Girls Top 25 Cross Country Countdown - #20 Wake Forest

For the first time in a long time Wake Forest qualified a full team for the 4A XC State Meet.  They lose Kayla Holder who transferred over her sophomore year but return the rest of their top 7 from 2015.  Erin Spreen emerged as a superstar for Wake Forest at the end of her freshman season and earned what could be her first of many all-state performances. Spreen focused on the 1600 during the outdoor season running 5:15 taking 6th in the Mideast region and missed out on making the state meet.  Though she won't have training partner Holder pushing her during races that shouldn't slow Spreen down as she leads a strong Wake Forest program.

Senior Casey Turro had her best track season of her career running 5:21, 14 seconds better than she has in previous years.  She chopped a minute off of her XC PR last season and has been improving very steadily over her career.  Sydney Quate was a big reason why Wake Forest made the state meet last season. at the end of her season she went from a high 21 minute girl to running 20:15 at the Mideast Regional.  She will have much bigger expectations coming into the 2016 XC season.

Natalie Mitchell and Tyler Bland both ran in the mid 20s last season and will be the factors that can change Wake Forest from being a good to great team this season.  They both ran 5:43 last track season showing they will be solid 4 and 5 runners this season.  But if they can get down to the low 20s it'll be big for Wake Forest this season.  4A Mideast is very strong for girls this season and Wake Forest ranks 5th amongst them based off returning times.  So they will need their 4th and 5th runners to step up so they can sneak back into the 4A State Meet as a team.