit like someone who could win a national title in November. Women's Analysis 1. West Virginia Mountaineers (66 points) What an absolutely phenomenal win for a West Virginia team that some could argue pulled off an upset on Friday morning. Joy Naukot (5th) was amazing as always, Mercy Kinyanjui (6th) made a clear jump from "great" to "elite," Sheila Chepkirui (11th) is a newcomer who came out of nowhere, Naomi Kemboi (19th) is delivering on her true potential and Alexis Lamb (25th) just had the best race of his career. After scoring a mere 66 points at the Nuttycombe Invite, it's fair to ask whether or not this team can realistically win the national team title in November. 2. Florida Gators (111 points) Yes, Judy Chepkoech was brilliant en route to her individual victory, but it was sophomore Claire Stegall (9th) who was simply incredible, shattering expectations after a "just okay" freshman cross country season in 2025. With Desma Chepkoech (12th) delivering on expectations, and both Maggie McCormick (40th) and Isobelle Jones (49th) looking better than they did at the John McNichols Invite, the Gators proved to be far more potent than they did roughly a month ago. 3. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (130 points) This was a good result for the Northern Arizona women, but you can argue that multiple names could have been better on Friday morning. Hayley Burns (50th) is an All-American at her best, Carmen Cernjul (28th) was a rookie making her NCAA debut and Grace Copeland (84th) is simply better than what she showed. And yet, with four women in the top-30, it's hard to be upset with how the Lumberjacks fared in Wisconsin. 4. New Mexico Lobos (157 points) With Marion Jepngetich being sidelined for this race, and Judy Rono expected to be out for the season, there was only so much that New Mexico's supporting cast could do on Friday to keep them in contention. The good news for the Lobos is that Mercy Kirarei (3rd) doesn't just look good, she looks borderline elite, and Pamela Kosgei (13th) is absolutely capable of more. And, maybe more importantly, the supporting cast of Christina Nisoli (31st), Li-Mari Dekker (52nd) and Jasmine Wood (58th) were all slightly better than expected, offering valuable depth that kept New Mexico nationally competitive. Mercy Kirarei (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 5. Colorado Buffaloes (166 points) If I'm Coach Sean Carlson, then I'm fairly happy with this performance. Kenyan newcomer Sheylah Kurgat (7th) is the potent low-stick that this team was missing last year, while Adrianna Buitelaar (16th) is way better than anyone at The Stride Report expected her to be. With Abbey Mathison (21st) delivering on her low-stick potential, and both Holly Barker (51st) and Bella Jacobsen (71st) offering solid stability, the Colorado women looked like they had a very complete lineup on Friday. 6. Toledo Rockets (214 points) The addition of Purity Chepkirui (4th) is doing wonders for a Toledo team that was good last year, but has clearly taken a massive step up in 2026. Melody Jebiwot (37th) and Dorcas Kiptanui (38th) are emerging as two of the more underrated support scorers in the country, while Lianna Surtz (62nd) and Bella Earl (73rd) deserve credit for their backend stability. On paper, this team is fairly complete through seven women, meaning it's hard to envision them having a truly poor performance this season. 7. Washington State Cougars (263 points) This was a "fine" performance for the Cougars, and some may say that it was "good," but it did feel like Washington State left some points on the table. Sure, Faith Kipmaiyo (42nd) was way better than expected, but Mille Bii (26th), Nelly Jemeli (45th) and Mercy Biwott (61st) all seemed capable of a bit more. And with Zenah Cheptoo continuing to struggle, those improvements may be necessary if Washington State wants to be a top-10 squad at the national meet this year. 8. Utah Utes (277 points) This is another team that had a solid race at the Nuttycombe Invite, but also didn't really "wow" us in any significant way. Erin Vringer (29th) and Annastasia Peters (47th) both had good-not-great performances (relative to expectations) while Tayla Gunton (69th) and Josie Fale (98th) largely did their jobs. That said, Millie Wilcox (34th) was excellent and Coach Kyle Kepler should be very encouraged by what he saw from her. Utah women jump off the start line at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 9. Missouri Tigers (331 points) For the most part, I'm fairly satisfied with this result if I'm Coach Kyle Levermore. Monica Wanjiku (20th) was a true low-stick, Kobi Walker (35th) looked very impactful as a secondary talent, Rahel Broemmel (59th) offered great middle-lineup stability and Suzy Lecoutre (64th) provided great value at the team's fourth spot. That said, the Tigers' final scorer faded to 153rd place, a gap that could be addressed by having Evyn Humphrey not record a DNF result like she did on Friday. 10. Iowa State Cyclones (368 points) Through three runners, the Iowa State women largely matched expectations as Betty Kipkore, Rosemary Longisa and Mercy Kibet went 2-10-22, respectively, at the Nuttycombe Invite. However, the Cyclones' final two scorers settled for 135th place and 199th place, causing a chasm-like gap to open up in their scoring contingent. That said, if Mercyline Kirwa returns to this lineup in the postseason (she was absent on Friday), then the Cyclones may mathematically return to the fringes of the podium conversation. 11. Northwestern Wildcats (408 points) I was right to say that the Northwestern women aren't as good as they were last fall, but they're definitely better than I was giving them credit for when they took 3rd at the Loyola Lakefront invite. Sure, the contingent of Skye Ellis, Ava Criniti, Katie Clute and Cary Drake didn't wow us, but finishes of 46-66-74-86 were generally solid across the board. Yes, there was a gap to their fifth runner, but all things considered, Coach Jill Miller should be fairly happy with this performance. 12. Stanford Cardinal (417 points) The Stanford women didn't have Amy Bunnage or Sophia Kennedy for this race, two clear-cut All-American favorites. That's why a 12th place finish with just five women and three underclassmen is fairly impressive. Veteran Julia Flynn (27th) has clearly taken a step up and freshman Amaya Bharadwaj (43rd) has unexpectedly emerged as the best rookie in the Cardinal's lineup this fall. Julia Flynn (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 13. Minnesota Golden Gophers (421 points) For the most part, Ali Weimer (24th) and Isabelle Schmitz (48th) did a nice job of leading the Golden Gophers on Friday morning, while Taylor Isabel (98th) was a respectable middle-lineup talent. Admittedly, the backend portion of this lineup wasn't great, but all things considered, the Minnesota women can't be too upset with their final result on Friday. 14. Penn State Nittany Lions (424 points) After a very ugly showing at the Princeton Meadows Classic, the Penn State women have seemingly salvaged their 2026 cross country season with a far better result at the Nuttycombe Invite. Vivian Kipruto (39th) delivered on her preseason promise while both Katie Dallas (77th) and Claire Zubey (79th) offered respectable scoring value. The Nittany Lions didn't have Ada Rand, Fancy Chepkoech or Lea Hatcher for this race, and Charlotte Costich is still not in top form, but Penn State's national qualifying chances may have been revived after Friday. 