The annual DyeStat XC Top 25 series (formerly Foot Locker Favorites and renamed given additional options available now) are national and regional rankings of cross-country runners based on distance-running accomplishments to date, with an emphasis on XC and 3200/2M track results, rather than a projection of how the Foot Locker Finals or NXN Finals will turn out (predictions run later in the season).
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Sveinsson, Goethals the girls to beat this fall
The Girls Preseason National Rankings
The Top 25
Chelsey's NXN and NON titles speak loudly, but to finish on top, she'll have to beat Megan in San Diego;
other top girls closely ranked, with N.Y., Cali and Texas stars leading the way
Story and rankings by SteveU
 | When she won the mid-season Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater, Sveinsson was still a long way from being considered a national favorite. Photo John Dye
| It’s pretty rare that a high school athlete is good enough and influential enough for their four year prep career – their entire four-year prep career – to qualify as an “era,” but in Jordan Hasay, we had exactly that. From the time Hasay won her first Foot Locker title in 2005, as a freshman, she was the standard-setter, the center of the girls cross-country universe. Of course, she didn’t win a national XC championship every year, finishing 1st-10th-3rd-1st. But the spans of time when she wasn’t the best were brief, always followed in XC or track by a surge back to the top (she won USATF Jr. XC titles in ’07 and ’08). It’s truly been the Jordan Hasay Era.
What made last year special, of course, was the fact that as she came back for her senior campaign (and that hoped-for second victory), the two girls who won Foot Locker during Hasay’s soph and junior years – Kathy Kroeger and Ashley Brasovan – were each seniors and gunning for a second title as well. Hasay, of course, won – and now all three of those girls are graduated. In fact, for the first time since 2002, there are no former Foot Locker champions out there.
That’s not to say, however, that there are no returning NATIONAL champions out there. That’s where Chelsey Sveinsson comes in … and comes in, mind you, with great style and force. After an auspicious, but fleeting freshman year, Sveinsson picked up steam all autumn long as a soph and, by the time she powered home to win NXN South, you knew she was close to the level of being able to beat anyone. In Portland, she set an NXN course record and won as she pleased, then came back to double in San Diego with a very solid 4th.
In track, Sveinsson challenged for US-leading times against Hasay all spring – though, unfortunately, they never met. She wound up #2 on the important 1500 list, but had the US#1 efforts in the mile and 2M – 4:40.24 and 10:04.85 – in sweeping those races at NON. Both were soph class records and victories by big margins.
All of that would seem to establish the Dallas TX (Greenhill School) junior as the clear favorite going into this fall … but maybe “clear” favorite is a little strong. Remember, one of the three that beat Sveinsson at Foot Locker Finals was a junior. Megan Goethals (Rochester MI) was an even bigger surprise last fall then Sveinnson. She had been just 19th in her state meet as a soph and had been 4th and 6th in the state 1600 and 3200 the following spring. But a huge, healthy summer of training saw Goethals come out of the gate with a major invite win to start the season and she began to dominate Michigan. After winning the D1 state title in record time, she went to Kenosha and reached a new level with a FL MW win – setting up her 3rd in San Diego, behind Hasay and Ashley Brasovan.
 | 2008 NXN champ Sveinsson says she is focussing on Foot Locker this year to get her first win there, but Goethals - who beat her there last fall - wants it, too. Photo (from winning 2008 FL Midwest) Pat Davey
| In track, Goethals was fast, but Sveinsson was in another world, winning the deuce by more than 15 seconds, and the mile by 11. “She beat me by a lot on the track,” admitted the Michigan star, “but I have confidence going against Chelsey in XC because we are more even there.”
After a two-week break, Goethals has had a strong, injury-free summer of training. “I have worked my way up to 55 miles per week, which I will hold for awhile,” she said. “This is about 10 miles per week more than I did last summer.
Goethals admits that it’s a whole lot different going into fall of 2009 than it was 12 months ago. “It is a really weird feeling to know that I will be the top returnee from Foot Locker this year. I know that a lot more is expected out of me this year and I am more known. It is exciting to me though!”
