Update: 8/8/2016: Josette Norris was previously listed as the probably No. 2 runner for North Carolina. We have received confirmation that she is transferring to Georgetown this fall.  

Check out the Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top 31 cross country teams in the NCAA this season. The No. 24 spot goes to North Carolina this year, and here's why:

Probable Top Four:

JR Caroline Alcorta ( 4:18 1500; 16:13 5K; 14th at '15 NCAA Southeast XC)
JR Hannah Christen (16:49 5K; 34:23 10K; 6th at '15 NCAA Southeast XC)
SO Stella Radford (10:13 3K SC; 17:28 5K; 23rd at '15 NCAA Southeast XC)
SO Morgan Ilse (4:30 1500; 9:50 3K; 52nd at '15 NCAA Southeast XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Mady Ciahane via Mechanicsburg, PA (2:13 800; 4:35 1500; 9:56 3K)
Blair Ramsey via Greensboro, NC (4:32 1500; 10:26 3K)

Analysis:

The Tar Heel women were not at the NCAA Championships last year, but that doesn't mean you should count them out for 2016. UNC finished third at the 2015 Southeast Regional, and only 15 points behind North Carolina State, a squad that went on to finish fifth at the NCAA Championships. Unfortunately for UNC, the Southeast region wasn't granted any at-large bids, and the Tar Heels missed their shot at the big dance.

This season, all five of the Tar Heels' top cross country performers will return for a second chance. Junior Caroline Alcorta is coming off a strong outdoor track season to lead the Tar Heels on the grass. Alcorta finished in the third spot for UNC's squad last year at Regionals, but with two years of experience in big meets now under her belt, she'll likely step up to helm the team in a big way. She was third in the ACC in the 1500m in outdoor track, and has a PR of 16:13 in the 5K.

Adding to a group of strong junior leadership is Hannah Christen, who was the top North Carolina finisher at the Southeast Regional last season. Christen finished sixth in Virginia--just one spot shy of an individual bid to Louisville. Aiding the junior trio is the Australian U20 national steeplechase champion Stella Radford. The sophomore finished 23rd at Regionals, and went on to run a great indoor season, but only competed once during the 2016 outdoor season.

Without an obvious low stick to bring down their point total, the Tar Heels will have to run as a tight pack to have a shot at finishing top-two at the Southeast Regional and avoid the chance of being left at home for a second year.

Previously:
#25 BYU
#26 Virginia
#27 Villanova
#28 Vanderbilt
#29 Texas
#30 Florida
#31 Minnesota