1. Emma Wilson – senior - Greencastle
Inccstats.com ranking: 1
State Meet History: 8th in ’15 (18:16), 8th in ’16 (18:40), 1st in ’17 (17:45)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in South Putnam Sectional (19:47), 1st in Ben Davis Regional (17:36), 1st in Shelbyville Semi-state (17:41), 1st in IHSAA State Finals (17:45)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Terre Haute North Sectional 800 (2:22), 1st in Terre Haute North Sectional 1600 (4:59), 1st in Terre Haute North Sectional 3200 (11:03), 1st in Bloomington North Regional 1600 (4:55), 1st in Bloomington North Regional 3200 (10:31), 4th in IHSAA State Finals 1600 (4:57), 1st in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:27)
Outlook: Wilson won the state championship by 15 seconds last fall over a good field. In the track season, she avenged disappointment after losing the 1600 to dominate the 3200 in typical Wilson-like fashion. She has the seventh-best 3200 time ever and the 11th-best 1600 performance (the latter coming in an indoor meet). She was 14th at Nike Cross Nationals. She has won four state championships, and inccstats.com currently ranks her as the number nine cross country runner in Indiana history. She should easily make the national finals in both the Nike and Foot Locker tournaments if she chooses to compete in both. The girls’ scene in Indiana is very competitive right now so nothing is given for Wilson, but it will take a monumental effort to defeat as accomplished of a runner as she.
2. Phoebe Bates – junior - Carmel
Inccstats.com ranking: 3
State Meet History: 6th in ’16 (18:37), 2nd in ’17 (18:00)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in Noblesville Sectional (18:51), 1st in Noblesville Regional (18:01), 2nd in Shelbyville Semi-state (17:52), 2nd in IHSAA State Finals (18:00)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Hamilton Southeastern Sectional 1600 (4:58), 1st in Hamilton Southeastern Sectional 3200 (10:36), 1st in Lafayette Jeff Regional 1600 (4:54), 1st in Lafayette Jeff Regional 3200 (10:38), 1st in IHSAA State Finals 1600 (4:51), 5th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:44)
Outlook: Bates was temporarily the queen of Indiana distance running, albeit for a couple of hours, when she beat Emma Wilson to win the state championship over 1600 meters this past spring. Oddly enough, Bates has an underrated vibe for someone so accomplished after just two years of high school. She has won a state championship, competed in both Nike and Foot Locker national championships and run the 12th- and 19th-best all-time performances in the 1600 and 3200. She could potentially finish All-American in either Nike or Foot Locker races (or both!) this season. Bates is not the favorite—it will take much more than a 1600 race to grab that status—but she could absolutely win the state championship this fall.
3. Abigail Lynch – sophomore - Brownsburg
Inccstats.com ranking: 10
State Meet History: 22nd in ’17 (18:34)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 2nd in South Putnam Sectional (20:25), 2nd in Ben Davis Regional (18:44), 25th in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:48), 22nd in IHSAA State Finals (18:34)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Zionsville Sectional 800 (2:16), 1st in Lafayette Jeff Regional 800 (2:12), 3rd in IHSAA State Finals 800 (2:13)
Outlook: Let’s just call it a hunch. Lynch does not yet have the accomplishments on the grass to be ranked, not do the advanced stats love her as much as these rankings In a rare instance of instinct, our committee (of one) places a lot of stock on the eye test. Lynch is an uber-talented distance runner with great range and fearless racing tactics. Do not be surprised to see her challenge, and potentially even defeat, the two superstars at the top of this list at some point this season.
4. Annalyssa Crain – sophomore - Edgewood
Inccstats.com ranking: 5
State Meet History: 6th in ’17 (18:18)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in Bedford North Lawrence Sectional (18:10), 1st in Bedford North Lawrence Regional (18:20), 2nd in Brown County Semi-state (17:59), 6th in IHSAA State Finals (18:18)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Bloomington North Sectional 3200 (10:59), 2nd in Bloomington North Regional 3200 (10:54), 7th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:46)
Outlook: Crain burst onto the scene and established herself among the state’s elite early into her freshman year. Inccstats.com ranked her as the eighth-best freshman of all-time in cross country. Her track season was equally as successful, finishing seventh in the 3200 and running the third-best ninth-grade time in state history over that distance. Moderate improvement, which can often be expected of incoming sophomores, could make Crain a contender.