15. Princeton Tigers (428 points) I will fully admit, I didn't think the Princeton women would be as effective as they were on Friday morning. Sure, the contingent of Emma de Jong (53rd), Meg Madison (60th), Caroline Barton (87th) and Anna McNatt (90th) didn't necessarily produce a standout performance, but no one had a truly poor day, either. And while their fifth runner did fade to 138th place, there is also reason to believe that McNatt can be better moving forward. 16. Washington Huskies (431 points) The ongoing absence of Julia David-Smith is very clearly limiting the upside of a VERY young Washington squad. Even so, the lineup structure that we saw from the Huskies on Friday was almost identical to what the Princeton women showcased. Sherry Drury (54th), Nicole Bissell (75th), Elena Aldrink (82nd), Abby Hennessy (97th) weren't all that potent, but they were plenty effective, and their fifth scoring spot has room for improvement. Sherry Drury (center) competing at the Nuttycombe Invite // Photo via Suvir Grover 17. Providence Friars (443 points) Anna Gardiner (30th) looked really strong for the Providence women on Friday morning after not even being the team's top runner at the Princeton Meadows Classic. Gabby Schmidt (65th) was fairly solid, and Emily Bush (91st) held her own, but this larger field opened up a few cracks in the Friars' lineup that we didn't see a few weeks ago. That's important as the two automatic qualifying spots in the Northeast region are seemingly up for grabs between three different teams (Providence, Syracuse and Boston College). 18. Oklahoma Sooners (466 points) All things considered, I thought the Oklahoma women showcased promise on Friday morning in Wisconsin. Domtila Cheruto (18th) was a true low-stick, Sanae Hassnaoui (32nd) was noticeably more effective than her last time out and Sarafina Kibet (76th) was a valuable middle-lineup scorer. Sure, the Sooners' backend wasn't good (at all), but that could be solved if/when low-stick Leah Jeruto returns for the postseason. 19. Tennessee Volunteers (492 points) On one hand, the Tennessee women looked much better than they did at the Gans Creek Classic where they truthfully struggled. That, of course, can attributed to the fact that Mary Ogwoka (8th) didn't record a DNF this time around and Faith Chepchumba (57th), while not far perfect, offered decent scoring value. However, with no other Volunteer woman cracking the top-130, Tennessee's low-sticks could only carry them so far. 20. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (493 points) Considering that they lost Angelina Perez for the season, and their depth as a whole has looked spotty in recent meets, a 20th place result seems about right for the Wake Forest women. The Demon Deacons are still in the national qualifying conversation, but their odds of doing so are beginning to slip ever-so-slightly. Individual Race You do have to wonder whether or not Iowa State's Betty Kipkore would have won the individual title on Friday morning had she not raised her hands in celebration. That said, both her and the winner, Florida's Judy Chepkoech, were excellent in the final moments of the race, showcasing great timing as far as their final surges are concerned. Also, I was stunned at how many women were still in contention with just 1000 meters to go -- I was certain that one woman was going to ultimately run away from this field with 2000 meters or 3000 meters to go, but that never happened.

Written by Gavin Struve, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin The Lewis XC Crossover has become one of the biggest regular season Division Two meets on the calendar, signaling that we're entering the thick of the cross country season. It is especially valuable this season in terms of tiding us over with content given that D2 conference meets are still a month away and the D2 NCAA XC Championships are a month after that (specifically in December). Be sure to watch the races on Saturday, starting at 9:45 am (CST) on our YouTube livestream. In the meantime, you can check out our pre-race analysis and predictions below, as well as rewatch last year's Lewis XC Crossover races here and here. Alright, let's get into it, shall we? Men's Preview Can anyone keep pace with Lewis' Evan Horgan on his home course? That's the biggest question that we have in the men's race Saturday. Horgan is listed at TSR #1 in our individual rankings, a mantle he earned in the preseason in part by virtue of being the top returner from the 2025 NCAA XC Championships (where he placed 7th). The Flyer veteran didn't make his season debut with his teammates at the Notre Dame National Catholic Invitational, so we'll be curious to see what kind of form he's in. But while Horgan is heavily favored to win this race, but he's not without capable challengers. Evan Horgan competing at the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover // Photo via Griffin Forberg Jacob Walker (TSR #22) was listed at TSR #16 in the preseason and fell in our rankings due to other men exceeding expectations rather than any fault of his own. He was runner-up finisher against D1 competition at the Western Michigan George Dales Invite last month, showing that he's fit, and we already knew that he had a strong aerobic engine from running 29:09 (10k) earlier this year on the outdoor oval. Not only that, but Walker is actually the top returner from the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover where he placed 6th! Adding to the intrigue, Horgan struggled in that race (relative to expectations), placing 19th. UC-Colorado Springs ace, Brett Davis, feels like less of a threat to win the race and more of a safe pick to finish toward the front of the field...but perhaps we're underrating him. The Mountain Lion senior had a quietly strong 2025-26 academic year, placing 54th at the NCAA XC Championships and then taking 15th over 5000 meters at the outdoor national meet. He opened his 2026 fall campaign by winning the UCCS XC Rust-Buster. We then come to Anderson (SC)'s Grayson Gibbons who also won his season opener, the Converse Kick-Off/Southeast Regional Preview. He has some of the highest upside in this field, having finished in the top-100 at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships as a freshman. Could a leap in fitness be in store for Gibbons this season? And if so, then what does that mean for race tomorrow? Western Washington senior Jared Alderfer has competed at this meet the past two years, but has been better in the postseason. After running an 8k PR en route to a close runner-up finish at his home meet late last month, he may be in prime form earlier than he has been in past campaigns. Colorado Christian's Zachariah Vance was further back in the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover field, but recently impressed by placing 10th and serving as CCU's lead scorer at the 2026 Texas Tech Open. He also has ample national meet experience and shouldn't