With the completion of all conference meets, I am wondering people's NCAA top ten picks. Mine are as follows.
1 & 2: Tuohy and Valby (in no particular order), could go either way, but after Nuttycombe I think it is unlikely anyone else can catch them even after possible implosion from the expected brisk pace set by Valby.
3. Chmiel gets it done for third a second year in a row. She is one of the most wildly consistent XC runners ever (4 straight top 5 finishes in NXN in high school, 22nd, 9th, 6th, 3rd NCAA XC) and runs incredibly smart.
4. Doris Lemngole - wildy talented but still unsure just how good she is (surged at 4k mark then got dropped very quickly after at SEC). Feel as if she might go out with Valby and fall off slightly.
5. Elise Stearns - she is quickly turning into another Chmiel type runner who always runs controlled and places high. Safe bet for top ten.
6. Amy Bunnage - might be ranking her a bit too high but I think she's much more talented than her 13th at Nuttycombe. Redlined with Tuohy and Valby and fell off that day, but if she runs smart with the pack I see her having another race like her win at PAC 12.
7. Hilda Olemomoi - clearly a great runner but don't know if I feel quite as strong when people say she can hang with Doris.
8. Taylor Roe - One race is hard to gauge but to open your season winning Big 12 over Jepkurui and all the BYU women shows she is operating at least close to her best.
9. Maia Ramsden - 11th last year, 6th at Nuttycombe this year. Seems to always peak at the right time
10. Kaylee Mitchell - sometimes makes some tactical errors (trying to erase gap too quickly at Nuttycombe) but if she hits it right on the day she's a top ten contender
Other top ten contenders:
Jepkirui (2nd Big 12, first jamboree but big implosion last year at nationals)
Markezich (always gets it right on the big stage, 9th Nuttycombe 4th ACCs but had a similar build before 8th last year)
Chloe Scrimgeor (on fire this season for Georgetown, 2nd virginia 7th nutty 1st big east)
Amina Maatoug (if she runs like she did at ACCs she might even be top five but hasn't quite been that level outside of ACC meet)
Top 15-20 contendors
Appleton, Engel, Cherubet, Fetherstonhaugh, Asekol, a BYU woman, more NAU, etc.
All american rookie contendors:
Bunnage, Stephens, Noe, Keira Moore, Hartman (might be too high), Cherubet, Baloga (probably too high)