1
N/R
Niwot High School
@ RE-1J District Meet
Firepower. That's a good way to describe the Niwot High School girls, which have two low-sticks in rising sophomore Addison Ritzenhein and senior Mia Prok. Both athletes have the ability to scorch any 5K course they tackle, and chances are they will in 2023. What's more, though, the Cougars have five total returners back in 2023, from a team that finished second at NXN, won NXR Southwest and scored 20 points in its Colorado Class 4A state title race. That's scary good. Plus, there should be no concern for depth, considering Niwot annually holds a large team with plenty of up-and-coming athletes. There's also the team's returning 5K average of 17:51.88, which is only second to Buchanan (CA). So the consensus? This team will be really fun to watch this fall. Prok has been blitzing courses since her freshman year, and 2023 will be her swan song in a Niwot uniform. Ritzenhein had a stellar freshman campaign, and all indications point to her being even better this year. Right now, Niwot is the girls team to beat nationally.
2
N/R
Buchanan (CS)
@ Kingsburg 2 Mile
The Bears lost two key pieces in Grace Hutchison and Sydney Sundgren -- both 2023 graduates -- but talent remains in spades. In fact, five returners are back for the fall season, including up-and-comers Sierra Cornett and Elliana Lomeli. Those two, along with the rest of the squad, return with the fastest 5K average in the country at 17:45.73. Now, times aren't everything. But when it comes to results, Buchanan has proven it's among the best in the CIF, Division I or otherwise. Last year this team won the Division I title, was fastest in the CIF merge and then finished third at NXN, only behind Saratoga Springs and Niwot. The latter team remains incredibly strong, as does Saratoga Springs, but California has the reputation it does for a reason -- its teams don't mess around. Buchanan has the potential to win a national title in 2023.
3
N/R
Lone Peak
@ Timpanogos XC Invitational AM
Utah's season is already in full swing. Lone Peak has already been in some dog fights. At the Timpanogos Invitational last week, the Knights knocked off a tough American Fork squad, 39-57. At the UIAAA Invitational in August, American Fork beat Lone Peak on displacement. There will be no landslide wins. But Lone Peak's talent is unquestionable. All seven girls from last year's team return, including burgeoning national star Andie Aagard. The team will comprise of four upperclassmen, which will help with the team's stewardship, while the younger runners will all have experience. Lone Peak's returning 5K average was fourth in the country at 17:53.64.
4
N/R
Air Academy High School
@ Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational
Colorado is always a strong state when it comes to high school cross country. But it feels like 2023 could be a year where we see three teams inside the top 10 at some point. Air Academy, with a superstar tandem like Bethany Michalak (senior) and Tessa Walter (junior), will be tough to beat. Air Academy nabbed a Colorado Class 5A state title last year with an 18:31 average -- only the Niwot girls were faster at 18:20. At NXR Southwest, Air Academy finished third to Niwot and Lone Peak, two teams that are ranked above them this fall. At NXN, Air Academy finished seventh overall. The talent is there. So is the depth. All seven athletes from last year's state championship team return in 2023. The battle to make the top seven will be a fight all of it's own on this team. But watch up top. That's where this program will shine with Walter and Michalak, who could easily go 1-2 in every race they run this year, potentially even at the regional level. A top 10 finish for both at nationals isn't out of the question, either. Air Academy returns the fifth-fastest average in the country at 17:46.88.
5
N/R
Flower Mound
@ McKinney Boyd Bronco Stampede
Few teams' top three runners will be as good as Flower Mound's Nicole and Samantha Humphries and Alex Fox. The trio is capable of going 1-2-3 in most races. That power up front will give the Jaguars great placement and incredible scoring prowess. But Flower Mound still needs to develop into its lineup this fall, and with time that could come. While the program is coming off a Texas UIL Class 6A title with 42 points -- in which they held off a pesky Southlake Carroll team by nine points -- they were third at NXR South and needed an at-large bid to get into NXN. Fortunately, the girls came up big at nationals, finishing sixth in Portland. But things could get tricky in Texas, as Flower Mound's rival, Carroll, remains strong, as does Lucas Lovejoy and others. In its first meet of the 2023 season, Flower Mound won at the Marcus T Invitational, but it wasn't easy. Flower Mound has to answer some questions throughout the season. But there's no doubt this team could be one of the best in the country by the end of the campaign.
