Analysis of the 2009 NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Coaches' Poll

by Mike Scott,

University of Rhode Island

Updated: 3 November

 

For the 12th year (with a layoff in 2005), I am analyzing the Women's Division I Coaches' Poll.  Teams are listed according to their ranking in the current edition of the NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL POLL, as conducted by the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association.

 

Notes: Places listed in parentheses refer to finish at the 2008 NCAA D-1 XC Championships at Indiana State University, unless otherwise noted.  Performances are from the 2008-09 year, unless otherwise noted.  Performances at the Foot Locker High School Cross Country Championships are denoted by "FL".

 

As always, I appreciate additions, corrections, and updates. Please send them to me at miscott@att.net

 

1.  WASHINGTON

The Huskies won the 2008 NCAA team title – their first – by 52 points and return Christine Babcock, Kendra Schaaf, Mel Lawrence, Katie Follett, and Lauren Saylor from that squad.  Washington simply dominated the Notre Dame Invitation, with Schaaf winning and leading Follett, Lawrence, and Babcock to a 1-2-3-4 finish; Saylor placed 23rd ,to give the Dawgs a 41-sec 1-5 spread over 5km while Linnell was 29th and Flanagan 30th.  The Huskies, running without Lawrence and Saylor, won the Pre-NCAA White race by 30 points over Florida, with Schaaf, Follett, Babcock, Campbell, and Linnell splitting 55-sec over 6km.  Washington held off an inspired Oregon squad to win the Pac-10 meet by a mere 7 points, with Schaaf (2nd), Lawrence (4th), Babcock (5th), Follett (8th), and Campbell (16th) splitting 45-sec over 6km.

 

2.  VILLANOVA

The Wildcats claimed sixth at the 2008 NCAA meet, returning Amanda Marino, Bogdana Mimic, Kaitlyn Tallman, Callie Hogan, Sarah Morrison, and Allison Smith from that squad.  Villanova downed Oregon to win the Dellinger Invite, with Sheila Reid winning the race and leading Marino, Schappert, Mimic, and Tallman to a 27-sec 1-5 gap over 5km.  The Wildcats won the Panorama Farms Invite, with Reid, Shappert, Marino, and Mimic finishing 1-2-3-4 and combining with Tallman to split 27-sec over 6km. ‘Nova ran away with the Big East meet to win by 44 points over a good West Virginia squad, with Reid and Marino running 1-2 over the conference an Mimic claiming 4th overall; the trio combined with Simpson and Smith for a 58-sec 1-5 spread.

 

3.  FLORIDA

The Gators placed seventeenth in 2008 and return Genevieve Lacase, Charlotte Browning, Ali Crabb, Kaitlin Shiver, and Julie Northrup.  Florida placed third at Notre Dame behind Washington and Princeton, with Johnson, Browning, Lowe, Lacaze, and Northrup splitting 40-sec over 5km.  The Gators finished surprisingly close to Washington in the Pre-NCAA White race, with Johnson, Lowe, Browning, Lacaze, and Northrup splitting 31-sec over 6km.  Florida dominated the SEC champs with Lowe and Browning running 1-2 to lead Johnson, LaCaze, and Northrup to a 39-sec 1-5 spread over 6km.

4.  PRINCETON

The Tigers placed fifth in 2008 and return Lez Costello, Alex Banfich, Reilly Kiernan, Sarah Cummings, and Alexa Glencer from that squad.  Princeton claimed second behind Washington at the Notre Dame Invite, with Costello, Banfinch, Cummins, Kiernan, and Higginson splitting 32-sec over 5km.  Princeton finished third behind Washington and Florida in the Pre-NCAA White race, with Costello, Cummings, Higginson, Kiernan, and Banfich splitting 47-sec over 6km.  Princeton perfect scored the Heps, with Costello, Banfich, Cummins, Higginson, and Kiernan splitting 26-sec over 5km.