necessarily feel overwhelmed by this field. His teammate, Mateo Luna, struggled at the Texas Tech Open, but could be in store for a bounce-back race after being viewed as a preseason All-American favorite. It's clear that he took a jump up in fitness on the track this past winter and spring. In Horgan's stead, Kenan Delestre led the Flyers at the Notre Dame National Catholic Invitational, placing 10th. His presence, particularly if he can be a second low-stick scorer, is also important in the team race. The same can be said for Enzo Knapp, who earned a runner-up finish behind Davis in the UCCS XC Rust-Buster. Along with Davis, Caden Leal, Koy Cunningham and Michael Burke, he's one of five men returning from a Mountain Lion squad that finished in the top half of the team standings at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships. Western Washington will be UCCS' prime challenger for the team title at this year's Lewis XC Crossover. Now, admittedly, the Vikings are without All-American favorite Jonah Billings, a tough blow for a team that could use the extra firepower. Even so, counting Alderfer, they still have three top-90 finishers from the 2025 NCAA XC Championships who have returned for this fall. Western Washington men huddling before the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover // Photo via Griffin Forberg George Fernandez and Sten Brakstad could finish with Alderfer toward the front of this field. The latter is the second-fastest returning finisher from the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover, where he finished 10th. Not only that, but fellow teammate Luke Reiss appears to have made a major leap, placing 7th at the WWU Bill Roe Classic after placing 36th at that meet last year. All told, six of our top-20 squads in our men's top-10 team rankings, our "Just Missed" teams and our "Honorable Mentions" teams are competing in this field. We don't view any of these squads as podium teams (yet), but how they fare this weekend could dramatically impact our perception of the top-10. Men's Team Predictions UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions Western Washington Vikings Lewis Flyers Colorado Christian Cougars Saginaw Valley State Cardinals Men's Individual Predictions Evan Horgan (Lewis) Jacob Walker (Saginaw Valley State) Brett Davis (UC-Colorado Springs) Jared Alderfer (Western Washington) Grayson Gibbons (Anderson (SC)) Zachariah Vance (Colorado Christian) Kenan Delestre (Lewis) Enzo Knapp (UC-Colorado Springs) William Cronin (Anderson (SC)) George Fernandez (Western Washington) Mateo Luna (Colorado Christian) Sten Brakstad (Western Washington) Zach Elam (Biola) Michael Burke (UC-Colorado Springs) Ethan Bothwell (Western Oregon) Women's Preview None of the women in this field are currently featured in our top-25 individual rankings. That, however, leaves the door open for a coming-out party or a star turn. Western Washington senior Ella Edens has already had that...well, depending on who you ask. She took 83rd place at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships and won the WWU Bill Roe Classic comfortably to open this season after placing only 65th at the Lewis XC Crossover last year. And now that she has more big-meet experience and recent momentum, Edens should finish far closer to the front of the field. We then come to Anderson (SC)'s Kennedy Roush, who has one of the better aerobic engines in this field, having finished top-50 at the 2025 cross country national meet. She also placed 10th over 10,000 meters at the 2026 outdoor national meet. Kennedy Roush crosses the finish line at the 2025 NCAA D2 XC Championships // Photo via Jackie Kirby There is absolutely a world where Roush walks away with the individual title on Saturday. And even if she doesn't, she still profiles as a runner who seemingly has a high floor and isn't suspectible to too many "off" days. Maybe more fascinating are the Winona State duo of Stella Rusch and Kelsey Young, two women who are still relative unknowns after serving as backend scorers for Winona State as underclassmen last year. They have both moved capably into front-end scoring roles this season, and we expect much of the same from their teammate, Ella Voit, in her season debut this weekend. The Warriors are among the most battle-tested women in Division Two thus far, having run against D1 competition at the Augustana Twilight and the Roy Griak Invitational, so this field shouldn't feel like a substantial step up to them. And if they can find enough support behind their sneaky-good top-three, then they should be able to take home this win...right? Lewis' very own, Mary Edwards, is the top returner from the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover (7th place) and has the benefit of racing on her home course. She's yet to make her season debut, but when we saw her last, she was racing to a 4th place finish over the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2026 outdoor national meet. Josephine Bober (left) & Mary Edwards (right) competing at the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover // Photo via Griffin Forberg Edwards may very well be the favorite to win this race, especially if you believe that she is a noticeably better runner than the one who took 66th at the NCAA XC Championships las fall. Her teammate, Madilyn Calloway, is the second-fastest returner from the 2025 Lewis XC Crossover. She will be integral to the Flyers' hopes of winning the meet's team title after finishing runner-up last year. With 2025 Lewis XC Crossover team champions, Chico State, not entered for this meet, the Biola women will be viewed as major factors in the team race after placing 3rd last year. The Eagles graduated their two lead scorers, but Jaina Kang has filled a low-stick role fairly well this fall, and Hailey Wurzbach has moved into the role that she vacated. Also, watch out for Edinboro, a team that returns six of their seven runners who competed for the 28th place team at the 2025 NCAA XC Championships. Kadi Bauer and Madeline Hammond have run well together thus far for the Fighting Scots and should look to pack together again in a larger field. On the individual side, we're especially interested in seeing how Simon Fraser's Raiya Matonovich fares in her first major cross country test after earning national meet bronze over 1500 meters last spring. Notably, Central Washington sophomore Madeline Harrison finished ahead of her at the WWU Bill Roe Classic late last month and is thus a sleeper name in this field. Women's Individual Predictions Mary Edwards (Lewis) Kennedy Roush (Anderson (SC)) Ella Edens (Western Washington) Stella Rusch (Winona State) Kelsey Young (Winona State) Madilyn Calloway (Lewis) Jaina Kang (Biola) Ella Voit (Winona State) Madeline Harrison (Central Washington) Hailey Wurzbach (Biola) Kadi Bauer (Edinboro) Megan Garrett (Lewis) Raiya Matonovich (Simon Fraser) Madeline Hammond (Edinboro) Lauren Sattler (Findlay) Women's Team Predictions Winona State Warriors Lewis Flyers Edinboro Fighting Scots Biola Eagles Findlay Oilers

