We're days away from the 2023 DI cross country championships. Let's break down some of the top contenders for the men's and women's individual championships.
Women
On the women's side, the top two contenders are NC State's Katelyn Tuohy and Florida's Parker Valby, the top two finishers from last year's race. Beyond the top two, there are plenty of other challengers. Plenty of top-10 finishers from last year return, including this year's Great Lakes regional champion Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame. Other 2023 regional champions like Harvard's Maia Ramsden and Oregon State's Kaylee Mitchell have also impressed.
There are also teams with multiple individual title contenders in 2023's race, most notably at Oklahoma State and Northern Arizona. Cowgirls Billah Jekirui and Taylor Roe and Lumberjacks Gracelyn Larkin and Elise Stearns could finish near the top of the race, helping their teams to team titles.
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Men
The men's individual title race has no clear front-runner. The latest stars in Northern Arizona's dynasty are Nico Young and Drew Bosley so those two can never be counted out. Neither can Stanford's Ky Robinson who ran an impressive distance season during the outdoor track season, won the 2023 West regional and could give the Cardinal back-to-back individual titles with a win. All three of the aforementioned runners finished in the top 10 of 2022's race, as did returnees in North Carolina's Parker Wolfe, Harvard's Graham Blanks and Oklahoma State's Alex Maier.
Yet, Wolfe wasn't the best in his region this year. That title went to Furman's Dylan Schubert, and his performance launched him into championship contention. One can't forget about Wisconsin's Bob Liking either. Could this be the year the Big Ten veteran breaks through?
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If not one of these known names, this year's individual title may go to a talented freshman. Oklahoma State's Denis Kipngetich and New Mexico's Habtom Samuel have stood out, winning big-time races like the Cowboy Jamboree and Roy Griak, respectively, and regional championships.
The men's individual title race is wide open.