Her goals include breaking 17:00, running more strongly in the first half of the race, and going back to San Diego again. “I am pretty sure that I will only focus on Foot Locker this year. It seems like trying to do both meets would be really draining.”
Meanwhile, Sveinsson got a later start, given that she ran through mid-July at the World Youth Champs (she was 4th in the 1500) – and she had plenty to do while she took a break. “I started volunteering at an animal shelter and got a job giving kids swim lessons,” she said. “I also went on a 7-day cruise to the Caribbean where I jet skied for the first time! It was a great 3-week vacation.”
Since starting back, Sveinsson has also been injury free and working on getting her legs back. “I am only in my second week of training so I am still getting use to the long runs,” she said last week. “Last week, I ran 39 miles and I've been aiming for 35-40 miles a week. Last summer I ran about every other day going into the season, maxing at 25 miles. I've started this season at the same time as last year, but my coach warned me not to get too excited about the season and peak too early for the wrong meets.”
Sveinsson said she’s already decided what she wants to do in the post-season. “I'm focusing on training for Foot Locker this season and won't be running NXN nationals. I will be running NXN qualifier as preparation for Foot Locker, however.”
(continued below)
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Athlete
| Last Year: Finals/Reg.
| Returning Finals/Region
| Comments
| 1. Chelsey Sveinsson, 2011
Greenhill HS, TX
| NXN
1st/1st S
Foot Locker
4th/3rd
| NXN
1st/1st S
Foot Locker
2nd/2nd | Sveinsson is clearly the national runner to beat after a fabulous track season (US#1 NON wins, 4:18.13 1500) which followed her NXN win and Foot Locker 3rd. She was beaten at Foot Locker last year by Goethals, but has said she's running it fresh this year.
| 2. Megan Goethals, 2010
Rochester HS, MI
| Foot Locker
3rd/1st MW
| Foot Locker
1st/1st MW
| While Goethals was a distant 2nd to Sveinsson in both NON races, she has beaten her in XC, even if Sveinsson was doubling NXN and FL. In any case, Goethals' endurance makes the gap smaller; at the same time, she's improved her speed and confidence.
| 3. Emily Sisson, 2010
Parkway Central HS, MO
| Foot Locker
29th/2nd MW | Foot Locker
13th/2nd MW | When Sisson won the NON 5k last spring, one remembered how good she was in 2006, when she was 3rd at Foot Locker and won FL MW. Having overcome health problems in the winter made a huge difference. Remember, she was only :01 behind Goethals at FL MW.
| 4. Sarah Andrews, 2010
The Woodlands HS, TX
| NXN
2nd/2nd S
| NXN
2nd/2nd S | Andrews ended her track season well, winning Pan Am 5k after a spring that saw her run 10:21 3200. While adding speed and strength could help her close the gap, she could be NXN favorite if she stays there and others go to San Diego.
| 5. Chelsea Ley, 2011
Kingsway Regional HS, NJ
| Foot Locker
8th/5th NE
| Foot Locker
3rd/2nd NE
| With a 10:19.31 3200, Ley was basically the 5th best over 8 laps in the spring. She swept the NSIC 2M and 5k, and was 3rd at the NON 5k. She should lead a very close and tough group returning from Foot Locker NE, if she chooses that way again.
| 6. Aisling Cuffe, 2011
Cornwall Central HS, NY
| Foot Locker
12th/3rd NE | Foot Locker
6th/1st NE
| Cuffe was one of last fall's surprises, and she continued strong and consistent all through track, finishing 5th in NON 2M and trading 5k wins with Andrews at USATF Juniors and Pan Am Juniors. She beat Ley and Lipari at FL NE, then lost to them in S.D.
| 7. Emily Lipari, 2010
Roslyn HS, NY | Foot Locker
11th/9th NE | Foot Locker
5th/3rd NE | It could be argued that Lipari is right up behind the top two at her best, like when she was 6th in FL '08, won the NIN 1M, or took her NY state XC crowns, but she has struggled with consistency, like when she was 9th in the NON 2M.