Rejoice! The biggest and best regular season cross country meet of the year is finally upon us! This Friday, many of the nation's best distance squads will converge in Madison, Wisconsin for the Nuttycombe Invite. There, they will do battle to see how they stack up against the NCAA's elite before the postseason comes into play. On the men's side, a total of 17 teams from The Stride Report's NCAA Preseason XC Top-25 Team Rankings can be found in the entries. And with so many other squads showcasing significant improvements of their own in recent weeks, we are set to see fireworks over take the grassy plains in Wisconsin on Friday morning. Below, we offered analysis on every. single. team. found in the "A" section of the Nuttycombe Invite. Today, we will be focusing on the men, with the women's article already published on Wednesday. Just like we did with the John McNichols Invite, as well as similar meets from recent years, I am implementing our "three sentences or less" rule for this preview. And yes, the rule works exactly how it sounds. I will list every men's team entered in the "A" race at the 2026 Nuttycombe Invite. However, I will only be able to offer a maximum of three sentences worth of analysis for each of those teams. In order to get this preview out at a reasonable time, this felt like the most effective method to utilize. Oh, and don't forget to check out our predictions below! Let's begin... NOTE: Individual athlete entries were not released prior to the publication of this article. It is possible that certain athletes mentioned below will not race on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin. The Stride Report intends to update this article upon the release of the individual athlete entries. Men’s Preview Air Force Falcons It's admittedly tough to look past a 20th place finish at the John McNichols Invite from earlier this season. On that stage, the Falcons' top scorer took 66th place and only one other name cracked the top-100. This team is probably better than what they showed in September, but that doesn't mean that they'll play a major role in this field. Arkansas Razorbacks The Arkansas men took home a narrow win at the Gans Creek Classic a couple of weeks ago behind the lethal 1-2 punch of Ernest Cheruiyot and Nick Busienei. The challenge, however, is that star ace Timothy Chesondin struggled mightily and we didn't see Brian Masai toe the line. Even so, if the Razorbacks field a full lineup and everyone runs up to their full potential, then this group can absolutely crack the top-five in the team standings on Friday. Boise State Broncos The Boise State men had a "just okay" showing at the Roy Griak Invite where they were soundly defeated by a very limited Iowa State squad by 15 points. That said, Brian Kiprotich looks like he could be a star, and there weren't any glaring gaps in the Broncos' lineup in that race. Even so, the overall scoring potency of Boise State's top-five will need to be noticeably better on Friday if they are going to score multiple Kolas points in Madison, Wisconsin. Butler Bulldogs A 10th place team effort at the John McNichols Invite last month was roughly on par with what we expected to see out of a Butler team that is looking to rebound from losing multiple scorers. Will Zegarski is still a true low-stick, and freshman Graham Tomori looks very solid in his own right. However, the gap to the Bulldogs' remaining scorers could be further exploited in a larger and more competitive field this Friday. Will Zegarski competing at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg BYU Cougars The BYU men were simply excellent at the John McNichols Invite as Tayvon Kitchen looked truly elite while the remaining Cougar scorers all cracked the top-20. The challenge, however, is that there doesn't appear to be much depth behind those five men, leaving BYU with little margin for error. Even so, with one of the more complete scoring units in this field, it's realistic to think that the Provo-based men could take 3rd place on Friday. Colorado Buffaloes The Stride Report has learned that Dean Casey and Dominic Serem will not be racing this weekend, instead being held out until the BIG 12 XC Championships. That, admittedly, hurts the Buffaloes' chances of cracking the top-three on Friday. And yet, make no mistake, Colorado is still a scary-good team, especially if their international newcomers are as good as we think they can be. Eastern Kentucky Colonels On paper, there is plenty of upside within this Eastern Kentucky lineup, and there is absolutely a world where they crack the top-10 in this field on Friday. Even so, the Colonels were a bit all over the place at the John McNichols Invite last month and we saw last year how the EKU men didn't really piece together a complete team effort until the postseason. Put simply, the Colonels will be a major x-factor going into the Nuttycombe Invite. Florida Gators The Florida men were simply outstanding at the John McNichols Invite behind the lethal 1-2 punch of Kelvin Cheruiyot and Geofrey Ronoh. However, the impressive improvements seen by Josh Ruiz, Jonathan Leon and Ian Sanchez Lopez was the real engine that made the Florida men nationally competitive. And if the Gators finally debut long distance star Eliud Muchiri this Friday, then this squad should be even more impressive than they were last month. Kelvin Cheruiyot competing at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg Furman Paladins A 4th place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invite wasn't a super exciting result for Furman, but it wasn't necessarily a poor performance, either. Christopher Knight looks like he could be a true low-stick season this season and Ty Jones looked very solid in his own right. That said, the gap between those two men and the remaining scorers in this lineup could further widen in a larger, overwhelming field like the Nuttycombe Invite. Georgetown Hoyas This is a sneaky-solid team that deserves respect going into the Nuttycombe Invite. Their 4th place finish to beat North Carolina and Princeton at the Princeton Meadows Classic was very respectable, and the same could be said about Birhanu Harriman and Joe O'Brien each cracking the top-10 in that field. Sure, the depth on this team needs to be a bit better, but that can be (partially) addressed if Wake Forest transfer Daniel Winter runs up to his full potential. Georgia Bulldogs It may have been concerning to see the Georgia men fade to 15th place at the John McNichols Invite, but not having star ace Valentin Soca largely explains that hiccup. As long as the Uruguayan distance star is toeing the line this Friday, the Bulldogs should remain plenty competitive and earn multiple Kolas points. Don't overlook how impactful men such as Ryan Olree and Conner Rutherford could be, either. Gonzaga Bulldogs I really liked what we saw from Logan Law a few weeks ago, and the middle portion of Gonzaga's scoring contingent was decent enough. However, there was also a noticeable drop-off to their fifth man. If that can be addressed, then this team may be able to hold their own, but Friday is going to be an uphill battle for the Bulldogs as their talent is limited compared to other teams in this field. Gonzaga men leading the field at the Loyola Lakefront Invite // Photo via Sattler Photography Harvard Crimson Yes, the Harvard men "only" took 11th place at the John McNichols Invite earlier