Girls XC Preseason Rankings: #8

<p> <span style="font-size:14px;">NCRunners is counting down the top 25 girls teams heading into the fall season. &nbsp;The full rankings will be released on the first day of official practice: Friday, August 1st. &nbsp;These are subjective rankings (not computer generated); they take into account returning team rankings, returning team averages, team rankings in the 1600 and 3200 from indoor and outdoor track, and a school&#39;s &quot;Improvement Rating.&quot; &nbsp;Improvement Rating is a custom metric developed by researching the improvement in a team&#39;s 5-person average from year to year, in comparison to that same team&#39;s ranking. &nbsp;Improvement Rating numbers and methodology will be released on the weekend of August 2nd.</span></p>

Although an injury temporarily derailed Emma Brown's continued rise, she leads a Charger team that has a frightening amount of talent.

 

	Providence Day School (NC)
	1) Emma Brown		18:32.00	19
	2) Clare Landis		18:49.61	36
	3) Niki Plaus		19:31.00	86
	4) Grace Clements		20:22.00	187
	5) Katie Brown		20:24.27	198
	Average Time: 19:31.78 Total Time: 1:37:38.88 1-5 Split: 1:52.27
	6) Molly Kral		20:28.27	216
	7) Samantha Huffman		20:41.52	262

This team is as noteworthy for who they didn't run during the 2013-2014 season as they are for the power that they put on the course and the track.  Providence Day competes in the NCISAA, which allows 7th- and 8th-grade athletes to run for the high school varsity; however, the Chargers are in the CISAA, and the conference does not allow that practice.  For that reason, Claire Landis stayed on the middle-school squad all year, while Providence Day collected both cross country and outdoor track state titles.  Landis has PR's of 18:49, 11:08. and 5:35, and she will immediately team with returning #1 runner Emma Brown to make for a very potent 1-2 punch up front.  There is excellent depth, too; the Chargers ranked 6th in team 1600 (averaging 5:33) and 3rd in team 3200 (averaging 12:04) from outdoor season without Landis (the top 7 listed above includes her for a clear projection of how the team enters the season.)  That means there are four returning girls that broke 12 minutes for 3200 on this team -  only one other school can claim that distinction.  The Improvement Rating doesn't love them, but gradual & steady improvement is enough for this squad, as the talent level is already so high.  Brown's injury during the spring was the only real damper on an amazing year of distance-running for PD, as she was steadily moving up in the conversation about the best runners in the state.  With a healthy Brown and fellow senior Niki Plaus providing leadership and motivation, this should be the Chargers' year to bring it all together.  

Important Data:

• 2013 XC Returning Ranking: 9th

• 2014 Outdoor Returning Team 1600 Ranking: 6th

• 2014 Outdoor Returning Team 3200 Ranking: 3rd

• 5-Year Improvement Rating: 7.671 (15th)

• 3-Year Improvement Rating: 8.751 (16th)