| 8. Jessica Tonn, 2010
Xavier Prep HS, AZ | Foot Locker
10th/4th W
NXN
DNC/2nd SW
| Foot Locker
4th/2nd W
NXN
DNC/1st SW
| Tonn can take considerable pride in improving at FL Finals each year (10th '08), as she has grown and matured (not an easy task), and can become a 4-time finalist this year. She was a few ticks slower on the track in the spring than '08.
| 9. Eleanor Fulton, 2011
Highlands Ranch HS, CO
| NXN
3rd/7th SW
| NXN
3rd/5th SW
| Fulton was one of the biggest surprises at NXN last fall, getting 3rd in Portland after just 7th at the SW regional. Similarly, she caught fire at the end of track, with 3 fast steeples including US#2 6:37.31 (#4 all-time) at World Youths.
| 10. Courtney Chapman, 2011
Fayetteville-Manlius HS, NY | NXN
7th/3rd NY
| NXN
6th/2nd NY
| With the throng of top NY girls taking turns beating each other, ranking them is no easy task. But Chapman, the clear leader of the nation's best team twice at NXN, seems to always produce what is needed and shine individually when it's most important.
| 11. Danielle Winslow, 2011
Queensbury HS, NY
| NXN
4th/1st NE
| NXN
4th/1st NE | Winslow really emerged last fall to surpass and surprise many of New York's and the nation's best runners in the NXN races. In track, she didn't post the marks many of her rivals had. She could certainly move way up this list if she shows last fall's form again.
| 12. Ashlie Decker, 2010
Dowling Catholic HS, IA
| NXN
8th/1st HL
Foot Locker
18th/6th MW
| NXN
7th/1st HL
Foot Locker
9th/3rd MW
| After a low-key spring, Decker and teammate Katie Flood will return for their senior years and potentially be the best 1-2 punch in the country. Decker did well at the difficult NXN/FL double last fall and may well try it again.
| 13. Molly Grabill, 2011
Rancho Bernardo HS, CA
| NXN
DNC/15th*CA
| NXN
DNC/7th*CA
| Grabill looked like she could be Cali's 2nd or 3rd best runner around mid-season, but injuries compromised her finish. In track, however, she rolled to a 10:23.75 3200 for 2nd behind Hasay and US#8, and also had a strong 4th at Arcadia's 3200.
| 14. Lizzie Predmore, 2012
Shenendehowa HS, NY
| NXN
6th/11th NY
| NXN
5th/8th NY
| After taking 11th at NXN NY, Predmore was a huge surprise in taking 6th at NXN Finals. Her track seasons were probably most memorable for her NIN relay battles with Jillian Smith as she anchored Shen to great finishes.
| 15. Kaylin Mahoney, 2011
Saugus HS, CA
| NXN
11th/3rd*CA | NXN
9th/1st*CA | Somewhat like F-M's Chapman, the young Mahoney has become the rock for 2-time NXN runner-up Saugus - usually the steady, consistent leader and as fast as she needs to be. She could be ready for a breakthrough that moves her up several spots.
| 16. Samantha Nadel, 2012
North Shore HS, NY
| NXN
DNC/31st NY
| NXN
DNC/26th NY
| As if there weren't enough great girls in NY already, Nadel made some huge breakthroughs during her frosh track campaign, including a frosh USR 17:15 at the NIN 5k, and a 10:24 3200 PR. She beat a number of NY girls who had her number in XC.
| 17. Katie Flood, 2010
Dowling Catholic HS, IA | NXN
DNC/2nd HL
| NXN
DNC/2nd HL
| Injuries crippled Flood's chance to top her 2007, where she was 2nd at NXN and 8th at FL Finals. After her 2nd to teammate Decker at NXN HL, that was it. In track, she swept her state's 1500/3k titles again, but nationally it was low key. How far can she come back?
| 18. Laura Vigilante, 2010
West Morris Mendham HS, NJ
| Foot Locker
16th/10th NE
| Foot Locker
8th/4th NE
| The final FL NE qualifier to San Diego, Vigilante then stunned with a 16th in the Finals. In track, she was solid, running 10:37 3200, and seems to be one of many returnees packed in well behind Ley in NJ. But if she comes on strong late-season again ...
