The 2025 Brooks XC Championships presented by Fleet Feet is finally here, and a field of the nation's top 52 girls will descend on San Diego for a clash at the famed Balboa Park on December 13. Over the last weeks, athletes have either earned Golden Tickets or raced their way to the National Championships via one of the four region championships. By virtue of these qualifying standards, these girls have established themselves as the best-of-the-best and now they will test themselves and each other on one the nations most historic cross country courses.

While all 52 could be considered contenders, a few have risen above the rest - and are the favorites entering Saturday's race. The Brooks XC Championship presented by Fleet Feet is slated to begin at 9:15 AM PT (12:15 PM ET). Audiences can watch LIVE on FloTrack or on the FloTrack YouTube.

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The Northeast Will Pack A Punch

It is reasonable to think that the this weekend's National Championship could hail from the Northeast.

The Northeast packs a dangerous combination of athletes, from Abigail Hennessey to Leah Starkey to Paige Sheppard and Blair Bartlett.

Abigail Hennessy most recently won the Brooks XC Northeast Championship, extending her undefeated 2025 cross country campaign. The University of Washington commit has a ton of confidence headed into the weekend.

Leah Starkey finished third at the Northeast Championships, but don't let that fool you. Starkey was coming off of a NJ Meet Of Champions Title that saw her run 17:02.6 to post the third fastest time in Holmdel Park history (Behind Katelyn Tuohy and Angelina Perez). The most impressive part was that Leah Starkey out-kicked Paige Sheppard for the title. Sheppard is a 2:01 800m runner.

Blair Bartlett is arguably the most potent runner from this region. She was also undefeated until she finished second at NXN last week. She has run as fast as 16:16.71 and she is proven against national caliber competition. As of November 19, Bartlett was ranked fourth in the COROS MileSplit50 Rankings.

But The Midwest Will Have Something To Say About It

Of course the girl who beat Bartlett at NXN was Natasza Dudek. The Michigan native, out-kicked Bartlett to win by 1.6 seconds. 

Undefeated in 2025, Dudek has consistently been the best girl in the nation, which explains her ranking atop the COROS MileSplit50 leaderboard. Dudek earned her way to Brooks XC Nationals via a Fleet Feet Golden Ticket, so she was able to forego the Brooks XC Midwest Championships. She has run as fast as 16:09.5.

Emma Hoffman finished second at the Brooks XC Championships in the Midwest region before finishing fifth at NXN. Like Dudek, Hoffman is a Michigan Native and a Michigan State Champion. She battled wicked conditions at the Midwest Region Championship - before finishing second to Sophia Szolosi. Szolosi has only suffered one loss on the 2025 season.

She is a threat on one simple basis - she survived the Midwest Regional in blizzard conditions.

Averi Lowen Is Looking For Redemption

Lowen slipped and took a spill at NXN early before rebounding for a sixth place finish. Currently ranked third in the COROS MileSplit 50 Rankings, Lowen was undefeated until her loss last weekend.

She could rebound in a big way this week. She won the Great American XC Festival as well as the Georgia State Championship this year. She earned a Fleet Feet Golden Ticket to compete at Brooks XC Nationals

Jaelyn Williams Is Heating Up, Can Summer Wilson Rebound?

Last week, Jaelyn Williams earned a Fleet Feet Golden Ticket after a historic run for second at the CIF State XC Championships. Williams posted the second fastest time in Woodward Park History before ultimately finishing runner-up to Summer Wilson.The South Dakotan then took that momentum to NXN where she finished third, eight seconds back.

Summer Wilson also earned a Fleet Feet Golden Ticket after setting the Woodward Park Course Record. She finished 23rd at NXN, but her victory at CIF suggests that she is capable of much more. What will we see out of her this weekend?

A New Mexico Athlete May Steal The Show - Carmen Dorsey-Spitz

New Mexico athletes tend to show up when it matters - so keep an eye on Carmen Dorsey-Spitz this weekend. The winner of the Brooks XC West Championship - she proved that she is one of the top juniors in the nation. Dorsey-Spitz enjoyed an undefeated streak through most of the regular season. She won the New Mexico 4A State Championships but had a down day at NXR Southwest. She rebounded in a big way at the Brooks XC Championships, with a win over Braelyn Combe (Santiago Corona HS, CA)

Notably, Dorsey-Spitz also won the West Region Title in 2024. She did not run at the National Meet, so this will be her first time racing at Balboa Park in December. 

She sports a season best of 16:47 (5K) which could make her dangerous down the stretch.

Other Athletes To Watch

• Addy Ritzenhein
• Chiara Dailey
• Macy Wingard
• Lily Alder
• Maddie Gullickson
• Maysen Fletcher
• Madeline Dorsch

How To Watch The The Brooks XC Championships 2025

The Brooks XC Regionals are not streaming live, however you can watch the Brooks XC Championships 2025 live on FloTrack.

Follow Brooks XC Regionals coverage and breaking news on FloTrack.

How Do Runners Qualify For Brooks XC Regionals?

Athletes can qualify for the Brooks XC Championship 2025 through two ways: finishing in the top ten in their regional qualifier or by receiving a Fleet Feet Golden Ticket invite.

When and Where Is The Brooks XC Championships 2025

The 2025 Brooks XC Championships are on Dec. 13 at Balboa Park in San Diego, CA.

FloTrack Is The Streaming Home For Many Track And Field Meets Each Year

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