Key Losses
Calli Parlier
Jenna Stevens
Alex Wilkinson
Key Returners
Brenna Dolan
Lindsay Hayden
Celina Gaudioso
Abby Farrell
Apex will graduate their top girl Calli Parlier who was an NXN National Qualifier as an individual last fall and the NCHSAA 4A Runner-Up. She'll certainly be unreplaceable, but the Cougars will return a solid pack of girls with no true frontrunner.
Brenna Dolan will be the teams top returner. The last two cross country seasons she's placed 43rd and 54th at the NCHSAA State Championships. She returns with a PR of 19:50 and clocked a 19:55 last year as a sophomore. She didn't run outdoor track last season but ran one ran indoors clocking 5:50 for the 1600m. Injuries could have held her out however she hasn't really run track much the last two years. She was very consistent last season and that'll be key for Apex this fall if they don't have a girl up in the front of the pack.
Lindsay Hayden will be the team's #2 returner with a 19:59 PR. Last year was a big season for her as she took 40 seconds off her XC PR from her sophomore season. She also had a solid season on the track running 5:34 and placing 6th in the 1600m at the 4A Mideast Regional. If she can take a step forward to the lower 19s this fall it'll help drive forward Apex's pack.
Celina Gaudioso had a great freshman year at Apex running 20:29 finishing the year as the teams #5 girl. Gaudioso will return as the teams #4 girl. During the outdoor track season she ran 5:45 for the 1600m and 12:10 for the 3200m. She started last year outside of the teams top 7 and moved up to the varsity squad at the end of the season. Senior Abby Farrell will also return and likely be in the teams top 7. Farrell ran 20:33 last fall and should also impact the teams top 5. Farrell ran 5:49 for the 1600m on the track last spring and 12:17 for the 3200m.
The team will also bring in depth with Kendall Brockman, who ran 20:44 last year, Ali Roberts, Kyndall Boxell, Valerie Winokur and Caitlyn Vehslage who will fight for spots in the top 7. Apex has been a historically good program with long-time coach Roy Cooper. Despite not having a true frontrunner if the Cougars can have a group of 5 girls under 20 minutes they'll be a strong team out of the 4A Mideast this fall.
