NCAA Women's Cross Country Champs

Posted by Gabriel Rodriguez Nov 16, 2006

1. Sally Kipyego (Texas Tech) Kipyego has been untouchable all season, almost like the Red Raiders have signed a professional Kenyan athlete to run for them this year. Look for Kipyego to mercilessly attack, a la Kim Smith, for the entire 6K race and add to the growing legacy of foreign female harriers that have captured the NCAA Division I Cross Country crown.

2. Arianna Lambie (Stanford) - Lambie will try with all of her might to stay with Kipyego, but Kipyego will be too aggressive and Lambie will not commit to the early pace, instead hoping for Kipyego to make a mistake or have a bad day.

3. Julia Lucas (NC State) - Lucas was the Pre-National Champion in the Girls White Race, defeating the likes of Barringer and Lambie. However, look for Lambie's experience (8th in 2005) to decide the bronze.

4. Jenny Barringer (Colorado) - Barringer has supplanted Liza Pascuito as the top Buffalo for Colorado's esteemed program. The surprising redshirt freshman and NCAA Division I 3000m Steeplechase Champion is truly shining as a raw talent in Boulder's thin air. Barringer will hang tough throughout this race and hold off a strong chasing pack for the bronze.

5. Frances Koons (Villanova) - Koons was the runner-up at the Pre-Nats White Race, racing Lucas to the line. Koons has great range and is looking to revive Villanova's proud running history in Indiana.

6. Kassi Andersen (Brigham Young) - Andersen has the potential to win this race outright. Every race she has run she has improved. Her confidence may be the sole issue holding back this highly touted distance prodigy. If Andersen is not sixth, she might be second.

7. MIchelle Sikes (Wake Forest) - Sikes surprised everyone at Pre-Nats with her commanding victory in the Blue Race over the likes of Lambie and Andersen. However, one has to wonder if she will be able to summon the magic once again at Nationals, given that compared against her peers, she trains on an inferior team for the past month.