Actually Grace got injured before the 2025 XC season. After the 2025 outdoor season, Grace announced she has a plantar fasciitis injury and will skip USAs so as not to jeopardize the 2025 XC season. She had a phenomenal 2025 XC season, (I'd always remember her winning Nuttycombe pulling away from the chase pack at the 4k). But then she skipped both the indoor and outdoor season leading to concerns she might have re-aggravated the plantar (pure speculation on all of us).
The 5-for-5 (+ lawsuits) will harm our chances because not 1 of our runners will benefit in 2026 due to the rule (other teams will retain 1 or 2 runners that they would have otherwise lost).

Above post is so negative I have to present the positive side:
Hannah has taken her fitness to a new level. I honestly think she can podium!

Angelina is back! and might be the Angelina that won the ACC XC championships.

Both Bethany and Sadie are primed to take it up another level. Bethany and Sadie both made it to nationals.

The emergence/ improvement of all the 7 to 10 runners: Kate Putman taking 6th at nationals, Daniella Scheffler, Briley Bickerstaff, and Emily Wisnieski all breaking 16:00 flat in the 5k. We've never been this deep - not even close. The 2022 team was deep but went only 6-deep, this team is 10-deep.

The "sleeper" or flying under the radar is Maddie Gullickson who is "Hannah-like" in that her track times don't indicate what an incredible XC runner she is.

Mallory Weller - when healthy - is / could be a huge upside considering the way she improved her fitness at the end of the outdoor season.

Rachel Forsyth had a disappointing outdoor season (by her standards), Most notably the Canadian track championships. The stride report (and myself included) believe Coach Henes and the NC State program is a perfect fit to get Rachel back in top fitness. It could take time so Be patient with her progress and hopefully she can get back to the Rachel that took 48th at XC.

Even with the positives would be great if the sub 15:00 flat 5k Grace showed up on Nov 21st.

MountainPack said:

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Above post is so negative I have to present the positive side:
Hannah has taken her fitness to a new level. I honestly think she can podium!

Angelina is back! and might be the Angelina that won the ACC XC championships.

Both Bethany and Sadie are primed to take it up another level. Bethany and Sadie both made it to nationals.

The emergence/ improvement of all the 7 to 10 runners: Kate Putman taking 6th at nationals, Daniella Scheffler, Briley Bickerstaff, and Emily Wisnieski all breaking 16:00 flat in the 5k. We've never been this deep - not even close. The 2022 team was deep but went only 6-deep, this team is 10-deep.

The "sleeper" or flying under the radar is Maddie Gullickson who is "Hannah-like" in that her track times don't indicate what an incredible XC runner she is.

Mallory Weller - when healthy - is / could be a huge upside considering the way she improved her fitness at the end of the outdoor season.

Rachel Forsyth had a disappointing outdoor season (by her standards), Most notably the Canadian track championships. The stride report (and myself included) believe Coach Henes and the NC State program is a perfect fit to get Rachel back in top fitness. It could take time so Be patient with her progress and hopefully she can get back to the Rachel that took 48th at XC.

Even with the positives would be great if the sub 15:00 flat 5k Grace showed up on Nov 21st.

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Thanks for this info. Looks like this 2026 season could be the best women's XC team we've ever had, if everyone is healthy.

Angelina Napoleon has "scratched" from USAs 3000m steeplechase on July 23rd. Hope all is well.

MountainPack said:

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Angelina Napoleon has "scratched" from USAs 3000m steeplechase on July 23rd. Hope all is well.

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The only thing I know is I saw the post she made on Instagram a few days ago where she said the following...which sounds like she's just deciding to skip nationals in order to rest up and be ready for cross country, after battling Achilles tendinitis throughout the track season.

Quote:

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Sometimes life gives you lemons, and sometimes it doesn't. The thing is you still have to make lemonade.

This season tested me in the best way and I feel very proud of how I came out on the other side. I dealt with Achilles tendinitis throughout my season which didn't allow me to prepare the way I needed in order to compete with the other talented women next to me. With that being said, I showed up and raced to the best of my abilities every time I stepped on the track. I earned what I ran this year, which is why I am also proud of my 9:19 at the Pre Classic to cap off my season.

I will not be competing at US Nationals this year and instead will be preparing to hit the grass in cross country.

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https://instagr.am/p/DavQWW3FYAU

Good to hear she's not seriously Injured and just taking precautions (relieved TBH). She has not had a break for 18 months (remember last summer she ran Paris diamond leaque, us nationals, and the world championships).

Just Coincidence but Not only did Angelina scratch from US Nationals but the following would have gotten into US nationals, all they had to do was enter (but didn't):

Sadie Engelhardt (1500m)
Bethany Michalak (5000m)
Brooke Rauber (5000m)
Kate Putman (3000m steeplechase)
Briley Bickerstaff (10000m)

https://open.spotify.com/show/4p9ZZ5YJ2wlG4iZQUD2KZe

Thanks for posting! This interview is SOooo good. I've only listened to the first 20 minutes, but I know more about Angelina in 20 minutes than from all the post race interviews combined. She gives so many interesting facts about life in NewYork like her HS didn't even have a steeple water pit! The interviewer was great too. Can't wait for the final 30 minutes.

The Stride Report just announced BYU's Jacey Farmer (8:52 3000m / 15:24 5k) has transferred to Duke! This will clearly diminish their depth (I had her at BYU's #6 runner). We're also waiting to see if Riley Chamberlain (#2 runner) and Carmen Alder (#6 runner) return. If they do they are still in the championship hunt even with Jacey Farmer transferring out.

There is no way Carmen Alder has more XC eligibility. She ran half the 2021 season and all of the 2022-2025 seasons. That is 5 years in college and 4 full seasons.