6
N/R
Cuthbertson High School
@ Friday Night Lights XC Festival
It was a career year for Cuthbertson in 2022, as the team picked up a North Carolina Class 4A title, an NXR Southeast win and an eighth-place finish at Nike Cross Nationals. And the Cavaliers weren't just good; they were legendary good in North Carolina. Beyond the cross country season, the girls would nab a few national records over the indoor and outdoor seasons, clocking all-time high school No. 1s in the 4x800 and 4xmile, respectively. But it all started in cross country. A year later, this team remains talented. The team's first three runners -- Stella Kermes, Charlotte Bell and Justine Preisano -- all return, along with junior Ava Walters. Depth could be an issue at some point, especially with the fact that long-time coach Kirk Walsh stepped away from the program after the end of 2023. But those questions should be answered soon enough. As it stands, Cuthbertson is the team to beat in North Carolina and a national powerhouse to watch this fall.
7
N/R
Saratoga Springs
@ Nike Cross Nationals
The defending Nike Cross Nationals champions lost seniors McKinley and Sheridan Wheeler, who were important pieces to the team's success, but No. 1 Emily Bush returns, along with four others: Anya Belisle, Alycia Hart, Heidi Berglund and Natalie Wilding. Saratoga Springs won't be the overwhelming powerhouse that it was before, but the team will still be in contention for all kinds of trophies, including New York state and NXR regional hardware and even NXN. Bush was among the leaders last year who led Kinetic to a New York state title, a New York region win and the team's latest NXN trophy, following their last win in 2019 -- the race did not take place in 2020 or 2021. Saratoga Springs returns into the 2023 season with the 20th-best returning average of 18:28.42. Saratoga Springs will bring into the lineup the likes of Katie Turner (junior), Tong Ang (freshman) and Alyssa Connors (junior).
8
N/R
Mountain Vista High School
@ Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational
The returning champs from the Garmin RunningLane XC Championships have four runners back in the lineup, including the team's No. 1 Peyton Adams, but the strength of Mountain Vista has always been its depth. Few teams reload annually like Mountain Vista, which opened up its season with win at its own Vista Nation 2-mile. The girls scored 25 points on an 11:48 average, with Adams leading the way in fourth. The Eagles finished second in the Colorado Class 5A title race last year, and remain in contention to challenge for a title in 2023.
9
N/R
Mt. Prospect (Prospect)
@ Lake Park "Harvey Braus" Invitational
As we stated earlier in our breakdown of the York girls ... the Prospect girls had their state's number in 2022. The Knights ran away with team titles at the Illinois Class 3A championships, NXR Midwest and were fifth at Nike Cross Nationals, their highest placement ever. Four runners return from that team, including junior Veronica Znajda and sophomore Mega Peterson and senior Lily Ginsberg. While Mt. Prospect will have to figure out its lineup in due time, they return with the nation's ninth-fastest 5K average of 18:12.06, and the fastest from Illinois.
10
N/R
Carroll High School
@ Marcus Coach T Invitational
11
N/R
Elmhurst (York)
@ Lake Park "Harvey Braus" Invitational
12
N/R
Jesuit
@ Ash Creek XC Festival
13
N/R
JSerra Catholic (SS)
@ Cool Breeze Invitational
14
N/R
Webb School of Knoxville
@ MKXC Norris Dam Invitational
15
N/R
American Fork
@ Timpanogos Invitational
16
N/R
Lucas Lovejoy
@ Southlake #1 XC Invite
17
N/R
Boise Senior High School
@ Cardinal Classic
18
N/R
Ventura (SS)
@ 2023 UCSB XC Gaucho Invitational
19
N/R
North Allegheny
@ 21st Annual Red, White & Blue Classic
20
N/R
Campolindo (NC)
@ Ed Sias Invitational
21
N/R
Los Altos (CC)
@ Lowell Invitational (aka San Francisco Invitational)
22
N/R
Rancho Cucamonga (SS)
@ Fastback Invitational
23
N/R
Assumption
@ Rumble Through the Jungle
24
N/R
Minnetonka High School
@ Nike Heartland Preview
25
N/R
Northwest Nelson
@ Marcus Coach T Invitational