this season, but that was probably one of the most impressive results that we saw out of that meet when provided with proper context. Tam Gavenas was a true star in that race and, more importantly, Ben Bouie looked a very productive support scorer! If the Crimson reintroduce low-sticks Charlie Ortmans and Sam Burgess back into this lineup, then the Harvard men should be plenty dangerous on Friday morning. Iowa State Cyclones There is absolutely a world where the Iowa State men win this race, although New Mexico looks incredibly lethal in their own right. Ultimately, we feel really good about Robin Kewmoi Bera, Meshack Kimutai, Joash Ruto and Rodgers Kiplimo. However, whether or not the Cyclones win this race could ultimately come down to how newcomer Justine Kipkoech fares in a major field. Lipscomb Bison I liked what we saw from Max Hooper at the Loyola Lakefront Invite, but the rest of this Lipscomb team seemed limited and depth became a challenge at their latter scoring spots. The Bison do have room to improve in the margins of their top-five, but it would take a substantial leap from this entire group if they're going to crack the top-20 on Friday. Louisville Cardinals The trio of Elsingi Kipruto, Nickson Kogei and Kelvin Kipleting looked plenty strong at the John McNichols Invite last month, but depth is still a massive liability for the Louisville men. With Geoffrey Kirwa expected to be out for the season, there is only so much that the Cardinals' top-three men can do for their team in this field. Elsingi Kipruto competing at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg Michigan Wolverines The Michigan men looked quietly great at the Loyola Lakefront Invite a few weeks ago as they were just three points out from taking down a strong Arizona team. Nathan Lopez and Trent McFarland look like respectable lead scorers while Brendan Herger seems fairly stable in the middle portion of this lineup. If backend scorers Jack Bidwell and William Beardsley are able to stay relatively close to their top teammates, then Michigan can absolutely crack the top-20 of this field and maybe even flirt with breaking into the top-15. Michigan State Spartans A 6th place team effort at the John McNichols Invite was a very solid showing for the Michigan State men given that star Riley Hough struggled mightily relative to expectations. And truthfully, his not-so-great showing leaves us a little hesitant to say that the Spartans will crack the top-10 on Friday. That said, Thomas Westphal, Lezawe Osterink, Michael Hegarty and Beckett Crooks looked very strong as a collective unit last month, theoretically giving MSU a high floor going into this meet. Minnesota Golden Gophers The Minnesota men were fairly respectable at the Loyola Lakefront Invite (where they placed 3rd) and there is a world where they score more than one Kolas point on Friday. Emmett Gerres looks like a great lead scorer for a team that needed firepower last fall, while names such as Aidan Jones, Nolan Sutter, Aloysius Franzen and Sam Scott were flat-out solid in their last major race. No, Minnesota probably won't be a top-15 team on Friday (surely I won't regret saying that), but it would also be surprising if they finished any worse than 22nd place or 23rd place. Missouri Tigers A 6th place finish at the Gans Creek Classic the other week was truthfully an underwhelming result for a Missouri team that we felt was capable of more. Although, in fairness to the Tigers, lead scorer Jean Kipchumba raced unattached, meaning that Missouri could have finished 3rd in that field if he had been racing attached. Even so, sturdier depth and more potent lead scoring are areas of emphasis for the Tigers if they are going to earn a meaningful number of Kolas points this Friday. Raymond Kipkoech competing at the Gans Creek Classic // Photo via Missouri Athletics New Mexico Lobos This team is packed to the brim with elite firepower between Pasanjo Kitonga, Collins Kiprotich, Evans Kiplagat and Vincent Chirchir. However, the biggest two uncertainties with this team are whether or not Joshua Abraham can replicate his low-stick performance from the Cowboy Jamboree, and if we see Gerald Kipkemboi make his NCAA debut (and be a low-stick-caliber name). If either of those scenarios happen on Friday, then the Lobos should absolutely take home the win. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks A 7th place team effort at the John McNichols Invite did leave us wanting a bit more out of the Northern Arizona men. However, when you realize that they were missing three or four key names, their result becomes a bit easier to understand. Even so, this team clearly needs more firepower, and Friday will be the ultimate proving ground as we attempt to figure out just how good this team really is. Oklahoma Sooners This team was hit with two brutal (and unexpected) departures this past summer, but they still have key names in Ronald Ngetich and Thobias Cheruiyot, as well as Austin Popplewell who was a DNF at the Cowboy Jamboree. No, this team isn't perfect, and their depth is shaky-at-best, but the best version of Oklahoma could potentially crack the top-20 on Friday...I think. Ole Miss Rebels Having Kidus Misgina solves a lot of issues as far as firepower is concerned, and Zack Gilbertson is a fairly respectable secondary scorer as well. Even so, the Rebels showcased limited depth after those two men at the Gans Creek Classic a few weeks ago. That said, there are a few other men on this roster who we have not yet seen this season who could improve Ole Miss' support scoring. Kidus Misgina charging to the finish line at the Gans Creek Classic // Photo via Ole Miss Athletics Portland Pilots An 18th place finish at the John McNichols Invite left us fairly unexcited about the Portland men going into the rest of this season. They did have four top-100 finishers, but their top runner took 40th place, leaving the Pilots with very minimal firepower. Even so, this group is traditionally at their best over 10,000 meters and when they reach the postseason, something to consider for later this fall. Princeton Tigers At The Stride Report, we're big fans of Jacob Nenow, and Brian Boler looked very solid as a secondary scorer a few weeks ago at Princeton's home meet. Even so, there were very clear gaps that formed between the Tigers' latter three scorers in their last outing, and that could be further exploited in a larger field this Friday. Providence Friars After a truthfully tough outing at the Princeton Meadows Classic, it's hard to be optimistic about the Providence men going into the Nuttycombe Invite. With basically zero firepower, the Friars don't appear to have enough scoring value in their lineup to finish inside the top-25 on Friday. Stanford Cardinal The Stanford men looked far stronger as a collective unit at the John McNichols Invite last month than they did at any point during the 2025 cross country season. Not only that, but we think there is significant room for improvements from multiple men who recently raced, specifically Leo Young. If that's the case, then Stanford has a very real chance of cracking into the top-10 at the Nuttycombe Invite. Paul Bergeron charging to the finish line at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg