By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Just ahead of the release of the early season top 100 rankings, DyeStat's Keenan Gray unveils his top 20 individuals in this preseason edition of DyeStat XC Rankings.

1. Addy Ritzenhein, Niwot CO - Only two other girls in the history of Nike Cross Nationals have won two individual titles: Katelyn Tuohy (3) and Sarah Baxter (2). Ritzenhein, the top-returning athlete from last fall's NXN and 2023 champion, could become the third. 

2. Elin Latta, South Texas Heat Homeschool TX - Her cross country credentials spoke volume, but what Latta was able to do on the track this past spring as a freshman was truly noteworthy, including her 9:59.12 two-mile and 4:36.74 mile.

3. Lily Alder, Timpview UT - Could Timpview have a second consecutive NXN champion? They sure can with Alder back. While she didn't qualify for NXN this past year, Alder excelled on the track with times of 4:37.35 in the mile and 10:19.81 in the 3,200 meters (at 4.500 feet), proving she will in the NXN title conversation this fall.

4. Paige Sheppard, Union Catholic NJ - Two NXR Northeast titles in her first two years of high school cross country have proven Sheppard can do as much damage on the cross country course as she does on the track. Two sophomore class records on the track this past spring are also good indicator of what's to come this fall.

5. Chiara Dailey, La Jolla CA - Dailey gained tons of confidence from her racing during the track season this last spring, including running personal best in all three distances. That type of confidence is needed during the fall for her to contend for a Foot Locker national title.

6. Sophia Rodriguez, Mercer Island WA - Two All-American honors, including an eighth-place finish at NXN last fall, for Rodriguez going into her junior season are indicators she's ready to be in the national title conversation this fall. 

7. Blair Bartlett, Lawrenceville NJ - After an incredible track season, Bartlett has decided she will lace up the spikes for her first cross country season. The Lawrenceville junior, once a tennis player in the fall, ran 4:39.63 for the mile and 9:55.17 for the 3,200 on the track this last spring.

8. Ruby Ihmels, Century ND - A fourth-place finish at Foot Locker last fall sets Ihmels up to an early favorite to take this year's national title. If she were to win it, she would be the second Foot Locker champion in the family, joining her father, Corey, who won the boys title in 1991.

9. Lilly Beshears, Rogers AR - Wins at Chile Pepper, NXR South, and then a pair of All-American honors at NXN and Foot Locker are just some of massive improvements Beshears made in her junior campaign. This fall, the bar will be higher.

10. Gabbie Bishop, Providence Classical Christian Academy AR - One spot away from qualifying for NXN resulted in Bishop taking advantage of a RunningLane Cross Country Championships opportunity, leading her to winning a national title in a sub-17-minute effort.

11. Macy Wingard, Denton Braswell TX - Wingard, who had career-years in both cross country and track, is among the many names to watch for in a loaded South region. The Denton Braswell senior has earned All-American honors in cross country the last two seasons at either NXN or Foot Locker.

12. Jaelyn Williams, Eastlake CA - Last fall wasn't perfect by any means for Williams, but she managed to overcome an early-season injury and earn All-American honors at Foot Locker. The Eastlake senior got back to form during track with some exceptional performances that could set her up for a great fall season.

13. Jazzlyn Garmer, Webb of Knoxville TN - Garmer shined throughout the fall with a pair of top-10 all-region performances at NXR Southeast and Foot Locker South Regional. Her seventh-place finish at Foot Locker South earned her a spot at Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, qualifying for first national championship race since her freshman year at NXN.

14. Calysta Garmer, Webb of Knoxville TN - If anyone were to point out a breakthrough moment for Garmer, it was winning the 5,000 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. Garmer's time of 16:18.14 not only shattered the meet record by 19 seconds, but that performance alone has now put in her in the national title conversation this cross country season as a dark horse pick.

15. Delaney Reuter, Eaton CO - The improvements Reuter made from her freshman year to sophomore year were eye-opening. From running 19:13 her freshman season, to finishing 24th at NXN as a sophomore, Reuter's trajectory could be on another level this fall.

16. Elizabeth Leachman, Boerne Champion TX - The two-time reigning Foot Locker champion did not compete during the spring season, which leaves us wondering what this fall will look like for her in her final season of high school cross country.

17. Mallory Weller, Concordia Lutheran IN - Improvements in cross country and track led to success on the national stage for Weller. The Concordia Lutheran senior qualified for both national championships last fall, finishing as high as 20th at Foot Locker, then earned All-American honors at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in the spring in the mile in a personal best 4:39.32.

18. Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer MI - The younger sister of current Stanford standout and 2019 Foot Locker champion Zofia Dudek, Natasza has made waves early on in her high school career, including a runner-up finish in the 5,000 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in a time of 16:18.78.

19. Sundara Weber, Sandwich IL - Another athlete who took a big step in the track season was Weber, which will translate well to the fall. The Sandwich senior ran 4:41.90 for the 1,600 and 10:04.65 for the two-mile. Although she didn't qualify for any national meet last fall, that'll change this year.

20. Virginia Kraus, Saucon Valley PA - For the first-time national experience, Kraus took full advantage of it. The Saucon Valley senior earned eighth overall at Foot Locker alongside winning the Northeast regional title to get her to San Diego.