2025 NC State cross country

1,321 Views | 23 Replies | Last: 3 hrs ago by Wolfpackinalaska
Wolfer79
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Wolfer79
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Buzz
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Thanks Wolfer.

For those who follow this more closely, how are we feeling about this year's woman's squad? I know we brought in a stacked freshman class, and it looks like we return everyone who ran in the National Championship last year. Leah Stephens transferred out...talented runner but always seemed to be dealing with injury, and wasn't one of the 7 to run in the final meet.

Overall it seems like we should be pretty solid again, and if the returners improve, or one or two of the freshman are ready to contribute, maybe looking at a national champ contending team again this year?
GuerrillaPack
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Buzz said:

Thanks Wolfer.

For those who follow this more closely, how are we feeling about this year's woman's squad? I know we brought in a stacked freshman class, and it looks like we return everyone who ran in the National Championship last year. Leah Stephens transferred out...talented runner but always seemed to be dealing with injury, and wasn't one of the 7 to run in the final meet.

Overall it seems like we should be pretty solid again, and if the returners improve, or one or two of the freshman are ready to contribute, maybe looking at a national champ contending team again this year?

There are guys here who are more knowledgeable about running and follow it better than me, but I've been following the team fairly closely for the past 4 years. I haven't closely looked at the rosters of the other top teams yet, but my best "guestimate" is that we should absolutely be a top 4 or 5 team in the country this season. We finished 8th at Nationals last year. If we would have had Stephens in that race, we probably would have won the title.

If we are healthy, we will have a very good chance of winning the national championship. Hartman, Gapes, and Napoleon look like locks for All-American, if healthy. Then we have Rauber who finished 50th at last years NCAA championship and could also be competing for All-American. Just need one more of the group of Michalak, Putman, Shea, Quarzo or some of the highly-touted freshman to emerge for a solid 5th.
"Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." - John 15:19
wolfpacker7
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Some discussions here, I think they can finish Top 3 and could win if things break right

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=13662722
Buzz
How long do you want to ignore this user?
wolfpacker7 said:

Some discussions here, I think they can finish Top 3 and could win if things break right

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=13662722

Thanks!
Wolfer79
How long do you want to ignore this user?
toddl
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
Didn't hear much from Gapes during track season, but Napoleon broke out to be an absolute star. I kinda wonder how her XC season will go, with her running Track World Championships mid-September. She's been at peak form since NCAA track championships in June. Hard to keep that performance going all the way through November. But Hartman, Napoleon, and Gapes could be the best top-3 in the country. Decent depth could have us contending for the title again.
Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I would add that Fleur Templier (8:59 3000m indoors) and Kaylie Armitage (9:16 3000m) should add significant depth, if both are healthy. Coincidentally both finished 23rd and 24th in identical 20:37 on the nuttycombe "b"race (ncstate ran in the "a" race.)
Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Fleur Templier transferred from Portland and has 2 years of eligibility left. Kaylie Armitage transferred from Furman and has 1 year of eligibility left.
toddl
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
At 2024 Southeast Regionals, Kaylie Armitage would have been our 4th runner.
https://www.tfrrs.org/results/xc/25322/NCAA_Division_I_Southeast_Region_Cross_Country_Championships
Hartman - 1
Gapes - 3
Rauber - 9
(Armitage - 18)
Michalak - 19
Shea - 29
Napoleon - 43
Putman - 50


Fleur finished 11th at West Regionals in 2024. Would have been the #4 runner for Oregon (5th place team at NCAAs) or the #3 runner for Stanford (6th at NCAAs). Slotting her onto last years team at ~50th overall at NCAAs (4th on our team) would have bumped us to 3rd.
Wolfer79
How long do you want to ignore this user?
toddl
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
https://www.ustfccca.org/2025/08/featured/2025-ncaa-di-womens-cross-country-national-coaches-poll-preseason