5. Megan Hathaway – senior – FW Carroll
Inccstats.com ranking: 6
State Meet History: 73rd in ’15 (19:21), 7th in ’16 (18:38), 24th in ’17 (18:37)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 2nd in FW Northrop Sectional (19:45), 5th in West Noble Regional (19:13), 7th in New Haven Semi-state (18:50), 24th in IHSAA State Finals (18:37)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in FW North Sectional 1600 (5:10), 1st in FW North Sectional 3200 (11:02), 1st at Marion Regional 3200 (10:50), 2nd at IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:36)
Outlook: An injury affected Hathaway last fall, though she did finish All-State. She was back in business in the spring, ultimately finishing second in the 3200 and running the 25th-fastest performance all-time in the event. Hathaway is part of a Carroll trio that ran into a string of bad luck last fall, though her return in the track season coupled with her state meet performance last fall make her the surest prospect of the three.
6. Kayla McCulloch – senior – East Noble
Inccstats.com ranking: 11
State Meet History: 45th in ’15 (19:08), 12th in ’16 (18:47), 5th in ’17 (18:17)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 2nd in West Noble Sectional (19:11), 2nd in West Noble Regional (18:42), 3rd in New Haven Semi-state (18:25), 5th in IHSAA State Finals (18:17)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in East Noble Sectional 1600 (5:20), 3rd in East Noble Sectional 3200 (11:51), 4th in Marion Regional 1600 (5:18)
Outlook: McCulloch was fifth at the state meet last year, the third returner, in what was the race of her life. She has outperformed expectations at nearly every state meet in which she has competed in over the course of her high school career. While her track season might seem like cause for concern among the very best in the state, last spring was better than her previous results in track where she earned All-State honors the subsequent cross country season.
7. Abby Green – senior – FW Carroll
Inccstats.com ranking: 2
State Meet History: 18th in ’15 (18:28), 2nd in ’16 (18:17)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: Did not compete
2018 Track Tournament: 2nd in FW North Sectional 1600 (5:10), 2nd in FW North Sectional 3200 (11:03), 2nd in Marion Regional 3200 (10:52), 4th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:43)
Outlook: Green finished second at the state meet as a sophomore and certainly looked like a title contender early last season before an injury forced her out for the year. Her track results were good, finishing fourth at the state meet. Her spring results show that she is back, if not quite all the way yet. Green could certainly challenge for the individual title, one that she nearly one a couple years ago. The disparity between her stats rating and spot on this list reflects the uncertainty of a lost season in 2017.
8. Jordyn Boyer – senior - Lowell
Inccstats.com ranking: 7
State Meet History: 17th in ’16 (18:54), 9th in ’17 (18:23)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in Crown Point Sectional (18:52), 1st in Crown Point Regional (18:51), 1st in New Prairie Semi-state (17:58), 9th in IHSAA State Finals (18:23)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Lowell Sectional 3200 (11:16), 1st in Lowell Regional 3200 (11:01), 6th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:45)
Outlook: A constant among the state’s elite, Boyer had her best high school season last year as a junior. She has now won the semi-state twice, finished All-State twice in cross country and grabbed two medals for the 3200. The top two seem pretty established ahead of the rest of the field, but it certainly is conceivable that Boyer could finish as high as third in the state meet in her senior year.
9. Lulu Black – senior – Hamilton Southeastern
Inccstats.com ranking: 9
State Meet History: 56th in ’15 (19:13), 57th in ’16 (19:46), 16th in ’17 (18:29)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 4th in Noblesville Sectional (19:06), 3rd in Noblesville Regional (18:30), 10th in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:25), 16th in IHSAA State Finals (18:29)
2018 Track Tournament: 2nd in Hamilton Southeastern Sectional 3200 (11:14), 2nd in Lafayette Jeff Regional 3200 (10:51), 8th in IHSAA State Finals (10:47)
Outlook: Black has established herself as one of the state’s elite with two medal performances last year. Team motivation should be through the roof for her with the Royals in the hunt for the state title in her senior year. Tournament realignment means that Black will need to adjust to a new route to the state meet, but that also affords her a chance to match up against many top individuals she may not see in the regular season.
