My very unscientific ranking of returning runners scores the women’s teams hypothetically like this, based on what I think I know about returning rosters and transfers. Rankings are vaguely some mix of last years’s lacctic, nationals XC results, and outdoor track results. And subjectively moving some up if their ranking just looked too low.
I’m admittedly probably missing or undervaluing some low sticks, some are or will be injured, some will improve a lot, there probably will still be a couple world class Kenyans transferring in, etc. But yes, I think Stanford looks to compete for a podium but isn’t a lock, IMO.
My in progress assessment starts with 5000 m times (or estimated times). Here is what I have at this point:
BYU Jane Hedengren 1457 BYU Jenna Hutchins 1517 BYU Riley Chamberlain 1524 BYU Taylor Rohatinsky 1550 BYU Taylor Lovell 1552
NC State Grace Hartman 1458 NC State Angelina Napolean 1520 this is a guess based on 9:10 steeple NC State Hannah Gapes 1530 this is a guess but she placed 8th last year NC State Kate Putman 1543 NC State Bethany Michalak 1544 NC State Fleur Templier 1600 NC State Brooke Rauber 1600
New Mexico Pamela Kosgei 1450 New Mexico Marion Jepngetich 1523 New Mexico Alice Seguin 1533 New Mexico Mercy Kirarei 1540 this is a guess New Mexico Judy Rono 1550 New Mexico Nicola Jansen 1552
Oregon Silan Aayildiz 1515 does she return? Oregon Diana Cherotich 1523 Oregon Juliet Cherubet 1528 11th last year Oregon Anika Thompson 1530 Oregon Mia Barnett 1540 this is a guess Oregon Ella Thorsett 1552
This is all I have for Stanford at this point
Stanford Amy Bunnage 1500 Stanford Sophia Kennedy 1510 Stanford Riley Stewart 1554 58th last year Stanford Mena Scatchard 1548
Based on this and what I have for other teams I come up with
Oregon 115 NC State 133 BYU 144 New Mexico 150 Northern Arizona 177 Stanford 251
Hopefully Cornfield starts getting after it in the portal after the long holiday break
NAU finally elevated their interim AD to the full-time role this past week after about 5 months of twiddling their fingers
the women's team will probably be top 10 or so. Would be fun to have a good men's program to cheer on two months from now when NAU hosts the George Kyte Classic at Buffalo Park
---you have no idea how it works. You have no idea who much $ NAU still has available for this class.
I do have a question as to how certain media outlets announce portal activity and transfers BEFORE someone enters the actual portal? This is an odd public display of clear rules infractions being committed.
---you have no idea how it works. You have no idea who much $ NAU still has available for this class.
I do have a question as to how certain media outlets announce portal activity and transfers BEFORE someone enters the actual portal? This is an odd public display of clear rules infractions being committed.