UPDATE: Utah State's pre-season ranking has been changed to No. 21 due to a last minute NCAA transfer.

Follow our 2018 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top 25 cross country teams and individuals in the NCAA this season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. And, be sure to watch our LIVE FloXC Podium Reveal Show Tuesday, September 11th at 10 AM CT. The No. 21 women's spot goes to Utah State, and here's why:

Probable Top Five:

SR Alyssa Snyder (16:32 5K; 32:58 10K; 25th at ’17 NCAA XC)

SR Cierra Simmons (9:49 3K SC; 112nd at ’17 NCAA XC)

SR Tylee Newman (4:23 1500; 19th at ’17 NCAA Mountain XC)

SR Kashley Carter (16:14 5K; 34:37 10K; 110th at ’17 NCAA XC)

SR Presli Hutchison (173rd at ’17 NCAA XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Grace Gibbons via Iowa State (10:23 3K SC)

Analysis:

The Utah State women made their program debut at the NCAA XC Championships last fall with a stellar 14th-place team finish. The Aggies return four women from that team, including senior Alyssa Snyder, who became the program’s second-ever female individual cross country All-American with a 25th-place finish in Louisville. 

Snyder redshirted this past track season but showed her potential as a perennial All-American candidate in the spring of 2017, when she posted a fourth-place finish in the NCAA 10K while competing for Montana State. She leads a slew of experienced seniors who will be eager to make a return trip to nationals, including Cierra Simmons, who improved dramatically this spring to place eighth in the NCAA 3K steeplechase final.

FULL RANKINGS HERE