The wait is over. Here's our 2025 schedule‼️#WolfpackXC | #GoPack pic.twitter.com/gmEeUYMEO5

— Pack Track & Field and Cross Country (@Wolfpack_TFXC) August 16, 2025

Sights and sounds from the first day of practice #WolfpackXC | #GoPack pic.twitter.com/JiL4dGc25d

— Pack Track & Field and Cross Country (@Wolfpack_TFXC) August 17, 2025

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?

Buzz said:

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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?

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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.

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

wolfpacker7 said:

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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

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Thanks!

Pushing each other to be the best every step of the way.#WolfpackXC | #GoPack pic.twitter.com/p31duNENP1

— Pack Track & Field and Cross Country (@Wolfpack_TFXC) August 24, 2025

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.)

Fleur Templier transferred from Portland and has 2 years of eligibility left. Kaylie Armitage transferred from Furman and has 1 year of eligibility left.

The women’s team is heading into the 2025 season at No. 3️⃣ in the @USTFCCCA Preseason National Coaches' Poll!#WolfpackXC | #GoPack pic.twitter.com/Cx5Ff4auii

— Pack Track & Field and Cross Country (@Wolfpack_TFXC) August 26, 2025

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

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.

Putting in the work#WolfpackXC | #GoPack pic.twitter.com/5Z0iS0qETE

— Pack Track & Field and Cross Country (@Wolfpack_TFXC) August 28, 2025

BYU does gain Hutchins who did not run Nationals for them last year.

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.

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.

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).

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

Wolfpackinalaska said:

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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

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

Wolfpackinalaska said:

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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).

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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.

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

I could have put Armitage/Templier/Rauber 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 ran Raleigh Relays then 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. Armitage in head-to-head races with Michalak/Putman is 2-0 (at pre-mats and the SE regional). 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; Templier-30 pts; Armitage-30 pts; Napoleon-40 pts for total of 115 pts. Michalak/Putman/Engelhardt/Rauber/Scheffler rounding out the 6 and 7 positions.
Optimistic standings:
NcSt-115; Oregon-125; BYU-175

BTW, the above prediction will completely change on Sept 19 at about 6:30pm! Once the Addidas Challenge is done!

I always remind people that in a very tight race it's important to have low sticks from your 6 and 7 to push up scoring for your opponents 4 and 5 runners which could very well be the case for us this year given our depth

fyi Cherubet of OR was 11th last year while at Texas Tech. Thompson is on the OR roster. They also have Mia Barnett who was ~40th 3 years ago in Oklahoma. But she and Aaylidiz no doubt were 1500 m training focused of late as they are racing in Tokyo soon.