Follow our 2018 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top cross country teams in the NCAA this season, which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 3 women’s spot in DIII goes to MIT, and here's why:

Probable Top Five:

SR Leandra Zimmermann (30th at ’17 NCAA XC)

JR Megan McCandless (17:37 5K; 17th at ’16 NCAA XC)

JR Marissa McPhillips (4:31 1500; 69th at ’17 NCAA XC)

JR Katie Bacher (4:31 1500; 9:57 3K; 111st at ’17 NCAA XC)

SO Katie Collins (22nd at ‘17 NCAA New England XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

N/A

Analysis:

The Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have placed in the top five at NCAA cross for five straight seasons, and with six of their top seven returning in 2018, MIT has no plans of stopping that streak. Coach Halston Taylor’s ladies bring back two cross country All-Americans in Leandra Zimmermann and Megan McCandless, and several more All-American track studs who could break out this fall as well. Add it all up and MIT is undoubtedly a podium team this season.

Senior-to-be Leandra Zimmermann enters this season as the clear No. 1, especially as junior Megan McCandless rehabs from an injury. Zimmermann was 30th at nationals last fall, and a full-strength McCandless could give the Engineers a legit 1-2 punch as she was 17th at NCAAs as a frosh in 2016. Alas, McCandless will need to get healthy and we won’t likely see her on the course until late in the season.

Two stud 1500m runners occupy MIT’s No. 3 and 4 roles. Marissa McPhillips was an All-American both indoor and outdoor, and she also has the ability to be a star on the grass. Although she was 69th and fourth on the team at NCAA XC, she was the team’s top runner at regionals. Katie Bacher is another solid miler who can excel at cross country. She, like McCandless, will be coming back from an injury, but her progress on the track still suggests that she will be better than 111th in 2018.

Any one of Katie Collins, Emily Niu, or Jenna Melanson could fill the fifth spot, and all have high merits. Collins and Niu have top-100 potential as solid XC runners, but the name we’re watching is Melanson, as she has been a steeple All-American each of the last two seasons. She’s yet to break out on the course, but given her track pedigree that seems to be just a fluke. 

FULL RANKINGS HERE