Flotrack XC Rankings - Women's NCAA XC Top 31 Teams (Week 2)

Oct 1, 2013 by Isaac Wood

A very exciting weekend leaves us with a few changes in the rankings and some upstart teams.

#1 Providence - 165
Collins, Sisson, and Nagel are no doubt the best 1-2-3 punch in the NCAA. Catarina Rocha looked good as their no. 4 as well. The key will be finding that no. 5. If Erba can get healthy the Friars will be looking very good at NCAAs.
Next up: Wisco Invite - 10/19

#2 Duke - 174
All quiet on the Durham front this past weekend. Looking forward to see what the Blue Devils have this weekend at Notre Dame.
Next up: Notre Dame Invite - 10/4

#3 Oregon - 198
Without the help of transfers Crevoiserat and Zrinyi, Oregon had an OK day at the Battle of Beantown. It does not look like a lot went right for the Ducks as key runner Sarah Penney fell hard early on in the race. Regardless of the rough circumstances, Oregon is very good and will be tough to beat when it matters at the end of the season. Considering the Ducks just finished their fall camp and did what they did here, they will be ready at NCAAs.
Next up: Bill Dellinger Invite - 10/5

#4 Arizona 221
One of the biggest jumps in the rankings this week are the Arizona Wildcats. Transfers Maria Larsson and Kayla Beattie have been money for the Wildcats and with Elvin Kibet and Nicci Corbin running like All-Americans, Arizona is scary good. Similarly to Providence, if U of A can come up with a no. 5 that is capable of top 80 at NCAAs on the right day, this is more than just a podium team.
Next up: Wisconsin Invite - 10/19

#5 Florida State - 231
The 'Noles will finally unleash the beast this weekend at Notre Dame where they will stack themselves up against ACC foe Duke, and West Coast Conference start-up San Francisco. Next up: Notre Dame- 10/4

#6 Washington - 273
The Huskies have yet to open up yet.
Next up: Bill Dellinger Invite - 10/5

#7 Georgetown - 303
We will finally see how legit the Hoyas are this season this weekend.
Next up: Paul Short Invite - 10/5

#8 Arkansas - 331
Hogs looked good in San Diego last week. Things will get really interesting this week at their home meet.
Next up: Chile Pepper Festival - 10/5

#9 Stanford - 335
The Cardinal women had an interesting weekend at their home invite. Tonn and Cuffe looked good going 1-2. Miltenberg said that the meet was an evaluating tool. If that is the case, he definitely can evaluate that they need some help finding no.'s 3-5.

Megan Lacy looks pretty good but was :34 seconds behind Tonn and Cuffe. Danielle Katz will help when she loses her redshirt and suits up for Stanford. Justine Fredronic was good when it mattered last year at NCAAs and if she can do the same this year, she is one more athlete to throw in the mix that should help the Cardinal.
Next up: Pre-Nats- 10/19

#10 Villanova - 358
The Main Line Invite was good for the Wildcats on both the Men and Women's side. Beyond the usual solid performance from Emily Lipari and Nicky Akande, redshirt frosh and former Foot Locker finalist Angel Piccirillo is as good as advertised. She really makes them much better and adds a nice no. 3 to an already good 1-2. Stephanie Schappert and Sydney Harris are coming along nicely. Looks like the Mid-Atlantic is going to be another fun battle between Georgetown and Villanova.
Next up: Paul Short Invite - 10/5

#11 Michigan State - 359
Rachele Schulist, a local redshirt frosh, stole the show from usual no. 1 Leah O'Connor at Griak this weekend. A :16 second spread from 1-5 was outstanding and all of that was without Sara Kroll (who could be their no. 1). If Kroll can come back from whatever held her out this past weekend (injury, sickness, etc) this is an even better team than what they are ranked right now. That 16-second spread is nasty and with Kroll it's even better.
Next up: Michigan Intercollegiates - 10/11

#12 Michigan - 360
Off this past week.
Next up: Rim Rock Farm Classic - 10/5

#13 Oklahoma State - 361
The Lady Pokes looked very good this weekend at their home meet the Cowboy Jamboree. Monica Juodeskaite was strong, finishing only :8 seconds behind Cally Macumber of Kentucky (one of the top returners in the NCAA). Natalie Baker was also very good for OSU and with the help of Natalja Piliusina eventually, the Lady Pokes are going to continue to improve as the season goes on.
Next up: Pre-Nats - 10/19

#14 Cornell - 370
There was a lot of hype surrounding the Cornell women going into the Battle of Beantown. Although they did not look as sharp as many thought they should, Rachel Sorna still ran very well and Emily Shearer is still a solid no. 2. Marianne Collard came out of no where and was the no. 3. Without Caroline Kellner in the mix, this is still a positive performance. When this team can finally be healthy and have all of their top athletes running, this is a good team.
Next up: Paul Short Invite - 10/5