5.  OREGON

The Ducks earned runner-up honors in 2008 and return Alex Kosinski, Nicole Blood, Zoe Buckman, and Bria Wetsch.  Two-time Foot Locker cross country champ Jordan Hasey leads the Duck newcomers.   Oregon fell to Villanova at their own Dellinger Invite, with Kosinski claiming second to lead Hasay, Zaludek, Michel, and Blood to a 44-sec 1-5 spread.  Frosh Hasey grabbed third in the Pre-NCAA Blue race to lead the Ducks to third behind Colorado and Florida State; Hasey, Blood, Michel, Crossman, and Kosinski split 81-sec for 6km.  Spurred on by Blood’s individual win, the Ducks nearly upset Washington at the Pac-10 champs, with Blood leading Hasey (3rd), Kosinski (9th), Michel (12th), and Crossman (17th) to a 51-sec split.

6.  COLORADO

Although the Buffalos failed to qualify for the 2008 NCAA championships, they return with a vengeance in 2009.  Olympian Jenny Barringer, who finished fifth this past summer at the World Championships in the steeplechase, has dominated this fall and appears on course to win her first NCAA harrier title, while newcomer Allie McLaughlin finished fifth at Foot Locker and fourth at USA Junior XC.  CU dominated their Rocky Mountain Shootout, with Barringer breaking Kara Goucher’s course record and McLaughlin notching the eighth fastest in history; the duo combined with Coburn, Hanenburg, and Sawyer to split 2:13 over 5.8k.  Barringer dominated the Pre-NCAA Blue race to lead the Buffs to an easy win; Barringer combined with McLaughlin, Tremblay, Thweatt, and Coburn for a 90-sec 1-5 spread over 6km.  espite Barringer and McLaughlin running 1-2 at the Big 12 meet, Colorado finished second 14 points behind Texas Tech; Barringer, McLaughlin, Thweat, Trembley, and Coburn split 1:53 over 6km.

7.  WEST VIRGINIA

The Mountaineers finished fourth at the 2008 NCAA meet and return all seven members from that squad:  Keri Bland, Marie-Louise Asselin, Clara Grandt, Kate Harrison, Kaylyn Christopher, Jessica O’Connell, and Ahna Lewis; they gain Canadian newcomer Sarah-Anne Brault (16:42 5k).  West Virginia won the Paul Short Invite, with O’Connell, Brault, Harrison, Christopher, and Hamric splitting 62-sec over 6km.  The Mountaineers won the Penn State National meet, with Bland leading Asselin, Grandt, Brault, and Christopher to a 40-sec 1-5 split over 6km.  WVa finished second to “Nova at Big Easts, with Grandt, Asselin, Bland, Harrison, and Christopher splitting 59-sec over 6km.

8.  TEXAS TECH

Despite graduating three-time NCAA harrier champ Salley Kipyego, the ’08 seventh-place Red Raiders return a formidable squad including Lillian Badaru, Gladys Kipsang, Michelle Guzman, and Addison Lemaster.  Texas Tech won the Chile Pepper Festival, with Badaru and Biwott finishing 1-3 to lead C. Karunde, Kipsang, and W. Karunde to a 69-sec 1-5 spread over 6km.  Texas Tech won the Big 12 meet with a 14 point margin over Colorado; Badura and Biwott finished 4-5 to lead Kipsang, C. Karunde, and W. Karunde to a 34-sec 1-5 split over 6km.

9.  FLORIDA STATE

The Seminoles claimed third at the 2008 NCAA championships and return Susan Kuijken, Pilar McShine, Linzi Snow, Christina Woytalewicz, and Kacey Gibson, as well as gain the services of Pasca Cheruiyot 16:26 5k), an individual NCAA qualifier from Missouri State.  Running without Kuijken, Florida State placed seventh at Notre Dame behind Washington, Princeton, Florida, Penn State, Arizona State, and New Mexico with McShine, Parry, Cheruiyot, Quick, and Winslow splitting 27-sec over 5km.  The Seminoles finished second to Colorado in the Pre-NCAA Blue race; Kuijken placed second overall to lead Cheruiyot, McShine, Dunn, and Winslow to a 89-sec 1-5 gap over 6km.  Florida State won the ACC champs with a 34-point margin over Duke; Kuijken won to lead McShine, Cheyruiyot, Dunn, and Parry to a 61-sec spread.

