Claudia Saunders, Stanford (PB 2:02.68)
Last Year: N/A Indoors, 2nd Outdoors

The returning NCAA runner-up is coming off of a solid cross country season where she raced twice in the Cardinal uniform, including a second-place finish at the Bronco Invitational. Saunders has been steadily improving since her freshman year in 2013 when she clocked a 2:06 personal best and returned for a stellar sophomore season to shave four seconds off her time. If she keeps making these strides in her junior season, Saunders will be unstoppable.

 

Amy Weissenbach, Stanford (PB 2:00.98)
Last Year: N/A Indoors, 6th Outdoors

Saunders has a talented training partner and threat on the track in Amy Weissenbach. The junior exploded on the scene in 2013 with a sixth-place finish at the the NCAA Outdoor Championships (2:02.68) and returned in 2014 with another sixth-place finish in the outdoor final. She ran her personal best (2:00) in 2013 at the U.S. Outdoor Championships, but Saunders will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the indoor season.

 

Savannah Camacho, Oklahoma State (PB 2:02.84)
Last Year: 2nd Indoors, N/A Outdoors

The freshman shocked the field at the 2014 Indoor Championships after finishing runner-up to Oregon’s Laura Roesler in the final. Her breakout year continued with a personal best of 54.66 in the 400m and 2:02.84 at Mt. SAC Relays, but ended abruptly with an injury. She didn’t race in the fall and has not run any indoor meets yet but if Camacho returns to form in the indoor season, she will be one to watch.

 

Alexis Panisse, Tennessee (PB 2:03.61)
Last Year: 12th Indoors, 8th Outdoors

Panisse put herself in the mix at last year’s outdoor championships with an eighth-place finish after missing the final at the indoor championships in March. She boasts an eye-catching indoor mile personal best of 4:39.53 and an outdoor 1500m time of 4:19.44, both run in 2014. She returns to the track in her junior season hoping to earn some redemption from last year’s indoor championships.

 

Andrea Keklak, Georgetown (PB 2:04.36)
Last Year: 4th Indoors, 22nd Outdoors

The Georgetown Hoya is coming off of an All American finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships where she finished 40th overall and helped Georgetown to a fourth-place team finish. She also finished fifth overall at the Big East Conference Championships. If she sticks with the 800m and doesn’t move up in distance, Keklak’s range will prove dangerous this indoor season.

 

Sonia Gaskin, Kansas State (PB 2:04.37)
Last Year: N/A Indoors, 7th Outdoors

Gaskin is already prepped and ready to roll this indoor season with a win in the 1000m at the Kansas State Winter Invitational (2:54.30) on Dec. 13. She raced twice on the cross country course in the fall after finishing seventh in the outdoor championship final. In a matter of weeks, Gaskin went from being a 2:07 800m runner in 2014 to a 2:04 contender, and 2015 should show some major strides as well. 

 

Amanda Smith, Virginia Tech (PB 2:04.45)
Last Year: 5th Indoors, N/A Outdoors

Smith contributed all fall to the Virginia Tech cross country pack that finished 25th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, including an individual win at the VT Hokie Open. She was the last runner out from qualifying to the NCAA Outdoor Championships last spring, but Smith was in the mix during the indoor season where she finished fifth in the NCAA final. If she can carry over the cross country strength and make it through the rounds, Smith definitely has the potential to battle come March.