Follow our 2019 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top 10 cross country teams in NCAA DII/DIII this season. The 2019 NCAA Cross Country Championships will be LIVE on FloTrack for all three divisions. And be sure to watch our LIVE FloXC Podium Reveal Show Monday, Aug. 26, at 10 AM CT. The No. 9 DIII women’s spot goes to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), and here's why:

Projected Top Five:

SR Andrea Squeri (51st at ‘18 NCAA XC)

SR Autumn Grim (85th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

SR Maggie Bond (17:06 5K; 146th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

SR Jessica Squeri (158th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

JR Isabel Caplazi (174th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Nia Goddard via Berwyn, PA (World Jr. Champs Triathlon Qualifier)

Analysis: 

With six of their top seven returning from last year’s 16th-place NCAA team, the RPI Engineers are bound to progress in 2019 led by four seniors. Coach John Lynch’s group will be headed by senior Andrea Squeri, who improved from 100th in 2017 to 51st last November at nationals. She’ll be expected to notch a top-40 placing this year, and her success as the No. 1 will be crucial for a team that is long on depth but short on star power.

While RPI’s next best returner was just 85th at NCAAs last year — senior Autumn Grim — there’s plenty to get excited about on this roster. Grim improved 76 places from one year to the next, and each of Maggie Bond and Isabel Caplazi qualified for NCAA outdoors for the first time this past spring. Big jumps will be anticipated from all three.

With so much experience, the Engineers are a sleeper team to watch in women’s DIII cross country. There isn’t an athlete who jumps off the page, but gradual improvements by every scorer has RPI driving towards the top-10 in 2019.

FULL RANKINGS HERE