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. 3 DII women’s spot goes to U-Mary and here's why:

Projected Top Five:

SR Ida Narbuvoll (16:48 5K; 34:46 10K; 12th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

SO Taylor Hestekin (4:32 1500; 29th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

SR Bree Erickson (4:27 1500; 40th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

SR Kate Fox (29th at ‘17 NCAA XC)

JR Lacey Feist (46th at ‘18 NCAA XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

N/A

Analysis: 

The U-Mary women have finished runner-up at nationals for two consecutive seasons, and with four All-Americans returning in 2019, the Marauders are showing no signs of slowing down.

U-Mary will certainly miss the services of departed seniors Emily Roberts (third at ‘18 NCAA XC) and Jaiden Schuette (15th), but coach Dennis Newell’s squad could reasonably expect to have five All-Americans again in 2019. 

Ida Narbuvoll has twice finished 12th at NCAAs and she should crack the top 10 after running 5K and 10K PBs in the spring. Behind her, Taylor Hestekin, Bree Erickson, and Kate Fox are each accomplished national-level runners. Fox struggled in Pittsburgh last year, but her 146th-place finish appears to be a mere aberration as she was 29th the year before.

The Marauders don’t have quite the talent of perennial favorite Adams State or defending champion Grand Valley State, but U-Mary has been the most consistent women’s team at nationals over the last two years. Sleeping on them would be a mistake.

FULL RANKINGS HERE