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. The No. 4 DIII women’s spot goes to UW-Eau Claire, and here's why:

Projected Top Five:

SR Sam Slattery (17:04 5K; 35:53 10K; 17th at ‘17 NCAA XC)

SR Lexie Tremble (57th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

JR Emma Drangstveit (68th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

JR Lizzy Cisewski (138th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

SO Naomi Long (12th at ‘18 WIAC; 173rd at ‘18 NCAA XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

N/A

Analysis: 

The Wisconsin-Eau Claire women will look to make it three straight years on the DIII podium in 2019, and with four of their top five coming back, the Blugolds will be expected to do as much this season.

A big key for coach Dan Schwamberger’s squad will be the version of senior Sam Slattery they get at nationals. Slattery was 17th at NCAAs as a sophomore before fading to 70th last fall, a disappointing finish that appears to be nothing more than a bad day at the office. Besides that race, the All-American’s conference (second) and regional (fifth) finishes were exactly the same as in 2017.

Upperclassmen Lexie Tremble and Emma Drangstveit are solid and reliable contributors who each notched top-70 finishes in their NCAA XC debuts. And although she was just 173rd at nationals last fall, sophomore Naomi Long was Eau Claire’s fourth runner at the conference meet and has top-100 potential this year.

The Blugolds were fourth last year with their top runner having an off day. If Sam Slattery redeems herself this November, UW-Eau Claire could reasonably expect a higher finish at NCAAs.

FULL RANKINGS HERE