HONORABLE MENTION:

 

JR Tricia Serres, Luther (32nd in 2013)

 

The sensational middle distance star has got to be looking forward to a track season without Christy Cazzola, but before that she has a chance to add to her cross country All-American award collection. She cracked the top 35 in both her freshman and sophomore seasons, and she should be optimistic about her chances this time around after a runner-up finish to Steinke at the Central Regional Championships.

 

SO Maya Weigel, Pomona-Pitzer (N/A in 2013)

 

The vastly improved sophomore is this weekend’s biggest wild card. Weigel beat Freeby to win the West Region, but has not won a single other race this year. If that race was a fluke, she will have difficulty earning All-American honors. However, if that race was just the next step in her unpredictable progression, she may well crack the top ten.

 

SR Alison Maxwell, Middlebury (36th in 2013)

 

After coming up just short in the final straightaway to miss out on a top 35 finish, Maxwell will be looking for redemption this weekend. She will be hoping to lead the Panthers onto the podium in her final cross country race.

 

SR Emma Lehmann, Oberlin (11th in 2013)

 

Lehmann finished eleventh last year, but despite numerous opportunities, she has not yet showed the ability to defeat any of the nation’s truly elite competitors. Lehmann has lost to Cheadle, Vince, and Goodman at various points throughout the season, never in nail-biting fashion. She and teammate Lindsay Neal seem like All-American contenders but not threats to break into the top ten.

 

SO Natalie Young, Mary Washington (N/A in 2013)

 

Despite winning the South Region, Young will have to wait at least one more year before she can contend with the division’s best. In one of her only out-of-region competitions, Young lost to both Regan and Audrey Gould of Tufts, the third place finisher at the New England Region. Expect her to finish in the back half of the All-Americans.

9. SR Michaela Freeby, Willamette (8th in 2013)

 

After a slow start to the season, including a middling 49^th place finish at the AAE Invitational, Freeby has come on strong as the season draws to a close. She finished second at the West Regional Championships to lead her team to the title, but this ranking is based less on what she has accomplished this season and more on what she has accomplished in her career. Freeby was eighth last year at nationals and is a three-time national qualifier in the steeplechase. As a result, expect her to come through in her final cross country race.

8. SR Cassia Hameline, St. Lawrence (N/A in 2013)

 

Hameline does not fit the typical trajectory of a senior contending for a top ten finish at a national cross country meet. In fact, going into this season, Hameline had tried almost everything except the distances. The high school soccer player has marks in the 200, 60 hurdles, 400 hurdles, high jump, long jump, and shot put, but she had never raced anything longer than an 800 until this season. The sky has been the limit so far: Hameline ran faster than all but one Johns Hopkins Blue Jay at the Paul Short Invitational, and she was runner-up to Amy Regan at the Atlantic Regional Championships. Hameline will be hoping to finish off her dazzling first and last cross country season by leading the Saints onto the podium.
 

7. JR Ruth Steinke, Carleton (88th in 2013)

 

Teammate Colette Celichoswki placed better at nationals last year, but Steinke has been more impressive and consistent this season. At the AAE Invitational, she beat both Quinn and Shunk, while at the Central Region Championships she comfortably claimed victory over two returning cross country All-Americans. Though her upside is limited, Steinke seems like a top ten lock.
 

6. SR Emma Shunk, Wheaton (Ill.) (13th in 2013)

 

Last year’s thirteenth place finisher at nationals started off the season slowly, but Shunk (née Gilbertson) looks to be rounding into form at just the right time. She was two minutes behind Cheadle at Gil Dodds, over a minute back at the AAE Invitational, and was only ten seconds back at the Midwest Regional Championships. Don’t expect her to continue that crazy progression, but if she is only ten seconds back of Cheadle this weekend, Shunk will be a top five finisher.
 

5. JR Sarah Quinn, MIT (N/A in 2013)

 

After missing her entire sophomore season due to injury, Quinn has made an impressive resurgence to the fore of New England cross country. Though she struggled a bit at the NEICAAA meet in early October, she finished 13^th at the AAE Invitational and no one could hang on to the fast clip she set en route to a regional title. She ran a few seconds faster than 2010 national runner-up Jen Gossels of Williams on the same course, so expect her to go out with the front pack on Saturday and hang on for a long time.
 

4. SO Cassie Vince, Calvin (23rd in 2013)

 

Vince’s only loss on the year came at the UAA Invitational, where she finished thirty seconds behind Cheadle, third amongst DIII competitors. The sensational sophomore was 23^rd last year at nationals, but she cruised to a comfortable victory at the Great Lakes Regional Championship over Oberlin’s two returning All-Americans. Though she has run well all year, a fourth place finish is the ceiling for Vince unless one of the top three falters.

 

3. JR Sophia Meehan, Johns Hopkins (N/A in 2013)

 

Not to be confused with younger sister Tess Meehan, Sophia has been lights out for the Blue Jays this year. Teammate Hannah Oneda was fourth last year, but she has battled injuries since then which has allowed Meehan to step into the number one role. Meehan was runner-up behind Cheadle at the AAE Invitational, and she actually ran twelve seconds faster than Regan at Paul Short—though to be fair, Regan was in a slower race and won by nearly a minute. Meehan may be a long shot to beat Cheadle, but her battle with Regan will set the stage for next year’s potential showdown.
 

2. JR Amy Regan, Stevens Institute (6th in 2013)

 

Undefeated on the year in cross country, Regan hasn’t lost a race since her sixth place finish in the nationals 5k last outdoor season. If anyone is going to challenge Cheadle, it will be her, and you can expect a close race. The last three times these two faced off—in cross country last year and in the 3k and 5k at indoor nationals—Cheadle has beaten Regan by one spot. As great as Regan has looked all year, I think the junior will have to wait until next year to stand atop the podium.
 

1. SR Lucy Cheadle, Wash U (5th in 2013)

 

Already a three-time cross country All-American, Cheadle has really put on a show these past six months. In May, she ran away with the steeplechase title, and she has yet to lose a cross country race this season despite facing the best DIII has to offer. In her first race of the year, she beat the 11^th and 28^th finishers at nationals last year by a minute. At the AAE Invitational, Cheadle beat four eventual regional champs, all by over ten seconds. She then took care of business at the deep UAA Conference Championships and the Midwest Regional Championships. Expect her to dictate the race as she attempts to finish her cross country career on top.