10.  SYRACUSE

The Orange placed twenty-eighth in 2008, returning Catherine Desarle, Maegan Krifchin, Lauren Penny, Lauryn MacFawn, Rebekah MacKay, and Heather Stephens.  Syracuse claimed second a mere 2 points behind Duke at the Wisconsin Invite, with Hursey, Desarle, Penny, Krifchin, and Stephens splitting 23-seconds.  The Orange claimed fourth in the Pre-NCAA White race behind Washington Florida, and Princeton, with Hursey, MacKay, Krifchin, Penny, and Desarle splitting 28-sec over 6km.  Syracuse placed third at Big Easts behind ‘Nova and West Virginia, with Hursey, Krifchin, Desarle, MacKay, and Busby splitting 50-sec over 6km.

11.  PENN STATE

The Nittany Lions placed fifth at the 2008 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, while Bridget Franek earned All-American honors with her 23rd place effort in Terre Haute.  Penn State finished fourth at Notre Dame behind Washington, Princeton, and Florida, with Franek, Spring, Lord, Ridder, and Lane splitting 42-sec over 5km.  The Lions finished second to West Virginia at the Penn State National, with Franek finishing third overall to lead Spring, Lord, Lane, and Ridder to a 49-sec 1-5 spread.  Penn State upset Illinois and Minnesota to win the Big Ten title, with Franek winning the meet to propel Lord, Ridder, Lane, and Millhouse to an 84-sec 1-5 spread over 6km.

12.  GEORGETOWN

The Hoyas claimed ninth in 2008, returning Emily Infield, Katie McCafferty, Renee Tomlin, and Lauren Gregory and gained Emily Jones (13th FL) and Meaghan Gregory.  Georgetown finished second to UVa at the Mason Invite, with Infield, Jones, Gregory, LaBeaud, and Kasper splitting 60-sec over 6km.  The Hoyas placed fourth in the Pre-NCAA Blue race behind Colorado, Florida State, and Oregon, with Infeld, Jones, Labeaud, McCafferty, and Kasper splitting 69-sec over 6km.  Georgetown claimed fourth at the Big East meet behind ‘Nova, West Virginia, and Syracuse, with Infeld, McCafferty, Jones, LaBeaud, and Kasper splitting 76-sec over 6km.

13.  ILLINOIS

The Illini placed tenth in 2008, with NCAA 5000 champ Angela Bizzarri leading Kristin Sutherland, Chantelle Groenewoud, Elizabeth Boyle, Theresa Brokaw, and Stephanie Baliga back from that squad.  Illinois claimed third behind Duke and Syracuse at the Wisconsin Invitational, with Bizzarri finishing second to lead Sutherland, Boyle, Groenwoud, and Thompson to a 68-second 1-5 gap.  Bizzarri won the Pre-NCAA White race in the final 400m to lead her Illini teammates to fifth behind Washington Florida, Princeton, and Syracuse, with Sutherland, Boyle, Groenewoud, and Brusa splitting 2:00 over 6km behind Bazzarri.  Illinois finished second to Penn State  by 6 points on the latter’s home course at the Big Ten meet, with Bazzarri claiming second to lead Sutherland, Boyle, Groenewoud, and Thompson to an 1:49 1-5 split over 6km.

14.  STANFORD

The Cardinal claimed eighth in 2008 and return Laurynne Chetlat, Kate Niehaus, Stephanie Marcy, Georgia Griffin, and Emilie Amaro, while gaining Alex Dunne (19th FL, 3rd USA junior).  Stanford won their own invitational, with Kroeger, Niehaus, Dunne, Gits, and Marcy splitting 18-sec over 6km.  The Cardinal placed fifth in the Pre-NCAA Blue race behind Colorado, Florida State, Oregon, and Georgetown; Gits, Marcy, Dunne, O’Meara, and Griffin split 55-sec over 6km.  Stanford finished fourth at the Pac-10 meet behind Washington, Oregon, and Arizona State; Gits, Marcy, O’Meara, Griffin,  and Reese split 70-sec over 6km.