Tennessee Volunteers We were fairly high on the Tennessee men coming into this season (at least, compared to how they fared last fall) and they certainly showcased that perceived potential by earning a narrow runner-up finish to Arkansas at the Gans Creek Classic. The quartet of Nelson Setek, Zouhair Redouane, Ethan Edgeworth and Victor Kipkoech looks highly complete and void of any flaws right now. And if sophomore Ty Steorts can close out the scoring fast enough, then the Volunteers have a very real chance of cracking the top-10 on Friday. Tulsa Golden Hurricane The Tulsa men truthfully underwhelmed at the Cowboy Jamboree, falling to Stephen F. Austin in that race and settling for 5th place in the overall standings. Sure, Ben Brown and Luke Birdseye look fairly solid, but without any exceptional firepower or extremely compact depth, there is only so much that the Tulsa men can do in this field. UCLA Bruins Just like their women's team, it's hard to get a proper gauge on the UCLA men right now as they have, a) yet to race in a nationally competitive field this season, and b) yet to field any / many of their top men. That said, there are a few decent individuals on this team, and I have a feeling that the Bruins may be slightly better on Friday than some people are expecting. Wake Forest Demon Deacons JoJo Jourdon and Paul Specht are not going to be racing this Friday, instead being held out until the ACC XC Championships. It's also unclear when we will see Alex Thompson this fall. That said, Rocky Hansen is as elite as they get, Aurélien Radja holds All-American-caliber potential, the best version of Charlie Sprott is plenty dangerous and there are numerous other names on this roster who hold a ton of potential. Wake Forest huddle before competing at the NCAA XC Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay Washington Huskies The Washington men were a very pleasant surprise at the John McNichols Invite last month when they took 3rd place overall despite Tyrone Gorze (13th) being their only name in the top-40. That said, Josiah Tostenson, Nathan Neil, Jamar Distel and Isaac Briggs packed together beautifully to showcase incredible depth and stability. The only question now, however, is if those same support scorers can replicate that kind of pack-running in a field as overwhelming as the Nuttycombe Invite. Washington State Cougars The Washington State men looked very solid at the John McNichols Invite as Solomon Kipchoge and Evans Kurui were an elite 1-2 punch, while Kutoven Stevens made a tremendous jump in his own fitness with a top-30 result. However, we have yet to see international newcomers Benedict Njoroge and Joshua Nderitu toe the line yet this season. If they race on Friday, then Washington State could be a massive problem, but we also don't know what to expect from the two Kenyan distance stars in their first-ever NCAA race (should they actually compete). Wisconsin Badgers A 9th place finish at the John McNichols Invite wasn't exactly exciting result for Wisconsin, even if the Badgers were missing low-stick ace, Matan Ivri. It would be unfair to judge this team based on their Loyola Lakefront Invite performance given that most of their top men were sidelined for that meet. That said, the pressure is on for the Badgers to prove that they are still a top-15 team in the country this Friday, especially as they race on their home course. REMINDER: Individual athlete entries were not released prior to the publication of this article. It is possible that certain athletes mentioned below will not race on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin. The Stride Report intends to update this article upon the release of the individual athlete entries. Men's Team Predictions New Mexico Lobos Iowa State Cyclones BYU Cougars Colorado Buffaloes Arkansas Razorbacks Washington State Cougars Florida Gators Wake Forest Demon Deacons Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Stanford Cardinal Men's Individual Predictions Rocky Hansen (Wake Forest) Elsingi Kipruto (Louisville) Pasanjo Kitonga (New Mexico) Ernest Cheruiyot (Arkansas) Kelvin Cheruiyot (Florida) Tayvon Kitchen (BYU) Evans Kurui (Washington State) Solomon Kipchoge (Washington State) Robin Kwemoi Bera (Iowa State) Collins Kiprotich (New Mexico) Evans Kiplagat (New Mexico) Tam Gavenas (Harvard) Meshack Kipruto (Colorado) Valentin Soca (Georgia) Vincent Chirchir (New Mexico) Meshack Kimutai (Iowa State) Joash Ruto (Iowa State) Nick Busienei (Arkansas) Eliud Muchiri (Florida) Thomas Westphal (Michigan State)

Rejoice! The biggest and best regular season cross country meet of the year is finally upon us! This Friday, many of the nation's best distance squads will converge in Madison, Wisconsin for the Nuttycombe Invite. There, they will do battle to see how they stack up against the NCAA's elite before the postseason comes into play. On the women's side, a total of 15 teams from The Stride Report's NCAA Preseason XC Top-25 Team Rankings can be found in the entries. And with so many other squads showcasing significant improvements of their own in recent weeks, we are set to see fireworks over take the grassy plains in Wisconsin on Friday morning. Below, we offered analysis on every. single. team. found in the "A" section of the Nuttycombe Invite. Today, we will be focusing on the women, with the men's article coming tomorrow. Just like we did with the John McNichols Invite, as well as similar meets from recent years, I am implementing our "three sentences or less" rule for this preview. And yes, the rule works exactly how it sounds. I will list every women's team entered in the "A" race at the 2026 Nuttycombe Invite. However, I will only be able to offer a maximum of three sentences worth of analysis for each of those teams. In order to get this preview out at a reasonable time, this felt like the most effective method to utilize. Oh, and don't forget to check out our predictions below! Let's begin... NOTE: Individual athlete entries were not released prior to the publication of this article. It is possible that certain athletes mentioned below will not race on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin. The Stride Report intends to update this article upon the release of the individual athlete entries. Women’s Preview Air Force Falcons Sure, the Air Force women weren't particularly amazing at the John McNichols Invite earlier this season, but a 14th place effort wasn't exactly horrible, either. Anna Harden and Ella Johnson are two decent lead scorers, but the rest of the Falcons' top-five need to close down on gaps and move up as a pack. If they can do that, then Air Force could maybe earn a Kolas point or two on Friday. Boise State Broncos Relative to expectations, the Boise State women were "just okay" at the Roy Griak Invite earlier this year, being soundly defeated by an Ali Weimer-less Minnesota squad. That said, Amit Koma and Lily LaPorte looked fairly solid. And if the depth on this team can avoid being overwhelmed by this field, then the Broncos could surprise a few people on Friday. Colorado Buffaloes There is still so much that we don't know about the Colorado women this season, especially when it comes to their newest Kenyan ace, Sheylah