10. Ava Gilliana – junior - Valparaiso
Inccstats.com ranking: 8
State Meet History: 31st in ’16 (19:11), 46th in ’17 (19:00)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 2nd in New Prairie Sectional (18:51), 1st in New Prairie Regional (18:27), 2nd in New Prairie Semi-state (18:13), 46th in IHSAA State Finals (19:00)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Chesterton Sectional 800 (2:15), 1st in Chesterton Sectional 1600 (5:20), 3rd in Portage Regional 800 (2:15), 1st in Portage Regional 1600 (5:02), 13th in IHSAA State Finals 800 (2:18), 2nd in IHSAA State Finals (4:52)
Outlook: Gilliana has had a little more success in mid-distance with a pair of top-three finishes at the state meet over 1600 meters already to her résumé. She is also an accomplished cross country runner, nearly earning All-State as a freshman and finishing second at the semi-state as a sophomore. A sub-par state cross country race as a sophomore might keep her off the radar just a bit heading into this season, but Gilliana certainly has the potential to finish very high in Terre Haute.
11. Katelyn Wasson – junior - Zionsville
Inccstats.com ranking: 18
State Meet History: 15th in ’16 (18:53), 10th in ’17 (18:25)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in Ben Davis Sectional (18:54), 9th in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:22), 10th in IHSAA State Finals (18:25)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Zionsville Sectional 3200 (11:34), 5th in Lafayette Jeff Regional 3200 (10:59), 19th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (11:06)
Outlook: Wasson is somewhat of a state meet magician with two top 15 finishes to begin her high school career. She was much more consistent in her sophomore year as compared to her freshman year, and her track season was far superior last spring than her ninth-grade year. Wasson has not yet showcased elite potential to challenge those at the very top of this list, but her finishing All-State seems a safe bet based on recent history.
12. Erin Strzelecki – junior – FW Dwenger
Inccstats.com ranking: 17
State Meet History: 27th in ’16 (19:08), 12th in ’17 (18:27)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 3rd in West Noble Regional (18:57), 4th in New Haven Semi-state (18:28), 12th in IHSAA State Finals (18:27)
2018 Track Tournament: 3rd in FW North Sectional 3200 (11:05), 4th in Marion Regional 3200 (11:04), 16th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (11:03)
Outlook: Strzelecki was nearly All-State in her freshman year and accomplished the feat with a 12th-place finish as a sophomore. She also qualified for the state meet in track, running her best time at the state meet. By comparison, Strzelecki ran 24 seconds faster in the sectional her sophomore year than her freshman year. That kind of improvement in the spring could yield even better fall results.
13. Shelby Bullock – senior - Chesterton
Inccstats.com ranking: 14
State Meet History: 13th in ’17 (18:28)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in New Prairie Sectional (18:44), 2nd in New Prairie Regional (18:45), 6th in New Prairie Semi-state (18:32), 13th in IHSAA State Finals (18:28)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Chesterton Sectional 3200 (11:06), 3rd in Portage Regional 3200 (11:02), 9th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:52)
Outlook: Bullock is coming off an excellent junior year. She ran for the first time in the state meet in each sport, earning All-State honors in each. With good experience and now high-level accomplishments, Bullock could show even more improvement than she did between her sophomore and junior years. Team motivation could be a factor for her as well with the Trojans returning five from a state finalist team.
14. Mary Schultz – senior – West Lafayette
Inccstats.com ranking: 19
State Meet History: 179th in ’15 (20:37), 90th in ’16 (20:11), 17th in ’17 (18:30)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in Harrison Sectional (19:04), 2nd in Harrison Regional (18:46), 11th in New Prairie Semi-state (18:58), 17th in IHSAA State Finals (18:30)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Harrison Sectional 1600 (5:12), 3rd in Harrison Sectional 3200 (11:47), 4th in Lafayette Jeff Regional 3200 (10:57), 14th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (11:01)
Outlook: Schultz could be the next in line of excellent frontrunners for West Lafayette, even following the same path of drastic improvement after making the varsity as a freshman. In cross country, she was All-State. In the track season, she qualified for the state meet out of the most competitive regional and provided a pivotal leg on the Devils’ state championship 4x8 relay. High team motivation could play a factor for her in her senior year as well.
15. Elizabeth Stanhope – senior – Pike
Inccstats.com ranking: 27
State Meet History: Has not competed
2017 Cross Country Tournament: Did not compete
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Pike Sectional 800 (2:10), 1st in Ben Davis Regional 800 (2:11), 2nd in IHSAA State Finals 800 (2:12)
Outlook: Stanhope has some cross country experience, hence her inccstats.com rating. She was already a capable runner before enrolling at Pike, but her performances really took off once competing for a team. Our committee (of one) likes her chances to continue this progress into the fall. Stanhope still has some to learn—her racing tactics at the state meet show that—but she has all the tools to become one of the state’s best in two sports.