1 BYU
2 Oregon
3 NC State
4 New Mexico
5 West Virginia
6 Stanford
13 UNC
16 Notre Dame
20 Virginia
26 Boston College
27 Florida State
29 Syracuse
30 Wake Forest
Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I don't see BYU at #1. They're adding Jane Hedengren of course but they lose their #1-Lexy Holiday-Lowry (11th), #3-Carmen (31st), and #5-Carlee Hansen (49th). We didn't lose any of our runners.
Wolfer79
How long do you want to ignore this user?
rbtrackfan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
BYU does gain Hutchins who did not run Nationals for them last year.
Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Thanks! Completely forgot about Hutchins. I'd still put us ahead of BYU considering the great improvements from Napoleon (+40 sec improvement), and Michalak and Putman (both +30 sec improvement).
On paper Oregon is going to be tough to beat as they added 2 Kenyans Diana Cherotich and Juliet Cherubet, both will contend for top25 if not better. Both joined Oregon in Mar of 25 so didn't run XC.
…but we have tons of upsides.
rbtrackfan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I think this NC St team, tho a little unproven in XC, can be every bit as good as anyone else in NCAA. And it would seem NC St has a lot of depth for runners 4-7 - more than the others. Coach Henes does seem to figure out out to get her team to perform well at Nationals every year, while others not always so.
Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Here's my best guess of the 'true' #1 lineup for Oregon:
1.Silan Ayyildiz (15:15 5k) 10pts
2.Diana Cherotich (15:23 5k) 20 pts (new from Kenya)
3.Juliet Cherubet (15:25 5k) 20 pts (new from Kenya)
4.Anika Thompson (15:31 5k) 25 pts (I see her as out of eligibility but may have medical exemption for 2022???)
5.Ella thorsett (15:52 5k) 50 pts
Total 125 pts
6/7 Ali Ince (took 79th last year) could be the #5 if one of the above gets injured has a bad race).
They have a 15:30 avg 5k time which is impressive. Downside for them is the 2 Kenyans haven't run cross, can their 5k times on the track translate to cross?

What does everybody think? Can we over take them? Will Engelhardt, Scheffler, Templier, Armitage, or Shea take it to the next level to add depth and/or be a scorer (currently, Hartman, Napoleon, Gapes, Michalak, and Putman).


Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I have us at #2 with the following lineup:
1. Hartman (14:57 5k) 5 pts
2. Gapes (16:07 5k) 10 pts (note: 16:07 was while injured and should be much faster. She has fully recovered according to an interview after NZ cross nationals)
3. Napoleon (15:40 5k) 40 pts (note: 9:10 steeple indicates this could be much faster)
4. Michalak (15:43 5k) 45 pts
5. Putman (15:45 5k) 50 pts
Total pts 150 pts
GuerrillaPack
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Wolfpackinalaska said:

I have us at #2 with the following lineup:
1. Hartman (14:57 5k) 5 pts
2. Gapes (16:07 5k) 10 pts (note: 16:07 was while injured and should be much faster. She has fully recovered according to an interview after NZ cross nationals)
3. Napoleon (15:40 5k) 40 pts (note: 9:10 steeple indicates this could be much faster)
4. Michalak (15:43 5k) 45 pts
5. Putman (15:45 5k) 50 pts
Total pts 150 pts

You don't see either of the transfers, Templier or Armitage, scoring higher than Putman?

"Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." - John 15:19
GuerrillaPack
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Wolfpackinalaska said:



What does everybody think? Can we over take them? Will Engelhardt, Scheffler, Templier, Armitage, or Shea take it to the next level to add depth and/or be a scorer (currently, Hartman, Napoleon, Gapes, Michalak, and Putman).




Also, what about Rauber? She finished in 50th place at the 2024 NCAAs, scoring 38 points.

If you slot Rauber in as finishing around 35-40th and scoring maybe 30 points, along with either Templier or Armitage scoring less than 50...then that would have us close to your projection for Oregon.
"Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." - John 15:19
Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?

You don't see either of the transfers, Templier or Armitage, scoring higher than Putman?

I could have put Armitage/Templier in the Top5 but then WPN would say "why did you exclude Michalak/Putman"! I choose RECENT results over older results. fact is Armitage/Templier could be 10 secs faster than Michalak/Putman (hand us the trophy in that case) but their last results are in Feb of 2025 and Michalak/Putman have results in May and Jun of 2025. Gapes was out of the outdoor season (I WOULD have excluded her also from the Top5) but a miracle occurred: in Aug of 2025 she wins the NZ cross nationals by 2 min! Here again recent results.

To be overly optimistic, there's a case that Templier's 8:56 3k converts to about 15:30 5k or about 30 pts. That alone ties us with Oregon. Armitage in head to head races is tied with Templier and could (emphasis on could) be also a 15:30 5k. If you listen to the stride report they are very optimistic about Armitage, so outsiders have stated she could be key to a natty.
Putting it together Hartman-5pts; Gapes-10pts; Napoleon-20 pts; Templier-30 pts; Armitage-30 pts for total of 95 pts.
Optimistic standings:
NcSt-95; Oregon-125; BYU-175
Wolfpackinalaska
How long do you want to ignore this user?
BTW, the above prediction will completely change on Sept 19 at about 6:30pm! Once the Addidas Challenge is done!
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.