15.  DUKE

The Blue Devils finished fourth at the 2008 NCAA Southeast Regional, but didn’t advance to the show; they gained Foot Locker runner-up Ashley Brasovan.  Duke won the Wisconsin Invite, with Seymour, Ahn, Morgan, Ziemian, and Johnston splitting 31-sec over 5km.  Seymour won the Blue Ridge Open to lead the Blue Devils to the win over Virginia Tech; Seymour, Johnston, Schwitzer, Morgan, and Vermeer split 38-sec over 5km.  Duke claimed second to Florida State at the ACC meet, with Seymour, Bottorff, Van Buskirk, Johnston, and Ziemian splitting 60-sec over 6km.

16.  ARIZONA STATE

the Sun Devils finished fourteenth at the 2008 NCAA Champs, returning All-American Kari Hardt along with Angela Spadafino and Lindsay Prescott.  Arizona State placed fifth at Notre Dame behind Washington, Princeton, Florida, Penn State, and Arizona State, with Hardt, Sperry, Prescott, McNair, and Spadafino splitting 27-sec over 5km.  The Sun Devils placed tenth in the Pre-NCAA White race behind Washington, Florida, Princeton, Syracuse, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, UNC, Notre Dame, with Hardt, Prescott, Spadafino, Sperry, and Tarver splitting 73-sec over 6km.  Arizona State upset Stanford by a point to claim third in the highly competitive Pac-10 behind Washington and Oregon, with Hardt, Kieffer, Prescott, Sperry, and Lydy splitting 67-sec over 6km.

17.  MINNESOTA

The Gophers placed 12th at the 2008 NCAA meet, returning Megan Duwell, Amy Laskkowske, Mallory Van Ness, Heather Dorniden, and Jamie Cheever.  Minnesota claimed second behind Iowa State at their own Griak Invite, with Duwell’s win leading Swenson, Yetzer, Laskowske, and Wagner to a 67-sec 1-5 gap.  The Gophers grabbed sixth in the Pre-NCAA White race behind Washington, Florida, Princeton, Syracuse, and Illinois, with Duwell leading Price, Yetzer, Wagner, and Swenson to a 71-sec split over 6km.  Minnesota claimed third at the Big Ten Champs to Penn State (9 pts ahead) and Illinois (3 pts ahead) with Duwell finishing third to lead Wagner, Price, Dorniden, and Yetzer to a 66-sec spread over 6km.

18.  IOWA STATE

2008 NCAA 10,000 champ Lisa Koll leads the Cyclones, who finished ninth at the Midwest Regionals when Koll redshirted.  Iowa State won the Griak Invite with Koll finishing second to lead Saina, Tuliamuk, Tesfaye, and Kemmy to a 46-sec 1-5 spilt.  The Cyclones claimed seventh in the Pre-NCAA Blue race behind Colorado, Florida State, Oregon, Georgetown, Stanford, and Arizona; Koll, Saina, Kemmey, Tuliamuk, and Nelson split 70-secs for 6km. Iowa State finished third at the Big 12 meet, with Koll (3rd overall) leading Saina, Kemmy, Tuliamuk, and Nelson to a 77-sec split.

19.  VIRGINIA

The Cavaliers finished twenty-sixth in 2008, returning Morgane Gay, Stephanie Garcia, Samantha Stafford, Sara Casscells, Lyndsay Harper, and Susan Brooks.  UVa won the Mason Invitation, with White, Gay, Garcia, Strehler, and Zarger spitting 87-sec over 6km.  The Cavaliers placed second to Villanova at the Panorama Farms, with White, Gay, Dezubay, Garcia, and Strehler splitting 34-sec over 6km.  Virginia claimed third at ACCs behind Florida State and Duke; White, Gay, Dezubay, S. Garcia, and McMillian split 2:03 for 6km.

