Just a day after her squad was ranked No. 7 in the pre-season team countdown, Laney senior Olivia Bufalini comes in at No. 7 on the individual's side of the pre-season countdown.

Bufalini is looking for her third all-state nod in cross country this fall, but her plans are much bigger than just all-state. She was 6th last fall and 8th in 2019 as a freshman at the NCHSAA 4A State Championships. She has also finished top five each year at the NCHSAA 4A East Regional. 

Her 6th place finish at the state meet last fall was actually the lowest she finished in a race all season long. She won the invitational 5,000m at the adidas XC Challenge to top it off. 

On the track this spring she was great in all three distance/mid-distance disciplines. She was runner-up in the 3,200m at the NCHSAA 4A East Regional where she ran a personal best of 10:57.72.

She won the Mideastern Conference Championship in the 1,600m where she ran a personal best of 4:57.38. She went on to win the 1,600m at the NCHSAA 4A East Regional in 5:01.02. 

Bufalini was undefeated on the season in the 1,600m and the 800m. 

She also won the 800m at the Seahawk HS Invitational where she ran 2:14.83. 

Bufalini has to be more motivated than ever going into her senior season. She is has been a force since her freshman season, but she is still looking for that first taste of gold.