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NCAA Women 1500m Top 50

NCAA Women 1500m Top 50

Mar 26, 2014 by Isaac Wood
NCAA Women 1500m Top 50


Similarly to the Men's 1500m rankings, I did my best with these to filter out the athletes that tend to focus on a different race (3kST, 5k, 10k) NCAAs. So after the hours of research put in to rank this top 50, if there is still someone that is not on this list that is deserving of being so, but isn't a better 5k or 10k runner, let us know. We definitely want to make sure we have the best 50 women 1500-meter runners in the NCAA on this list. We promise we're not trying to insult your family or your best friend. 

1. Natalja Piliusina (Oklahoma State) - 4:09.51
I see a lot of similarities between Mac Fleet of Oregon and Piliusina of Oklahoma State. Both have incredible 800m talent, but are capable of kicking with the same speed they have in the 800m, for the 1500m. Piliusina is the reigning champion and, as so, is deserving of this top spot. WIth the second fastest PR in the group and the race savvy to win in any type of race, Piliusina is the favorite to win the 2014 1500m title heading into this season. 

2. Cory McGee (Florida) - 4:06.67
After having the strongest summer of any collegiate 1500m runner, it was very difficult for me to not put McGee at the top of this list. Qualifying for World's and running 4:06.67 is absolutely out of this world good. But, McGee has yet to run a great  race at NCAAs and Piliusina has proven herself race in and race out.

The battle between the two will be outstanding this season. I think McGee can kick from farther out and will need to in order to fend off Piliusina and her nasty speed. There may be no other race as exciting as this one will be in Eugene in June. 

3. Emily Lipari (Villanova) - 4:12.17
I became a huge Lipari believer after Albuquerque. She is a master tactician. Lipari had so much left in that mile she won at NCAAs that I was surprised she didn't start her victory lap straight after she crossed the line.

With the 7th best PR in the NCAA and the momentum carrying over from NCAA Indoors, Lipari will be the last person Piliusina or McGee will want to see on their shoulder at NCAA Outdoors. Coach Procaccio is developing some of the most outstanding middle-distance talent in the country right now and I'm all aboard the Lipari and the Villanova bandwagon. 

4. Katie Flood (Washington) - 4:11.38
Call me crazy. That's fine. I know Flood has not been as good as she once was. Toby Keith once sang, "I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once, as I ever was." I think this fits perfectly for Katie Flood, the former 2012 Outdoor 1500m champion.

Flood has just recently run 4:20 for 1500 last weekend and could possibly be back to her old self. This may be a long shot, but I think Flood will turn things around and have an outstanding 2014 Outdoor. 

5. Stephanie Brown (Arkansas) - 4:14.41
It looks as if Brown has turned her focus away from the 800m and on to the 1500m. Coming off of a 2nd place finish at NCAA Indoors and a 6th place finish last year in Eugene, Brown is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Brown has great 800m speed (2:02.xx PR) and understands how to race, indoor and outdoor. She also gets to run with a very, very solid group of athletes and more you surround yourself with quality athletes, the easier it is to improve. Stephanie Brown will certainly be a factor in Eugene this June. 

6. Carly Hamilton (Georgia) - 4:12.15
At Drake Relays in 2013, many were shocked to see not only how fast the time was (4:12.15), but who the winner was. Carly Hamilton is now not only a quality 1500m (in a time trial type race or championships setting), but has proven herself to be great when it matters--5th place at NCAA Indoors in Albuqerque).

Hamilton has the 5th best PR of any girl in the NCAA, was 14th Outdoors in 2013, and will be one to watch for in Eugene this season. 

7. Shelby Houlihan (Arizona State) - 4:13.64
I was surprised to see when I compiled this list and all of the PRs of the top 1500m women in the NCAA, that Houlihan wasn't in the top 10. This proves to me that Houlihan most be one of the strongest racers in the NCAA.

I also believe that Houlihan will certainly dip under the 4:13 mark this year and maybe even go sub-4:12.

Considering how well she ran in Cross Country, her strength and speed is a scary combination. Along with her race savvy, Houlihan is a dark horse 1500m favorite heading into this 2014 Outdoor season. 

8. Linden Hall (Florida State) - 4:12.16
The 2013 Outdoor 1500m heats was the official Linden Hall coming out party as she shocked a lot of very good 1500m runners and beat them to qualify for the final. In that final, Hall finished 9th and put herself in the conversation as one of the best metric milers returning for 2014.

Linden went on to back this up with a quality XC season and a solid indoor, and qualifying for NCAAs. Although the altitude might have affected Hall more than some of the other athletes in the field, Eugene is as flat as a pancake (similar to her home town of Melbourne, Australia) and Hall will certainly be looking to improve upon her 9th place finish from 2013.

9. Agata Strausa- Florida- 4:11.27
10. Katrina Coogan- Georgetown- 4:13.26
11. Jillian Smith- Michigan- 4:13.59
12. Kelly Williams- West Virginia- 4:13.61
13. Vicky Fouhy- Virginia- 4:14.51
14. Monica Adler- Boston U. - 4:14.53
15. Lianne Farber- North Carolina- 4:14.56
16. Allison Peare- Kentucky- 4:14.83
17. Lizzie Whelan- North Carolina- 4:15.35
18. Jo Adams- North Texas- 4:15.33
19. Annie LeHardy- North Carolina- 4:15.58
20. Georgia Peel- Florida State- 4:14.40
21. Rebekah Greene- Florida- 4:17.51
22. Olivia Burne- Stony Brook- 4:15.83
23. Stephanie Schappert- Villanova- 4:16.00
24. Elinor Purrier- New Hampshire- 4:15.76
25. Annie Leblanc- Oregon- 4:15.92
26. Kelly Curran- Notre Dame- 4:16.09
27. Charlotte Arter- New Mexico- 4:16.94
28. Julia Zrinyi- Oregon- 4:16.49
29. Sophie Curl- San Francisco- 4:16.09
30. Kelsey Margey- Villanova- 4:17.14
31. Shannon Osika- Michigan- 4:17.40
32. Brook Handler- Michigan- 4:17.19
33. Hannah Meier- Duke- 4:18.44
34. Chloe Anderson- New Mexico- 4:19.82
35. Wesley Frazier- Duke- 4:18.57
36. Katie Porada- Illinois- 4:18.61
37. Keri Wood- Arkansas- 4:18.84 
38. Rhianwedd Price- Mississippi State- 4:18.85
39. Megan Wright- Toledo- 4:19.16
40. Molly Renfer- Harvard- 4:19.66
41. Shelby Hayes- Florida- 4:19.72
42. Eleanor Fulton- Washington- 4:20.02
43. Ruby Roberts- Washington State- 4:20.16
44. Sarah Yingling- BYU- 4:20.25
45. Sara Barron- Vanderbilt- 4:20.36
46. Mariah Kelly- Baylor- 4:20.61
47. Kirsten Stewart- Iona- 4:20.95
48. Katie Penney- Arizona- 4:21.33
49. Marta Klebe- Penn State- 4:21.37
50. Rachel Stewart- BYU- 4:22.88 

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