20.  NEW MEXICO

The Lobos placed 18th in 2008 and return Nicky Archer, Lacey Oeding, Ashley Gibson, and Emma Reed.  New Mexico placed sixth at Notre Dame behind Washington, Princeton, Florida, Penn State, and Arizona State, with Senior, Archer, Gibson, Oeding, and Mitsos splitting 48-sec over 5km.  The Lobos claimed seventh in the Pre-NCAA White race behind Washington, Florida, Princeton, Syracuse, Illinois, and Minnesota, with Senior, Oeding, Archer, Gibson, and James splitting 28-sec over 6km.  New Mexico won the Mountain West Conference meet, with Senior, Archer, Oeding, Gibson, and Ortiz splitting 49-sec over 6km.

21.  PROVIDENCE

The Friars placed thirteenth at the 2008 NCAA champs, returning Krystal Douglas, Mary Kate Champagne, Hannah Davidson, and Breffini Twohig and gaining Shelby Greaney, 7th Foot Locker.  Providence tied SMU for eighth at Notre Dame behind Washington, Princeton, Florida, Penn State, Arizona State, New Mexico, and Florida State; Davidson, Greany, Twohig, Roecker, and Perron split 18-sec over 5km.  The Friars finished third behind West Virginia and Penn State at the Penn State National, with Greany, Davidson, Perron, Twohi, and Douglas splitting 40-sec over 6km.  PC placed fifth at Big Easts behind ‘Nova, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Georgetown, with Greaney leading Davidson, Twohig, Roecker, and Perron to a 44-sec split over 6km.

22.  BRIGHAM YOUNG

The Cougars only finished fifth at the 2008 Mountain Regionals.  BYU claimed fourth at the Wisconsin Invite behind Duke, Syracuse, and Illinois, with Lemmon winning to lead Andrews, Edwards, Wagner, and Cramer to a 53-sec 1-5 spread over 5km.  The Cougars finished second to Texas Tech at the Chile Pepper Festival, with Lemmon, Wagner, Edwards, Nielsen, and Lange splitting  76-sec over 6km.  BYU finished second to Texas Tech at the Mountain West meet; Lemmon won the meet to lead Andrews, Wagner, Nielsen, and Lange split 1:38 over 6km.

23.  MICHIGAN

The Wolverines placed 16th at the 2008 meet and return Danielle Tauro, Kelly Sampson, Jennifer Morgan, and Katie Williams.  Michigan finished fifth at the Wisconsin Invite behind Duke, Syracuse, Illinois, and BYU with Peale, Patterson, Addison, Smith, and Morgan splitting 55-sec over 5km.  The Wolverines missed out on the Penn State National Invite following inclement weather, so the team raced the following weekend at the EMU Classic, with Peale, Patterson, Addison, Severin, and Hilton split 64-sec over 5km.  Michigan claimed fourth at Big Tens behind Penn State, Illinois, and Minnesota, with Peale, Patterson, Addison, Smith, and Severin splitting 76-sec over 6km.

24.  ARIZONA

The Wildcats claimed eighth at the 2008 NCAA West Regionals.  Arizona placed eleventh at Notre Dame behind Washington, Princeton, Florida, Penn State, Arizona State, New Mexico, Florida State, SMU, Providence, and Notre Dame; Callahan, Smith, Jackson, Henson, and Bergman split 47-sec over 5km.  The Wildcats finished sixth in the Pre-NCAA Blue race behind Colorado, Florida State, Oregon, Georgetown, and Stanford; Callahan, Smith, Jackson, Henson, and Apgar split 40-sec over 6km.  Arizona placed sixth at Pac-10s behind Washington, Oregon, Arizona State, Stanford, and Cal.

