Girls Individuals
This isn't 2024.
This year, there is no clear favorite the way Jane Hendegren dominated the race last year. It's closer to 2023, where a slew of girls enter the race with the potential to win.
Three girls enter the race undefeated, from three points of the country. Averi Lowen has been on a tear in the Southeast, etching her name onto a vaunted Great American All-Time list, between former National Champs Aisling Cuffe and Katelyn Tuohy. Nobody has finished within 20-seconds of her all Season.
Blair Bartlett has done much the same in the Northeast. She's clocked impressive times at both Holmdel and Bowdoin Park that also have only trailed the likes of Katelyn Tuohy. Her Season has been much uncontested running.
Then there is Natasza Dudek, younger sister of Foot Locker Champ Zofia Dudek. She's had a busier season head-to-head in Michigan, with Emma Hoffman pushing her much of the Season, and running incredible times, including a Course Record at her State Meet.
These three form the nucleus of the battle we expect to see, and at least two of those athletes will see their undefeated streak come to an end in Portland.
Joining them are the late bloomers. Summer Wilson was 2nd at Clovis, and 4th at Woodbridge, but those were only tune-ups. At the California State Meet last weekend, she destroyed the California State Meet Record held by Sadie Englehardt. Maddie Gullickson has had a similar rise, showing out at both her State Meet and NXR Regional. She took third last weekend at Brooks MidWest, but the conditions can be to blame for that one.
Oh, and let's not forget to mention, Addison Ritzenhein, the 2023 National Champion, is back in the field. Lily Alder may have won the Southwest Regional, but Ritzenhein knows how to perform in the mud of Glendoveer. Her name always has to be in the conversation.
- - - -
The question will be, who can handle the conditions, and who can handle the pressure. We've seen the front-running strategy pay off for Jane, but the year before it allowed the field to come back to Elizabeth Leachman. It's hard to see one athlete breaking away early from this talented field, so it will be the strength of the middle of the race that decides the outcome. Check out our full staff picks tomorrow.