#15 Butler - 377
A third place finish at a good Griak Invite is a solid start to the season for the Butler Bulldogs. Mara Olson ran really well up front and beat the usual no. 1 for Butler Katie Clark. With those two leading the way up front and Katie Good, Kirsty Legg, and Olivia Pratt backing them up 3-4-5, the Bulldogs are pretty good. If Pratt can roll with Good and Legg a little bit closer, Butler will be even better than 15th.
Next up: Notre Dame Invite - 10/4

#16 San Francisco - 378
Nothing much going on yet in SF. This weekend will be very interesting for the Dons. This could be the most underrated team in the NCAA.
Next up: Notre Dame Invite- 10/4

#17 Colorado - 415
The Rocky Mountain Shootout was a nice tune up for the Buffs. Carrie Verdon is looking solid early and will look good at the end of the season, where it really matters, per-usual.
Next up: Pre-Nats - 10/19

#18 Minnesota - 416
At their home meet, Griak, the Gophers were solid beating some good teams and finishing about where they were expected. Laura Docherty and Katie Moraczewski were top-15 and led the way for Minnesota. Beating Iowa State and Vanderbilt are good wins for this team and they look poised for a run at the Midwest Regional title. Next up: Wisco Invite- 10/19

#19 Notre Dame - 451
Things will get interesting this weekend at their home meet.
Next up: Notre Dame Invite - 10/4

#20 William and Mary - 463
Emily Stites and Elaina Balouris were a very good 1-2 at Panorama Farms, but unfortunately the rest of the squad did not follow suit. Although, Virginia did beat them this weekend, it's hard to place them ahead of William and Mary because of the shoo-in All-American's Stites and Balouris. Hassett, Hennessey and McGovern need to step up in order to help this be a top-20 team.
Next up: Pre-Nats - 10/19

#21 Penn State - 464
Nothing going on in Happy Valley yet. We'll find out where they're at when PSU heads to Paul Short.
Next up: Paul Short Invite- 10/18

#22 Virginia - 477
The Cavs looked incredible at their home opener. Barbara Strehler is a very solid low-stick for UVA and proved it this weekend. The most impressive part of the weekend were the nice performances from the freshman that Virginia pulled in this season. Maria Hauger, Sara Fakler and Sarah Sargent were all top-15 performers. With Vicky Fouhy coming back around, this a surprisingly very good team--making the ACC that much deeper and tougher.
Next up: Pre-Nats - 10/19

#23 Florida - 489
The Lady Gators have done nothing much yet.
Next up: Wisco Invite - 10/19

#24 Iowa State - 496
Crystal Nelson was very good in her opener this year at Griak. A third place finish at Griak is top-notch and was a huge low-stick for them. Perez Rotich has obviously improved quite a bit and was a nice no. 2 runner for them. When Bluske and Hooker can get healthy, the Cyclones will be ready to push Minnesota at the Midwest regional.
Next up: Paul Short Invite - 10/5

#25 New Mexico - 498
The Lobos will show who they've got this weekend in their opener.
Next up: Notre Dame Invite- 10/4

#26 Texas - 506
The Longhorns held some out and ran some others this weekend in their home meet. Things will get really interesting for Texas in a few weeks at Wisco.
Next up: Wisconsin Invite - 10/19

#27 Vanderbilt - 651
The Commodores had a good showing at Griak this weekend. Liz Anderson is still very talented and their undisputed no. 1. Lily Williams needs to step into a no. 2 runner role to really help this team out. She definitely is capable. If Williams can move her way up and Carmen Carlos to rise up, Vanderbilt will improve. Becca Chandler was big time running in the no. 2 spot for the Dores. Lots of talent here, just waiting for them to put it together in a race--still very early in the season.
Next up: Greater Louisville Classic - 10/5

#28 BYU - 659
The Cougars will stack themselves up against the rest of the country this weekend at Notre Dame.
Next up: Notre Dame Invite - 10/4

#29 NC State - 661
Joanna Thompson was really good her first time out this year. A 10th place finish at Griak is impressive and she led the way for NC State this weekend. Still no sign of the former All-American Laura Hoer. The other former All-American Emily Pritt was 71st and the no. 6 runner. If either of those athletes can return to their old self, they will really help the Wolfpack improve. Katilyn Kramer had a solid race finishing second on the team.
Next up: Wisconsin Invite - 10/19

#30 Syracuse - 759
At Griak, where seemingly everyone else relevant (okay not everyone) in the country was this weekend, Syracuse had a positive showing, putting them in the rankings this week. Margo Malone was very good running as the no. 1 for the Orange and finishing 22nd overall. With normally solid Brianna Nerud having an off day and coming off a long track season this summer, Syracuse has plenty of upside to spare as they have a long season ahead of them.
Next up: Wisconsin Invite / Princeton Invite - 10/19

#31 Texas A&M - 767
An early win at the Rice Invite is a good sign for the Aggies and they will test themselves this weekend for the first time.
Next up: Greater Louisville Classic- 10/5

Dropped out: Weber State, Harvard

New this week: #22 Virginia, #30 Syracuse

Other teams to consider: West Virginia, Princeton, Boston College