Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown: #1 Colorado Women

Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown: #1 Colorado Women

Check out the Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown where FloTrack ranks the top 31 cross country teams in the NCAA this season. The No. 1 spot goes to Colorado this y

Aug 28, 2016 by Meg Bellino
Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown: #1 Colorado Women
Check out the Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown where FloTrack ranks the top 31 cross country teams in the NCAA this season. The No. 1 spot goes to Colorado this year, and here's why:

Probable Top Four:
SR Erin Clark (9:08 3K; 15:54 5K; 5th at '16 NCAA 3K; 11th at '15 NCAA XC)
JR Kaitlyn Benner (9:09 3K; 15:56 5K; 8th at '16 NCAA 3K; 16th at '15 NCAA XC)
SO Dani Jones (2:05 800; 4:13 1500; 49th at '15 NCAA XC)
SO Mackenzie Caldwell (16:15 5K; 33:52 10K)

Fifth Woman Battle:
JR Melanie Nun (16:17 5K; 65th at '15 NCAA XC)
SR Carrie Verdon (15:59 5K; 33:42 10K; 146th at '15 NCAA XC)
SO Makena Morley (16:49 5K; 97th at '15 NCAA XC)

Impact Freshman/Transfers:
Makena Morley via University of Montana (16:49 5K; 97th at '15 NCAA XC)
Sage Hurta via Hamilton, NY (2:06 800; 4:25 1500; 10th at '15 FL XC)
Madie Boreman via Leander, TX (4:46 Mile; 27th at '15 NXN)

Analysis:
Mark Wetmore has already said that this may be his best women's team ever assembled, and we knew before his statement that this Colorado squad would be our top ranked of 2016.

The Buffs return four of their top five from 2015, including Erin Clark (11th) and Kaitlyn Benner (16th). Both were All Americans in the indoor 3K and Pac-12 Champs in their respective events outdoors. There are no questions surrounding these two, except how high will they place for the Buffs?

Dani Jones was 49th as a true freshman last fall and ran remarkably outdoors, recording 2:05 and 4:13 personal bests and placing ninth in the NCAA as the only freshman to make the final. That confidence should translate over to the grass, where Jones could be a top 25 contender. 

Sophomore Mackenzie Caldwell didn't compete last fall but made huge strides in the 5K and 10K this spring, chopping over 10 seconds off her 5K best and over 40 off her 10K. She represented the Buffs in the NCAA 10K and should make an immediate impact as a scorer this fall.

Melanie Nun (65th) and Carrie Verdon (146th) should fight for the fifth spot with transfer Makena Morley. Morley was 97th last fall competing for Montana. A native of Montana, Morley was third at the 2014 Foot Locker Championships and won four-straight Montana state titles. Armed with talented and proven training partners, Morley could improve massive amounts under Wetmore and Heather Burroughs.

The last NCAA championship for the Colorado women came in 2004 when the Buffs placed all five scorers in the top 30 for 63 points.

Previously:
#2 Providence
#3 NC State
#4 Michigan
#5 New Mexico
#6 Oregon
#7 Oklahoma State
#8 Stanford
#9 Michigan State
#10 Boise State
#11 Notre Dame
#12 Arkansas
#13 Harvard
#14 Georgetown
#15 Washington
#16 Princeton
#17 Penn State
#18 Iowa State
#19 Syracuse
#20 San Francisco
#21 Kansas
#22 Weber State
#23 Cal
#24 North Carolina
#25 BYU
#26 Virginia
#27 Villanova
#28 Vanderbilt
#29 Texas
#30 Florida
#31 Minnesota