16. Sydney Lambert – junior - Norwell
Inccstats.com ranking: 13
State Meet History: 46th in ’16 (19:38), 31st in ’17 (18:46)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in Bellmont Sectional (19:19), 3rd in Marion Regional (18:53), 2nd in New Haven Semi-state (18:21), 31st in IHSAA State Finals (18:46)
2018 Track Tournament: 2nd in Marion Sectional 1600 (5:17), 3rd in Marion Sectional 3200 (11:38), 2nd in Marion Sectional 1600 (5:11), 11th in IHSAA State Finals 1600 (5:07)
Outlook: Lambert showcased potential at different times in her sophomore year, finishing second in a very competitive semi-state and nearly finishing All-State in both cross and track. It is possible that Lambert is even more capable than her results show in the 1600, but she ran on the team’s 4x8, helping the Knights to qualify for the state meet. Lambert is also a cross country veteran at this point, having qualifying individually for the state finals twice in as many years.
17. Zoe Duffus – sophomore – FW Carroll
Inccstats.com ranking: 4
State Meet History: 51st in ’17 (19:05)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in FW Northrop Sectional (19:36), 51st in IHSAA State Finals (19:05)
2018 Track Tournament: Did not compete
Outlook: Duffus has the highest difference between ceiling and floor for this season. She could be an individual contender; she certainly had great performances early in the season as a freshman but injuries took a toll on her performances in the tournament there. Duffus also didn’t compete in any outdoor track meets. Potential alone warrants her a spot on this list, and even running at a fraction of what she displayed as a freshman could put her in the top 25 at the state meet.
18. Morgan Dyer – junior – Elkhart Memorial
Inccstats.com ranking: 20
State Meet History: 19th in ’17 (18:33)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in Elkhart Central Sectional (19:14), 2nd in Elkhart Central Regional (18:54), 6th in New Haven Semi-state (18:47), 19th in IHSAA State Finals (18:33)
2018 Track Tournament: 3rd in Warsaw Sectional 1600 (5:14), 3rd in Warsaw Sectional 3200 (11:29), 3rd in Kokomo Regional 1600 (5:11), 3rd in Kokomo Regional 3200 (11:23), 10th in IHSAA State Finals 1600 (5:06), 25th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (11:17)
Outlook: Like many others on the list, Dyer dominates competition on the local level and raises her performance in the most important moments. She was an individual medalist in cross country and very nearly so in track, missing the last spot on the podium by a second. Dyer is just one of three runners on this list to qualify for the state meet in both the 1600 and 3200 last spring; the other two lead the rankings.
19. Zoe Simmons – junior - Brebeuf
Inccstats.com ranking: 16
State Meet History: 47th in ’17 (19:01)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 7th in Noblesville Regional (18:35), 14th in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:29), 47th in IHSAA State Finals (19:01)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Lawrence Central Sectional 3200 (11:08), 2nd in Ben Davis Regional 3200 (11:04), 11th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (10:55)
Outlook: Simmons is slated to take over as Brebeuf’s new frontrunner, a task that her previuos results illustrate she is prepared for. Her cross country results last season were good, a solid scorer on one of the state’s best teams. Her progression in track, and in the longest possible race, suggests that she made a leap in performance that could be apparent this fall.
20. Halle Hill – sophomore – Hamilton Southeastern
Inccstats.com ranking: 15
State Meet History: 23rd in ’17 (18:35)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 6th in Noblesville Sectional (19:17), 4th in Noblesville Regional (18:32), 13th in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:28), 23rd in IHSAA State Finals (18:35)
2018 Track Tournament: Did not compete
Outlook: Hill’s emergence as a frontrunner was a revelation for Southeastern, helping the Royals to their first ever podium finish. Her continued service there could make HSE a title contender this season. Based on geography, Hill got a chance to run against many of the state’s best on a regular basis and seemed unfazed at the state finals because of this. She doesn’t have many, if any track results to speak of.
