Gavin's Top 21:
1. Gabbie Bishop, Providence Classical
2. Lilly Beshears, Rogers
3. Kayla Eggers, Rogers
4. Starlyn Edwards, Paragould
5. Katherine Scudder, Rogers
6. Virginia Milwee, Mount St. Mary Academy
7. Elizabeth Scudder, Rogers
8. Emelia Hesselgren, Fayetteville
9. Everly O'Daniel, Bentonville
10. Anna Scudder, Rogers
11. Aubrey Minton, Valley View
12. Lauren Thompson, Jonesboro
13. Hannah Hanson, Bentonville
14. Eliana Harter, Fayetteville
15. Jane Adams, Providence Classical
16. Elle Williamson, Harding Academy
17. Cady Masters, Cabot
18. Elizabeth Decker, Bentonville West
19. Lily Aicklen, Bentonville
20. Samantha Schmersahl, Rogers
21. Maggie Bishop, Providence Classical
Gabbie Bishop secured the top spot in the first rankings of the year and alike the boys rankings, that should not come as any surprise. The rising junior set a pair of Arkansas state records in the 1,600m and 3,200m this spring, which included a US #34 in the 1,600m and US #54 in the 3,200m. With Providence Classical joining Class 3A this season, Bishop now has a chance to win her first Arkansas state championship.
The Rogers girls could have honestly plugged in just about anywhere after Bishop. Lilly Beshears and Kayla Eggers come in ranked 2nd and 3rd and will be chasing big goals in 2024. Beshears finished 2nd at the 6A state meet this spring in all three distance events, while Eggers is coming off a pair of 800 state titles in indoor and outdoor.
Starlyn Edwards enjoyed a breakout junior season and looks to build on that momentum this cross country season. After setting a pair of 5A state records in the 1,600m and 3,200m this spring, the rising senior from Paragould will be searching for her first state title on the grass and should be one of the Natural State's best in 2024.
The first of the triplets from Rogers debut at #5. Katherine Scudder, Elizabeth Scudder, and Anna Scudder enter their sophomore seasons and will play important roles in Rogers' quest to defend their state title from last season. While Elizabeth is ranked 7th and Anna is 10th, to no surprise, these three girls from Rogers work together tremendously during their races and their separation on today's rankings only speaks volumes to how deep girls distance running in Arkansas is in 2024.
Virginia Milwee and Emelia Hesselgren are ranked 6th and 8th in today's rankings. What impressed me most with these two runners is their consistency. Regardless of where they are racing, it seems as you can always count on Milwee and Hesselgren finishing at the front. They did just that last season, finishing 7th and 8th respectively at the 6A state championships last fall.
Everly O'Daniel is the first runner from Bentonville, coming in at #9 in today's rankings. O'Daniel was recently voted the Milesplit Arkansas Preseason Runner of the Year by the fans in the state and is in store for a big junior season. O'Daniel finished 14th at state a season ago and will be zeroing in on a podium finish at this year's championship meet.
Aubrey Minton won the 5A state championship last November as a freshman and after a strong outdoor track season, the star from Valley View will once again be a top contender to win the big one. Speaking of freshman, Lauren Thompson finished 6th at the state meet a year ago and owns the 8th fastest returning time from last season. The rising sophomore from Jonesboro did not race this spring, but showed plenty of promise last fall to earn the 12th position.
Hannah Hanson is the 14th fastest returner from 2023 and comes in ranked 13th today. Hanson is a pure athlete. This track season, she finished 6th in the 800m and high jump at the 6A state meet, which is something you don't see everyday. If there's a program that sort of training will strive at, it's likely Bentonville. Expect a big season from Hanson.
Once again, I want to emphasize just how loaded girls distance in the Natural State is. Eliana Harter, Jane Adams, Elle Williamson, and Cady Masters, 14 through 17, was nearly impossible to rank. Harter will play a crucial role on a Fayetteville team hoping to interrupt the two powerhouse at the top of 6A. Jane Adams and Elle Williamson will likely race against one another at the 3A state meet, which makes their ranking even more intriguing. Cady Masters is two-sport athlete in the fall, which makes her weekly performances even more impressive and like the other three, she should see a big improvement from last fall.
Elizabeth Decker finished 60th at the 6A cross country state meet last fall, but took her training to another level over the winter and saw big gains in the spring, running the 10th fastest 3,200m in the state. As she enters her senior season, Decker could be one of the state's wildcards as she continues to fly under the radar...for now.
Lily Aicklen finished 25th at the state meet last season as a freshman and enters this year riding a wave of momentum from her first high school track season. What impressed me most about Aicklen was that her personal best time was at the Chile Pepper Festival, which is not something you see all the time and tells me she races best at the biggest stage. As a sophomore, Aicklen appears ready to step into a larger role for a Bentonville team that lost their top two runners from a year ago.
Samantha Schmersahl had an incredible outdoor track season, running a 5:08.90 in the 1,600m - the 8th fastest time in the state. Surrounded by one of the fastest girls team in the region, Schmersahl will have the opportunity to build onto her base with little pressure in a fun environment, where she could strive and enjoy a breakout cross country season.
I did not plan on including incoming freshman on any of my rankings, but Maggie Bishop is the exception. From day 1, the youngest Bishop should make an immediate impact and help Providence Classical chase a state title in 3A. As an 8th grader, Bishop ran what would have been the 11th fastest 1,600m in the state last spring, which tells me she's in store for a fantastic high school career.
Honorable Mentions:
Madysen Hantuba, Bentonville
Olivia Davis, Rogers
Ivette Garcia, Bentonville West
Makenzie Wood, Cabot
Hadassah Beshears, Bentonville Track Club