| 19. Megan Morgan, 2010
Torrey Pines HS, CA
| Foot Locker
24th/5th W
| Foot Locker
11th/3rd W
| After her team missed making NXN, Morgan went to FL West and surprised some people by taking 5th, then was a solid 24th in the Finals. She was also a strong 12th at USATF Jrs. In track, she got down to 10:31.91 for 3200.
| 20. Diane Robison, 2010
Parkway Central HS, MO | Foot Locker
36th/10th MW
| Foot Locker
15th/5th MW
| Like Decker/Flood in Iowa, Robison combines with Sisson in Missouri as another great duo. With a track season that included bests of 10:33.91 3200 and 4:55.02 mile, she's a good bet to get back to San Diego with her teammate.
| 21. Madeline Chambers, 2010
Magnificat HS, OH
| NXN
18th/8th MW
| NXN
13th/5th MW
| Chambers was the leader of rising power Magnificat OH as it powered into the NXN Finals last fall, taking 18th in the Finals. In track, she broke 4:50 three times in the 1600, including a US#12 4:48.90 at her district meet, and won D1 state
| 22. Cory McGee, 2010
Pass Christian HS, MS
| Foot Locker
DNC/12th S
| Foot Locker
DNC/6th S
| A late-season start due to injury likely kept McGee from her 3rd straight trip to FL Finals last fall, and from this fall's opportunity being her 4th. She made the World Youth Champs last spring, taking 9th in the 1500 final after a US#4 4:25.66 in the heats.
| 23. Alli Billmeyer, 2011
Torrey Pines HS, CA
| NXN
15th/9th*CA
| NXN
11th/5th*CA
| When Torrey Pines missed qualifying to NXN Finals last fall, Morgan went for Foot Locker West, but Billmeyer took her ticket to Portland, where she was a strong 15th. In track, she improved her 1600 to 4:51.03 for 5th in the CIF Finals.
| 24. Alyssa Nielson, 2011
Colleyville Heritage HS, TX
| NXN
10th/3rd S
| NXN
8th/3rd S
| Nielson had a huge finish to a stunning 08 XC season with her 3rd at NXN South and 10th in the Finals, following 2nd in 5A state. She was also 21st at USATF Jrs. In track, she missed making the 5A state meet, but broke 10:50 for 3200 earlier.
| 25. Rolanda Jumbo, 2012
Chilne HS, AZ
| Foot Locker
DNC/12th W
NXN
DNC/4th SW | Foot Locker
DNC/5th W
NXN
DNC/2nd SW | Jumbo qualified for NXN Finals from the SW, but passed on the Finals to run FL West - only to get 12th and miss qualifying. Still, it was a great frosh year, which got even better with a 9th at USATF Jrs (4th prep overall).
| * - California did not have NXN regional; national participants were chosen after state meet
Honorable Mention: Teeny Adams CA, Alaina Alvarez CA, Gaby Anzalone MI, Liz Brandon ID, Emma Brink KY, Stephanie Bulder CA, Heidi Caldwell NH, Malia Cali LA, Mackenzie Carter NY, McKenna Coughlin NY, Chloe Curtis CA, Jenna Davidner MA, Maggie Escobar TX, Leah Francis AK, Maria Frigo KY, Samantha George NC, Kaitlin Hanenburg CO, Grace Heymsfield AR, Keelin Hollowood NY, Ashley Isham TX, Olivia Jones IL, Sydney King NY, Carly Kitts TX, Kathleen Lautzenheiser VA, Abbey Leonardi ME, Hannah Luber NY, Annamarie Maag OR, Catrina McAlister CA, Molly Malone NY, Megan Marsico VA, Danielle Menlove UT, Clara Milne NM, Baylee Mires WA, Amanda Moreland NY, Michelle Moriset MI, Hannah Neczypor OH, Waverly Neer IN, Andrea Nelson WA, Shannon Osika MI, Molly Pezzulo NY, Haley Pierce DE, Amanda Russell TX, McKinzie Schulz IL, Payton Schutte OR, Melissa Skiba CA, Jacque Taylor CA, Regan Tindell TX, Jordan Tomecek MI, Megan Venables NJ, Kelly Whitley IL, Alissa Williams MI, Anneka Wilson VA, Danica Wyson CA, Megan Yohe MO
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(continued from above chart)
It’s likely that many of the other Top 25 have not made their post-season plans yet, but still, it’s possible to look at how things could unfold.
