Probable Top Four:

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Analysis:

Sometimes when a team has the best freshman recruiting class in the nation they fall short of expectations. But sometimes a team lands the best recruiting class of transfers and they find themselves ranked No. 1 across the collegiate ranks. Head Coach Joe Franklin hit the transfer jackpot this season and his crew of experienced racers will contend for New Mexico’s first NCAA Championship in November.

For starters there’s Rhona Auckland out of Scotland. She was 19th at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2015, one place ahead of top American finisher Sara Hall. This summer she won a silver medal in the 10K at the European U-23 Championships and ran 15:27 in the London Diamond League 5K. She’s an up-and-coming world class athlete who will no doubt shake up the NCAA with the loss of distance greats Kate Avery, Emily Sisson and Emma Bates.

As if landing Auckland wasn’t a huge deal, Franklin now has the No. 4 steeplechase performer in NCAA history on his squad, none other than Courtney Frerichs. In her last season at UMKC, Frerichs won an All America honor in every season and set huge personal bests while making a name for herself on the elite stage. Her big time steeplechase wins at the Stanford and Payton Jordan Invite were impressive, and while she came up short of an NCAA title, her 9:31 PB makes her No. 4 all-time. She finished 38th two years ago at NCAA XC and after finishing 13th last season, it’s not crazy to think Frerichs could be a top 10 finisher in November.

Alice Wright was the top freshman in November last fall with an NCAA Mountain Region win and a 20th-place showing at the "Big Dance". After an impressive track campaign, Wright won the bronze medal at the European U-23 Championship right behind newly named teammate Auckland. Teammate Calli Thackery just missed All America honors by finishing 43rd last November but after running 4:15, 9:07 (indoors) and 15:42 this past track season, we’re thinking she’s got all the makings of a top 25 finisher.

So on paper this has got to be the most impressive top four a program has seen in years. They have the potential of finishing even better than MSU’s 4-11-17-21 top four [en route to the NCAA title] last fall. Their fifth runner remains a mystery for now, but that doesn’t mean she’ll be too far behind. Heleene Tambet was the Lobo’s No. 5 last season when they were the third best team in the NCAA with her 93rd-place showing. Ideally she’ll improve upon that place, but it’s a solid indication that she’s prepared for the craziness that is NCAA cross country. Anna Burton was one of the team’s top finishers in the Mountain Region last fall before not competing at the NCAA meet. Harvard transfer Molly Renfer was close to qualifying as an individual out of the NCAA Northeast Region last fall and has solid track PBs to her name. She’s got the credentials but lacks the experience. Sophie Connor may seem like more of a middle distance-type on paper but has cross country experience and could step into the fifth spot, as well. Basically, they have options.

The Lobos have the depth to put their final scorer in the top 75 (For reference, MSU’s fifth scorer from 2014 gave them 43 points; Sara Kroll who finished 61st). And if their top four perform they way they have in the past, New Mexico could hand Joe Franklin his first NCAA Championship. Is it bold to rank a team No. 1 if they have never competed together before? Maybe. But who will disagree with us that this squad could make history in November? The talent is there and the assembling of this great and very new team will unfold throughout the season.