Kurgat. That said, if everything plays out perfectly for the Buffaloes, then they can absolutely be a top-five team on Friday. That, however, requires Jessie Secor and Abbey Mathison (née Nechanicky) fully delivering on their potential as true low-sticks. Florida Gators The Florida women held their own at the John McNichols Invite with a 5th place finish, a result powered by Judy Chepkoech (3rd) and Desma Chepkoech (5th). That said, the Gators' depth was "just okay," and that is something that could create some vulnerability for this team on Friday. However, if we see Reagan Gilmore and newcomer Caroline Jepchirchir toe the line, then maybe Florida's floor will be noticeably higher than it was a few weeks ago. Judy Chepkoech charging to the finish line at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg Furman Paladins The Furman women are admittedly in a rebuilding phase of their roster's lifecycle, something that was evident via their 7th place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invite the other week. Tessa Walter, Elly Velasquez and Georgy Helmers are a solid trio of scorers, but the Paladins are still very young and need to further solidify the backend of their lineup. Georgetown Hoyas Truthfully, this isn't Georgetown's year. The Hoyas are far more limited in terms of their scoring options this fall compared to previous seasons. It would truthfully be a surprise if they cracked the top-30 on Friday. Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia women are far from perfect, but their 13th place finish at the John McNichols Invite suggested that they could be a somewhat competitive team this fall. The contingent of Anastasia Nilsson, Addison Scott and Ceyda Pinar were decent enough in Terre Haute, but the depth on this team and their respective firepower must be better when they toe the line on Friday. Otherwise, cracking the top-20 will be an uphill battle. Gonzaga Bulldogs There is a somewhat realistic scenario where Gonzaga is a top-15 team on Friday. For that to happen, Jessica Frydenlund and Logan Hofstee both need to race (and be at top form), while freshmen Audrey Orme and Sloan Dickson need to replicate their Loyola Lakefront Invite performances. That's far easier said than done, but the potential is there for the Bulldogs to make some noise. Audrey Orme (center) competing at the Loyola Lakefront Invite // Photo via Sattler Photography Harvard Crimson The Harvard women had a fine outing at the John McNichols Invite, taking 15th place, but it's clear that the Crimson don't have a scoring identity or had any legitimate firepower in that race. That said, the return of Dylan McElhinney should at least position this team for a better result than what we saw back in September. Iowa State Cyclones Gosh, this team is overwhelmingly elite in terms of firepower. The trio of Rosemary Longisa, Betty Kipkore and Mercy Kibet could all realistically finish inside the top-20 on Friday. However, recent rumblings around the NCAA suggest that Mercyline Kirwa is not racing this week, and it doesn't help that the Cyclones' depth was already somewhat shaky as it is. Louisville Cardinals The Louisville women had a sneaky-good team performance at the John McNichols Invite where they secured a promising 10th place finish. The Cardinals seemingly have a true low-stick in Nancy Chepleting (who has clearly improved) as well as a strong secondary scorer in newcomer Winnie Ndiwa. Admittedly, those two women are doing most of the heavy lifting in the team scoring, but Friday is still a huge (and realistic) opportunity for Louisville to score multiple Kolas points. Michigan State Spartans Despite struggling last fall and then losing Rachel Forsyth to NC State in the summer, the Michigan State women looked fairly respectable at the John McNichols Invite earlier this season when they placed 9th overall. Taylor Pangburn (28th) was a very solid lead scorer in that field while the rest of the Spartans' top-five packed together fairly well to give this team a high floor. Sure, their upside may be limited, but if they replicate that collective effort, then Michigan State probably won't have a "poor" performance. Taylor Pangburn competing at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg Minnesota Golden Gophers What we've seen from the Minnesota women so far this season has been plenty encouraging and highly validating of our TSR #20 preseason ranking. Ali Weimer is excellent, but it's Isabelle Schmitz who should give this team a differentiating scoring spark. There's talent beyond those two women, but can that talent remain cohesive and eliminate lineup gaps on Friday? Missouri Tigers Many of us at The Stride Report were/are very high on the Missouri women after they put together a dominant team showing (en route to the win) at the Gans Creek Classic. Not only that, but the Tigers didn't even field newcomers Evyn Humphrey, Faith Ngoraa or Joyce Jepkorir for that race! Put simply, a fully stacked Missouri lineup should comfortably finish in the top-10 on Friday -- and they may not need all of their newcomers to make that happen. Nebraska Cornhuskers Sure, a 6th place team effort at the Gans Creek Classic is hardly exciting. However, when you consider that Nebraska beat Ole Miss, Tennessee, Wyoming and others, it becomes a (slightly) shinier result. Ali Bainbridge and Berlyn Schutz continue to be quality lead scorers, and the 'Huskers are decent enough through four names, but they'll need greater depth moving forward. New Mexico Lobos With Pamela Kosgei and Marion Jepngetich both set to make their debuts this Friday, and Mercy Kirarei looking like an All-American-caliber star at the Cowboy Jamboree, it's fair to believe that the New Mexico women can absolutely win this race. The challenge, however, is that they won't have Judy Rono this season, and their supporting cast doesn't appear to be quite as potent as what Northern Arizona boasts or what Iowa State has at their fourth scoring spot. Regardless, if those latter two runners come through in a big way, then the Lobos can secure gold on Friday. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks There is an argument to be had that the Northern Arizona women are the most complete team in this field. The Lumberjacks were dominant at the John McNichols Invite, putting six runners in the top-20, and they didn't even have Carmen Cernjul or Hayley Burns for that race! If those latter two women do run, then NAU should have enough firepower and depth to realistically contend for gold on Friday. Northwestern Wildcats The Northwestern women took 3rd place at the Loyola Lakefront Invite earlier this season, predictably losing to both Virginia and Minnesota. Sure, this team still has a strong core of scorers between Ava Criniti, Cary Drake, Skye Ellis, Jackie Holman and now Elizabeth Nicholson. Even so, the Wildcats simply aren't as potent in the middle or latter portions of their top-five compared to last year. Oklahoma Sooners With Leah Jeruto and Lily Baker being held out until the SEC XC Championships, the Oklahoma women will be without some key scoring on Friday. Even so, there is a decent enough core where they should remain somewhat competitive. No, they won't crack the top-10, but a top-20 result is