Below, we take a closer look at some of the standout statistics from the NCAA Division I XC Championships held in Louisville, Kentucky, last weekend. First, we crunch a few stats regarding the men's and women's team champions in Northern Arizona and New Mexico, and then we take a subjective look at the most improved programs and most improved All-American individuals in the NCAA Championships. Finally, we create an objective ranking of the top true freshmen (excluding redshirts) and fifth runners in the Louisville championship 6K and 10K races. Check out full coverage of the NCAA Championships here.

Champions By The Numbers

In three years, the University of New Mexico women have won their first two NCAA DI cross country titles in school history. Louisville is a lucky spot for the Lobos, as the Tom Sawyer Park course is where they captured their first title in 2015. Their 90-point win this year marks the third NCAA title in any sport in UNM history. Ednah Kurgat is the first individual NCAA XC champion in Lobos' history, and her time of 19:19.42 is the fastest NCAA winning time since the women began racing 6K in 2000.

Senior veteran Alice Wright is the only woman who contributed to both title-winning squads; her 14th-place finish in Louisville made her the fifth woman to earn four consecutive All-American finishes in the modern era of the sport along with Jordan Hasay of Oregon (2009-12), Kendra Schaaf of UW/UNC/UNM (2008-11), Risper Kimaiyo of UTEP (2009-12), and Shalaya Kipp of Colorado (2010-13). Wright's prior finishes were 20th in 2014, fifth in 2015, and 19th in 2016.

The Northern Arizona men's dominant 74-point team win marked their second consecutive NCAA XC title. Last year's team championship marked the first NCAA title for the Lumberjacks in any sport. With four of their top five runners returning next year in All-Americans Matthew Baxter (second), Tyler Day (third), Peter Lomong (eighth), and Geordie Beamish (40th), Mike Smith's squad looks poised for title No. 3 in 2018.

Only four men's teams have ever three-peated in NCAA DI history: Drake (1944-46), Villanova (1966-68), UTEP (four-peat 1978-81), and Arkansas (twice, four-peat 1990-93 and three-peat 1998-2000).

Individual men's champion Justyn Knight captured his first NCAA title ahead of Baxter, 29:00.2 to 29:00.8, one of the closest margins in event history. He is the first NCAA XC champion for Syracuse, the 2015 team champions in Louisville.

Most Improved Women's Programs

San Francisco head coach Helen Lahman-Winters reflects on the team's first podium finish:

Most-Improved Men's Programs

Portland head coach Rob Conner discusses his team's runner-up finish:

Most-Improved All-American Women

Caroline Sang of Charlotte on placing sixth in her first NCAA XC Championships appearance:

Most-Improved All-American Men

NAU head coach Mike Smith gets emotional while talking about Peter Lomong:

Top True Freshmen Women

Weini Kelati and the Lobos react to their team title:

Top True Freshmen Men

Casey Clinger talks about leading BYU to the podium:

Top Fifth Woman

Top Fifth Man