Follow our 2017 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top ten cross country teams and individuals in the NCAA this season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 9 women's spot goes to Southern Indiana, and here's why:

Probable Top Five:

SR Emily Roberts (16:05 5K; 5th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Jessica Lincoln (58th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Bryce Cutler (146th at '16 NCAA XC)
JR Hope Jones (17:17 5K; 182nd at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Kate Duty (27th at '16 GLVC XC)

Analysis:

The Screaming Eagles from Southern Indiana made the most of a highly experienced roster last November by collecting their best finish at nationals. USI put two in the top 10 and all five of their scorers inside the top 100 to place fifth at NCAAs. The good news is that No. 1 runner Emily Roberts returns; the bad news is three of the top five are gone, with the new names filling their spots needing to step up to keep Southern Indiana close to the top five.

Roberts has been fifth at NCAAs each of the last two years, and she provides the stability this team needs in a season of high turnover. Her old sidekick Jessica Reeves will surely be missed in training and racing, but Roberts is a veteran and so expectations for another top-five finish remain.

Fellow senior Jessica Lincoln could be a big difference maker for this team. Lincoln was 58th at nationals last season after finishing 97th in 2015, and she showed even more signs of improvement this spring by qualifying for NCAA outdoor for the first time. A top-40 finish seems like a reasonable goal for her this fall.

The big question for this team will be the degree of improvement in their third through fifth runners. Three athletes in the mid-100s isn't going to cut it for a team with top-five aspirations, but that championship experience should aid in their development. With Roberts up front and another year of training for the role players, USI remains a top-10 squad.

FULL WOMEN'S RANKINGS HERE