The Top Four Storylines Heading Into The NCAA Cross Country Championships

The month of November brings a rambunctious few weeks of racing in cross country, and on Friday the first stage en route to the NCAA Cross Country Championships kicked off with nine regionals across the United States.

A total of 31 men’s and women’s teams will reach the final meet of the season set for Nov. 22 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri, marking the first time the University of Missouri will host the NCAA Championships since the SEC program first opened the fan-friendly—and lightning fast—course in 2019.

Nine days will separate regional action from the NCAA championships.

Here are the top four storylines to watch out for over the next few days.

The NCAA’s Best Ever Women’s Freshman Vying For A Title

There hasn’t been anyone quite like Jane Hedengren in some time in women’s cross country.

The Brigham Young University true freshman – who’s already being called a ‘Jane-erational’ talent – entered her collegiate career as one of the best recruits of all-time, and in the months since she stepped foot on campus in Provo, Utah, she hasn’t missed a beat.

In the first meet of her collegiate career, the nearly 6-foot Hedengren won the Missouri Pre-National Invitational at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course (home of NCAAs), claiming a 6,000-meter time of 18:42.3, which was quite the entrance and a new course best—it beat a mark that had lasted less than a month when Washington State freshman Rosemary Longisa ran 19:07 in an early-season meet.

The BYU freshman followed it up on Oct. 31 with a win at the Big 12 Championships and then on Friday added her third victory in as many tries in 19:06.6, beating last year’s NCAA runner-up, New Mexico sophomore Pamela Kosgei, by 42 seconds. Hedengren has been out-of-this-world dominant, in a way that hasn’t been seen, perhaps, since Katelyn Tuohy entered the NCAA space with North Carolina State in the early 2020s.

“She is one of one,” BYU coach Diljeet Taylor told the Salt Lake Tribune after the Mountain West Regional. “I talk about her being, instead of a ‘generational’ talent, a ‘Jane-erational talent.’

As it stands, the auburn-haired runner is the hands-on favorite to claim her first NCAA title.

Are The New Mexico Women A Threat To BYU At The NCAA Cross Country Championships?

For all the brilliance showcased by Hedengren, however, she may not be enough to guarantee the BYU women a repeat of their NCAA Championship in 2024.

On Friday, the New Mexico women displayed superior depth behind Kosgei and Judy Rono’s top five finishes, which led to the Lobos taking down the No. 1 Cougars by two points, 45-47, at the NCAA Mountain Regional.

That being said, a two-point swing on championship day may be an easy margin to counter.

But the finish only goes to show that wild swings in cross country are the norm, and they can bring any number of outcomes on a high-stakes day of racing. The BYU women are looking to win their third national cross country title since 2020 under Taylor, while New Mexico hasn’t won that top prize since 2017.

The BYU women are ranked the No. 1 team in the most recent national poll by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, followed by North Carolina State, Florida, Oregon and Notre Dame. The Lobos were ranked No. 8.

Will Habtom Samuel Earn His First NCAA Cross Country Title?

Undoubtedly, Habtom Samuel has been one of the nation’s best cross country runners since his tenure began for the University of New Mexico in 2023.

But his luck has not been great.

After opening his collegiate career with a runner-up finish at nationals in 2023, Samuel was expected to compete for a title as a sophomore at the Thomas Zimmer course in Wisconsin before he lost his shoe mid race (see picture) and still somehow found a way to finish second behind Harvard’s Graham Blanks.

Since then, he’s been left for second on a handful of occasions across the track, too. This past outdoor season, he scooped up two second-place finishes in the 5K and 10K, which followed another second-place performance in the 5K indoors months prior.

In total, he’s earned 10 All-American finishes across cross country, indoor track and outdoor track, but has only captured one win: a 10K victory outdoors in 2024. Samuel is clearly one of the NCAA’s top runners, and one of a handful of men expected to compete for the title on Nov. 22.

But like most years, he’ll have his work cut out for him. On Friday, he won the Mountain Regional in 29:45.3 over 10,000 meters. It was a relatively easy effort, he said, and part of the overall objective to reach the NCAA Championships as a team.

“Our goal was to make sure we qualifed as a team and individually as well,” he told Dyestat afterward. “I don’t really care, but I didn’t want to lose as well.”

Washington State’s Solomon Kipchoge, Wake Forest’s Rocky Hansen, Arkansas’ Timothy Chesondin and Oklahoma State’s Denis Kipngetich are all in the picture, too.

How Exactly Will The Team Race Play Out At The NCAA Cross Country Championships?

If we were to predict the NCAA Championship based on current rankings, the Oklahoma State and Iowa State men are on a collision course in Missouri.

The No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams in the country squared off at the NCAA Midwest Regional, with the Hokies winning by just three points, 38-41, behind Kipngetich’s win in Stillwater.

But Iowa State—which had a public announcement of suspensions to team members in October—remains in the hunt. The Cyclones went 2-3-4 at regionals, locking elbows between the trio of Joash Ruto, Robin Kwemoi Bera and Sanele Masondo.

The NCAA Championship always seems to come down to the final 1,000 meters, and historically, the best teams in the country have earned their stripes based on superior depth at the line.

But the 2024 race was one of the closest the championship has had in years. BYU scored 124 points to outleg Iowa State by 13 points. It was the highest point total secured for a win since 2016 when Northern Arizona compiled 125 to beat Stanford.

Other men’s contenders to consider include No. 3 New Mexico, No. 5 Syracuse and a sleeper at No. 7 with Oregon. The No. 4 Virginia and No. 6 Colorado men did not earn automatic bids from regionals, but are assured spots in the NCAA Cross Country Championships dance based on results.