21. Mary Anna Wehrle – junior – Indianapolis Ritter
Inccstats.com ranking: 21
State Meet History: 38th in ’16 (19:17), 69th in ’17 (19:13)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 3rd in Brebeuf Sectional (19:13), 8th in Noblesville Regional (18:37), 5th in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:18), 69th in IHSAA State Finals (19:13)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Pike Sectional 3200 (11:19), 1st in Ben Davis Regional 3200 (11:04), 15th in IHSAA State Finals 3200 (11:01)
Outlook: Wehrle is a star in both seasons. Her best cross country race last year came at the semi-state where she finished fifth in the most competitive area of the state. She did not run as well at the state meet in 2017, though she was solid in her freshman year there and had a better season overall as a sophomore. In track, she was good as well, running faster with each subsequent round of the tournament, ultimately running a PR at the state meet.
22. Mya Hagerty – junior – Bloomington North
Inccstats.com ranking: 24
State Meet History: 97th in ’16 (20:16), 20th in ’17 (18:34)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 5th in Bedford North Lawrence Sectional (19:44), 6th in Bedford North Lawrence Regional (19:31), 5th in Brown County Semi-state (18:34), 20th in IHSAA State Finals (18:34)
2018 Track Tournament: 2nd in Bloomington North Sectional 800 (2:25), 13th in Bloomington North Regional 800 (2:33)
Outlook: Hagerty had an excellent state meet last year and seemed to run better with each passing round of the tournament, culminating in an individual medal performance in Terre Haute. Relay duty hampered her individual races in track, and though a lack of good track performances in the tournament is concerning for someone on this list, her state meet performance last fall is impossible to ignore.
23. Brooke Dixon – junior - Brownsburg
Inccstats.com ranking: 22
State Meet History: 26th in ’17 (18:39)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 3rd in South Putnam Sectional (20:25), 10th in Ben Davis Regional (19:32), 11th in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:26), 26th in IHSAA State Finals (18:39)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Zionsville Sectional 1600 (5:08), 6th in Lafayette Jeff Regional 1600 (5:11)
Outlook: Dixon was a spot shy of All-State as a sophomore, and her individual events in the track season were hindered by her relay duty. The ‘Dogs very nearly won a state championship on one of those relays, and team motivation could be big for the Brownsburg team. Dixon will also have one of the best possible training partners in the state with teammate Abby Dixon.
24. Shelby Riehle – senior – LaPorte
Inccstats.com ranking: 28
State Meet History: 53rd in ’15 (19:12), 11th in ’16 (18:43), 113th in ’17 (19:39)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 3rd in New Prairie Sectional (18:59), 4th in New Prairie Regional (18:53), 12th in New Prairie Semi-state (19:01), 113th in IHSAA State Finals (19:39)
2018 Track Tournament: 4th in Chesterton Sectional 3200 (11:22)
Outlook: Riehle’s rank was challenging. She had an excellent sophomore year, finishing 11th at the state finals in cross country and nearly winning the state championship in the 3200 that spring. She had an off year as a junior, especially at the state finals in cross country. In the spring, Riehle elected to run on the team’s 4x8, which certainly impacted her performance in the 3200. Her potential makes it almost impossible to leave her off the list.
25. Brenner Hanna – sophomore - Greensburg
Inccstats.com ranking: 31
State Meet History: 34th in ’17 (18:48)
2017 Cross Country Tournament: 1st in South Dearborn Sectional (19:18), 1st in Shelbyville Regional (19:06), 23rd in Shelbyville Semi-state (18:45), 34th in IHSAA State Finals (18:48)
2018 Track Tournament: 1st in Franklin County Sectional 1600 (5:30), 1st in Franklin County Sectional 3200 (11:23), 1st in Shelbyville Regional 1600 (5:13), 5th in Shelbyville Regional 3200 (11:45), 8th in IHSAA State Finals 1600 (5:05)
Outlook: In a year of high school, Hanna has shown a knack for elevating her performance against the top competition, running her best races of the season at the state finals in both seasons. She snuck into the state meet in cross country with one of the last spots and ran much better the following week. In the track tournament, she dominated weaker competition early in the tournament before running a big PR at the state meet to grab a medal in the 1600. Average freshman-to-sophomore improvement suggests Hanna could be much better this year.
Honorable mention: Margaret Allen, Zionsville; McKenna Cavanaugh, Christian Academy; Grace Dean, Lawrence North; Maggie Gutwein, Twin Lakes; Katie O’Donnel, Brebeuf; Maddie Russin, Crown Point