UPDATE: Penn State's pre-season ranking has been changed to No. 16 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. 16 women's spot goes to Penn State, and here's why:

Probable Top Five:

SR Elizabeth Chikotas (9:17 3K; 16:04 5K; 15th at ’16 NCAA XC)

FR Julia Paternain-Muniz (9:23 3K)

JR Kathryn Munks (16:23 5K; 34:05 10K; 106th at ’17 NCAA XC)

SO Alison Willingmyre (16:31 5K; 118th at ’17 NCAA XC)

SO Danae Rivers (4:10 1500; 132nd at ’17 NCAA XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Julia Paternain-Muniz via England (9:23 3K)

Analysis:

Penn State returns four of their top five women from the crew that placed 18th at the NCAA Championships last year. The loss of No. 1 Jillian Hunsberger will be eased by the return of redshirt senior Elizabeth Chikotas, who placed 15th at the NCAA XC Championships in 2016, and true freshman Julia Paternain-Muniz, a youth champion in her native Great Britain.

Kathryn Munks, Alison Willingmyre, Danae Rivers and Greta Lindsley filled out Penn State’s top five at NCAAs last fall as underclassmen and should prove even more valuable this season. Munks and Willingmyre improved their 5K PBs to 16:23 and 16:31, respectively, this spring, while Lindsley got down to 4:20 for 1500m and 10:11 for 3K steeplechase, barely missing regional qualification in both events.

Rivers is dangerous at a national level in the middle distances, but proved she can race 6K in her first collegiate cross country season last year when she placed eighth in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

FULL RANKINGS HERE