NXN could again have a Texas winner – if 2008 runner-up and senior Sarah Andrews, who won the Pan Am Jr 5k on the track less than a month ago, runs there again. Given that Andrews’ team, The Woodlands TX, is among the favorites to win NXN South, that seems like a good bet. Eight more from last fall’s NXN top 12 are running again this year, including two more Texans: Alyssa Nielson (10th) and Regan Tindell (12th). From Colorado, there’s 2008 3rd-place finisher and Highlands Ranch junior Elizabeth Fulton, who this summer ran 6:37.31 for the 2K steeple at the World Youth Champs, US#2 this year and #4 all-time.
 | Cuffe and Lipari (shown here at Penn Relays) can be expected to be sizing each other up quite a bit this year. Photo by Pat Davey
| Otherwise, New Yorkers were dominant at NXN last fall, as they have every year. Not only was there then-soph Courtney Chapman (7th), leading three-peat champion Manlius XC Club (Fayetteville-Manlius), but there was also Queensbury soph Danielle Winslow and Shen frosh Lizzie Predmore – competing as individuals – running the races of their lives to that point in 4th and 6th.
That’s just half of the New York runners who happen to be ranked not just in the top 25, but actually the top 16. Two-time NY Fed champ and Roslyn senior Emily Lipari will likely be shooting for her 3rd Foot Locker Final (6th, 11th last two years), while Cornwall Central junior Aisling Cuffe (12th in ’08) could be gunning for her 2nd. Both built up their credentials in track with Lipari winning the NIN mile and Cuffe the USATF Jr 5k. Also look for North Shore soph Samantha Nadel, who didn’t make a national meet in XC but set a frosh indoor 5k USR in track and ran an 10:24 3200, to add to the Empire State charge at one national meet or the other.
Several of the top girls have tried and liked the track 5k, including Parkway Central MO senior Emily Sisson, who won the NON race in the fastest overall time of the year (16:34.36). Sisson was 3rd at Foot Locker Finals as a frosh in 2006, but has not run well in San Diego since. This could be the year she’s back in the top five and earn her 4th trip to the Finals. Kingsway Regional NJ senior Chelsea Ley was 3rd in that NON 5k, but also won the NSIC 5k (and 2M). She will battle the top New York girls for Northeast supremacy.
In California, a huge hole is left by the graduation of Hasay, but after strong track seasons, Rancho Bernardo junior Molly Grabill and Saugus junior Kaylin Mahoney are the top candidates to be tops in the Golden State. Grabill overcame late-fall injury problems in XC to run 10:23 for 3200 on the track this spring, 2nd to Hasay in the CIF 3200, while Mahoney will return to her two-time NXN runner-up squad – for whom she was 8th at NXN last year.
Likely battling the top Foot Locker girls in the West will be Xavier Prep AZ senior Jessica Tonn, who – along with Sisson – can become a 4-time FL Finalist this year.
Sisson, by the way, is one of three sets of teammates ranked in the Top 25. Joining Sisson at Parkway Central is senior Diane Robison, who was 36th at Foot Locker Finals last year. At Dowling Catholic IA, there is the 1-2 punch of seniors Ashlie Decker and Katie Flood. Decker was 8th at NXN and 18th at FL Finals last fall, while Flood – who suffered injury problems late – was 2nd and 8th in the same two races in 2007. Then from Torrey Pines CA, there’s senior Megan Morgan, 24th in San Diego in 2008, and junior Allie Billmeyer, who chose Portland where she was 15th.
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