still realistic thanks to the contingent of Domtila Cheruto, Sarafina Kibet, Abby Jepchirchir, Hasnae Goulamzi and Sanae Hassnaoui. Oregon State Beavers An 11th place team finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invite makes us a bit concerned as to how the Oregon State women are going to fare in this field. Ainsley Herron and Noemi Lundgren are respectable names, but the Beavers had significant gaps in their lineup at their last outing. Those gaps could create some issues for the Oregon State women in a field of this size and magnitude. Penn State Nittany Lions The Penn State women struggled mightily at the Princeton Meadows Classic a few weeks ago as they faded to 7th place. There, Charlotte Costich and Lea Hatcher both had tough outings while Vivian Kipruto wasn't the low-stick-caliber name that we thought she could be. It's hard to believe that the Nittany Lions won't be noticeably more competitive this Friday, but their latest race left this group with A LOT of work to do. Princeton Tigers An 8th place performance at their home meet, the Princeton Meadows Classic, was fine, but it's clear that the Tigers will be missing the low-stick scoring presence of Anna McNatt this fall. But while Princeton does need far greater firepower, their overall lineup at least seems competent and somewhat complete. Providence Friars The Providence women were a pleasant surprise at the Princeton Meadows Classic where they took 3rd place overall. Gabby Schmidt looks like a low-stick while Anna Gardiner is an ideal secondary scorer. With a scoring contingent that is seemingly complete through five runners, the Friars have a realistic shot at cracking the top-half of this field after finishing third-to-last at the 2025 edition of the Nuttycombe Invite. Gabby Schmidt (center back) competing at the Princeton Meadows Classic // Photo via Mason Canton Stanford Cardinal On paper, this team is capable of a top-10, or even top-five, finish on Friday. The challenge, however, is that star ace Amy Bunnage doesn't usually race until the West Regional XC Championships and there are so many rookies on this team with unknown upside/effectiveness. Sophia Kennedy, Julia Flynn and Hanne Thomsen will keep the Cardinal women competitive, but we have more questions than answers when it comes to Stanford this fall. Tennessee Volunteers The Tennessee women were flat-out bad at the Gans Creek Classic the other week, falling to 9th place in the team standings. Newcomer Faith Chepchumba looked like a bright spot as a possible low-stick, but the Volunteers' next-best finisher took 50th place. That said, low-stick Mary Ogwoka recorded a DNF, and if she actually finished the race, then this team is definitely better than what we saw...but not by an overwhelming amount. Toledo Rockets The Toledo women proved that we should have ranked them in the preseason when they took 4th place at the John McNichols and were led by Kenyan newcomer, Purity Chepkirui. However, it was the high-impact efforts of Melody Jebiwot and Dorcas Kiptanui that really allowed the Rockets to stand out. If Toledo can ensure that Karina James and Lianna Surtz won't let major gaps form ahead of them this Friday, then this group has a realistic shot of cracking the top-10. UCLA Bruins It's admittedly hard to gauge the UCLA women right now as they have yet to face a nationally competitive Division One-centric field. Gretchen Yakaitis and Ayanna Hickey looked fairly solid at the St. Mary's Invitational, but I'm not confident that the Bruins have debuted all of their top names yet this season. Utah Utes The Utah women are a fantastic team that are perfectly balanced in terms of firepower, depth, experience, limited gaps and so much more. Yes, it would be good to see another low-stick join Erin Vringer and Annastasia Peters at the front of their lineup, but the Utes feel like locks for a top-10 finish on Friday and maybe even a top-five result, too. Wake Forest Demon Deacons The recent loss of Angelina Perez to a season-ending injury is brutal for a team that was already thin on high-impact scorers behind her and veteran Brooke Wilson. The Demon Deacons will still hold their own in Madison, Wisconsin, but earning Kolas points has suddenly become a urgent requirement for Wake Forest entering Friday's meet. Washington Huskies The Washington women were plenty complete and deep at the John McNichols Invite (where they took 6th place) despite youth being a center point of their lineup. If veteran ace Julia David-Smith does return to action this Friday, then the Huskies will be noticeably better. However, the inexperience within this lineup could be a key vulnerability to watch for this team in such a competitive and overwhelming field. Washington State Cougars The Washington State women took home a very strong 3rd place finish at the John McNichols Invite, but they could have been even better if low-stick Zenah Cheptoo had run up to her full potential. There's no guarantee that she will be firing on all cylinders this Friday, but if she is, then the Cougars could realistically crack the top-five. That, however, assumes that other newcomers such as Millie Bii and Nelly Jemeli are just as good on Friday as they were last month. Millie Bii charging to the finish line at the John McNichols Invite // Photo via Griffin Forberg West Virginia Mountaineers After entering a few non-varsity names in the "Open" section of the John McNichols Invite, we should finally get to see the best version of the West Virginia women on Friday. Admittedly, we haven't seen anything from the Mountaineers this season that would have us feeling differently than we did during the summer months. They likely can't win this race, but they are absolutely talented enough and experienced enough to crack the top-five. Wisconsin Badgers They may be racing on their home course, but that is only going to do so much for a Wisconsin team that is simply not at their best right now. The Badgers were 16th at the John McNichols Invite and are going through a roster rebuild of sorts after losing multiple names and Coach Lindsay Crevoiserat from last fall. REMINDER: Individual athlete entries were not released prior to the publication of this article. It is possible that certain athletes mentioned below will not race on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin. The Stride Report intends to update this article upon the release of the individual athlete entries. Women's Team Predictions Northern Arizona Lumberjacks New Mexico Lobos Utah Utes West Virginia Mountaineers Iowa State Cyclones Missouri Tigers Washington State Cougars Colorado Buffaloes Toledo Rockets Stanford Cardinal Women's Individual Predictions Pamela Kosgei (New Mexico) Joy Naukot (West Virginia) Rosemary Longisa (Iowa State) Judy Chepkoech (Florida) Marion Jepngetich (New Mexico) Betty Kipkore (Iowa State) Desma Chepkoech (Florida) Carmen Cernjul (Northern Arizona) Mercy Kirarei (New Mexico) Erin Vringer (Utah) Millie Bii (Washington State) Ava Mitchell (Northern Arizona) Mercy Kibet (Iowa State) Sophia Kennedy (Stanford) Sheylah Kurgat (Colorado) Purity Chepkirui (Toledo) Elsa Sundqvist (Northern Arizona) Mercy Kinyanjui (West Virginia) Nancy Chepleting (Louisville) Zenah Cheptoo (Washington State)