At the end of the 6000m race at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships, the Northern Arizona women finished just a point back of NCAA powerhouse North Carolina State.

For most teams, coming that close to a national title would keep athletes and coaches pretty happy and content over the next year, especially when it was the highest finish in program history.

Mixed in with all of the joy and celebrating, there was still the pain of finishing so close to the ultimate goal, yet so far away from another chance at glory. 

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Heading into the 2024 cross country season, there are a ton of storylines surrounding the historically-dominant Northern Arizona program. 

For starters, late last month, NAU dynasty-builder and five-time national champion Mike Smith announced he would be stepping down following the 2025 season.

This also means Smith has just one more shot at leading the women to their first-ever NCAA championship after spending years turning the women's program into one of the best in the land.

Storylines aside, this program has the pieces and the determination to hoist up the heaviest trophy in November, but it's not going to be a walk in the park. However, if anyone is going to finally be the ones to de-throne North Carolina State, it's Mike Smith's team.

In 2023, two of NAU's three All-American women were seniors, meaning Gracelyn Larkin and Annika Reiss won't be back this fall to chase history. Even though they'll be without their top two finishers this time around, a quartet of well-versed and talented seniors are leading the charge.

Elise Stearns, who acted as the frontrunner for the 'Jacks on multiple occasions last fall, is the lone returning All-American for Smith. Stearns only raced twice during the indoor season, and didn't step onto the outdoor oval, leaving many to wonder if she's been battling injury over the last nine months. 

If Stearns is injured, that will definitely make the season a tad more challenging, but even if she is, this year's team looks to be deep enough to make up for her absence. 

At the George Kyte Classic, an early-season meet where most of the team gets a no-pressure race under their legs, the 'Jacks went 2 through 12 in the 2.5-mile race, all finishing within 37 seconds of one another. 

Junior Nikita Moore was the top finisher for NAU, finishing runner-up in 14:28. Behind her, a mixture of underclassmen and upperclassmen filled out the team's top five, including true freshman Ava Mitchell, Rutgers transfer Alex Carlson, sophomore Karrie Baloga and senior Maggi Congdon. 

Carlson was touted as one of top transfers in the portal when she entered earlier this year, and the 4:30 miler is quickly making the most of her time in Flagstaff, AZ as she begins to cement herself as a consistent presence. 

Alyson Churchill, a former Florida State Seminole that joined the program last winter, sports a 6k PB of 18:39 from the 2023 NCAA DI South Regional, and she broke 20:00 an additional two times last season. 

Both women are going to play big roles in filling the void left by Larkin and Reiss and will add to the leadership across the team. 

It's still very early, and a lot of coaches (including Smith) have most likely not played all of their cards, but it's still incredibly clear that not many teams will be able to keep pace with NAU.

However, there is one team that stands in the way of a storybook ending for Smith and his women's program, and that's none other than the three-time defending champions -- the North Carolina State Wolfpack. 

Over the last four years, Laurie Henes has led NC State to four consecutive top-two finishes and three straight national titles. However, last year provided what was arguably their most impressive performance in recent years, showcasing their depth and grit in Virginia.

With a sidelined Kelsey Chmiel and a sick Katelyn Tuohy, Henes' squad kept their composure and proved why they haven't lost since 2020, solidifying their dynasty with the program's fourth-consecutive podium finish and third straight national title. 

The most recent edition of the Wolfpack squad will be without a few of the program's recent stars, but tried and true returners include Grace Hartman and Leah Stephens, as well as six-time Division III national champion Fiona Smith.

That's not to mention the addition of two true freshmen in Ellie Shea and Bethany Michalak that could both very well contribute in their first year in the red and white.

In the final year with Mike Smith at the helm of Northern Arizona's programs, the Lumberjacks are chasing history and North Carolina State.