25.  SOUTHERN METHODIST

The Mustangs finished 20th at the 2008 NCAA meet, returning Silje Fjortoft and Monika Korra.  SMU finished eighth at Notre Dame behind Washington, Princeton, Florida, Penn State, Arizona State, New Mexico, and Florida State, with Fjortoft, Eikrem-Engest, Sjokvist, Alebratt, and Blom splitting 45-sec over 5km.  The Mustangs finished fifth at Chile Pepper Festival behind Texas Tech, BYU, Arkansas, and Missouri, with Fjortoft, Alenbratt, Blom, Sjokvist, and Sullivan splitting 2:39 over 6km.  SMU won the Conference USA meet, with Fjortoft, Sjokvist, Blom, Eikrem-Engeset, and Alenbratt split 35-sec over 5km.

26.  MICHIGAN STATE

The Spartans placed eleventh in 2008 and return Emily MacLoed, Emily Lengenberg, Carlie Green, and Becky McCormack.  Michigan State placed third at Griak behind Iowa State and Minnesota; MacLeod, Green, Smeltzer, Abrahamian, and Huprikar split 72-sec over 6km.  The Spartans claimed tenth in the Pre-NCAA Blue race, with MacLeod, Green, Abrahamian, Smeltzer, and Haines splitting 76-sec over 6km.   Michigan State finished fifth at Big Tens behind Penn State, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan, with Macleod, Green, Smeltzer, Abrahamain, and Smith splitting 89-sec over 6km.

27.  CALIFORNIA

The Bears finished seventh at the West Regional in 2008.  Cal finished second to Stanford at the Stanford Invite, with Maier, Keene, Davis, Oberg, and Kohl splitting 72-sec for 6km.  The Bears finished 13th in the Pre-NCAA White race, with Maier, Keene, Kohl, Greggor, and Davis splitting 84-sec over 6km.  Cal finished fifth at Pac-10s behind Washington, Oregon, Arizona State, and Stanford, with Maier, Keene, Kohl, Greggor, and Tam splitting 68-sec over 6km.

28.  ARKANSAS

The Lady ‘Backs claimed 15th in 2008 and return Catherine White, Jillian Rosen, Megan Jackson, and Samantha Learch.  Arkansas placed seventh at the Wisconsin Invite behind Duke, Syracuse, Illinois, BYU, Michigan, and Iowa, with Walker, Allison, Jackson, Gillespie, and Learch splitting 21-sec over 5km.  The Lady ‘Backs finished third at their own Chile Pepper Festival, with Walker, Gillespie, Learch, Johnson, and Allison splitting 35-sec over 6km.

29.  TENNESSEE

The Lady Vols finished third in the 2008 NCAA South regional and didn’t advance as a team; Jackie Areson returns as an individual qualifier.  Tennessee competed at the Paul Short Invite without 800 standouts Price and Wright – their normal 4 and 5 runners --and finished ninth in the scoring, with Areson claiming 3rd, Sheffey 14thm and Van Horn 18th.  The Lady Vols claimed third behind Villanova and Virgnia at the Panorama Farms Invite, with Areson, Van Horn, Sheffey, Price, and Wright splitting 51-sec for 6km.  Tennessee claimed second to Florida at the SEC Championships, with Areson, Sheffey, Van Horn, Price, and Wright splitting 87-sec for 6km.

30.  IOWA

The Hawkeyes placed twenty-fourth in 2008 and returns Hannah Roeder, Brooke Eilers, Betsey Floody, Amanda Hardesty, and Fionna Fallon.  Iowa finished sixth at the Wisconsin Invite behind Duke, Syracuse, Illinois, BYU, and Michigan, with Eilers, Lessard, Flood, L. Hardesty, and A. Hardesty splitting 28-sec over 5km.  The Hawkeyes claimed eighth in the Pre-NCAA Blue race behind Colorado, Florida State, Oregon, Georgetown, Stanford, Arizona, and Iowa State, with Eilers, Flood, A. Hardesty, Roeder, and Lessard splitting 36-sec for 6km.  Iowa claimed sixth at Big Tens behind Penn State, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, and Michigan State, with Flood, Roeder, L. Hardesry, Eilers, and A. Hardesty  splitting a mere 9-secs over 6km.

 

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