The 25 best cross-country athletes of the 2024 season
Early mornings. Hitting the canals and trails before most people have even hit the snooze button on their alarm clocks. That’s life for Arizona’s high school cross-country runners as they prepare for the 2024 season in a region that recently experienced 80 consecutive days of temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit – a 34-year-old record.
The Arizona Republic is highlighting the state’s top female cross country athletes ahead of the season. These are the top 25 female runners in Arizona, regardless of division. The rankings are based on performances from the 2023 cross country season as well as the 2024 track and field season. The Republic has contacted coaches across the state.
Two of the state’s top runners have graduated: Goodyear Millennium’s Landen LeBlond is headed to Oregon and Phoenix Country Day School’s Kimi Cahoon is now in the Air Force. Here’s the list:
The 25 best cross-country runners in Arizona
1. Taylor Drewry, Jr., Chandler Basha
The reigning Division I individual national cross country champion. She battled a lower leg injury during the spring season but still managed to run the 3,200 meters in 11:10.88 – the second fastest time among returning athletes. Drewry is now healthy and has been training hard over the summer.
2. Camryn Delancey, Jr., Gilbert Highland
From the moment she stepped onto the track as a freshman, Delancey has been a name to watch as she follows in her All-American mother’s footsteps. She heads into 2024 with the fastest personal best in the 5,000 meters, 18:34.37. Delancey, who nearly broke the five-minute barrier in the mile last spring, appears ready to lead Highland this season as the team seeks its fourth consecutive Division I state title.
3. Evangeline Dunckley, Sr., Scottsdale Saguaro
She finished fourth at last year’s Division III championships, and her time of 10:54.32 in the 3,200 meters at the AIA State Championships makes her the only athlete in the state with a personal best under 11 minutes in that event.
4. Lily Clawson, So., Chandler Hamilton
She was the fastest freshman in the 5,000-meter run last season with a time of 18:55.5 and the only one in her class to run under 19 minutes. In Hamilton, she has one of the best coaches in the country, Mike Scannell, who just led Grant Fisher to bronze medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Clawson has shown rapid signs of development under Scannell.
5. Katie McNulty, Jr., Tucson Catalina Foothills
Last season, she finished second in the 1,600 meters at the Division II Championships with a time of 5:15.82. With her time of 18:42.3, the third-best time among returning runners, she is one of Arizona’s top athletes in the 5,000 meters. She has been training with the Catalina Foothills Running Club since the beginning of June.
6. Amelia North, Sr., Tucson Rincon University
She is coming off a stellar season on the track, running the 3,200 meters in 11:01.32, the second fastest time she has ever run. She is the team captain this year and coach Mario Reyes said she has worked hard this summer to compete for a top spot.
The Elite 25 of the Republic: The best male cross-country athletes 2024
7. Cloe Baugh, Sr., Gilbert Highland
Baugh, who has battled a few injuries and is also a good soccer player, has only run sporadically. But when she does run, she’s one of the best. As a sophomore, she finished second at the Division I championships (behind big sister Emma), didn’t run cross country last year, then won the Division I state title in the 1600m in 5:02.52 last season.
8. Taylor Biggambler, Jr., Flagstaff
She made a name for herself when she took third at the Division II championships as a freshman. She battled some injuries last year and was sick at the cross country state meet, so she’s coming back motivated. Coach Trina Painter said Biggambler has looked great in practice. Has a personal best of 18:43.4 in the 5,000-meter run.
9. Stella Hall, Sr., Gilbert Highland
Last season, she literally missed the Division I individual title by inches, but only lost by a second. Her personal best of 18:44.90 in the 5,000 meters ranks her sixth nationally. Coach Dave Montgomery said Hall is fit and looked good over the summer.
10. Alexis Rodriguez, Jr., Chandler Hamilton
Another of those athletes is benefiting from Scannell’s takeover of the program – Rodriguez improved her time from 19:20 as a freshman to 18:55 as a sophomore, putting her in the top 10 returning athletes.
11. Natalie Roberts, Sr., Mesa Mountain View
After Roberts broke the school record in the 800 meters at the state championships last season, coach Brent Collier said he was ready to achieve some big milestones in the fall.
12. Dana Pivin, Sr., Phoenix Desert Vista
Last cross country season, she nearly broke the 19-minute mark in the 5,000 meters, running 19:01.7 at Desert Twilight. She finished seventh at the Division I championships.
13. Taryn Janssen, Sr., Glendale Prep Academy
She nearly won the AIA sectional race leading up to the state championships, finishing second to Kimi Cahoon of Phoenix Country Day (now competing at Air Force) in 18:36.7, making her the second fastest runner to start the season. Ran the 3200m on the track in 11:28.49, 9th in the state.
14. Tally Call, Sun., American Leadership Academy Queen Creek
One of the most promising young names on this list, she ran the 1500m in 4:48.28 at the USATF Junior Olympics Nationals this summer, placing fifth in the 15-16 age group. Coach Duerk Brewer expects her to compete for an individual title at the state level in Division III.
15. Olivia Baker, Sr., Flagstaff
She made a breakthrough with her third place finish at the Division II Championships last fall. On the track, she ran the 3,200 m in 11:32.25.
16. Ellie Phillips, Jr., Chandler Valley Christian
Starts this season with a personal best of 18:48.5 for the 5,000m, seventh in the state. Phillips’ family traveled to Cambodia for missionary work, where she had the experience of training there with a family friend, Shaina Kidd, who formerly ran for Arizona State.
17. Audrey O’Connor, Jr., Chandler Basha
Had one of the better all-around seasons as a distance athlete on the track, running the 800m in 2:21.65, the 1600m in 5:13.24 and the 3200m in 11:11.16. Her time in the 3200m is the fourth best among the returning athletes, just one second behind her teammate Drewry.
18. Janessa Segay, Sr., Chinle
Ran one of the fastest times in the 3,200-meter run last season when she clocked 11:11.87 at the AIA State Championships. She also has one of the best times in the 5,000-meter run when she ran 19:10.3 at Desert Twilight. Chinle has a rich tradition in distance running with 10 girls team state championships.
19. Mila Russo, So., Gilbert Christian
She put on an exciting running display at last year’s AIA Cross Country National Championships, beating Ganado’s Damira Allen for the Division III title by .01 seconds. She’s also an excellent soccer player, so their time is split. Russo trains twice a week on practice days and uses her soccer conditioning to maintain her endurance. She should be a favorite to defend her title.
20. Isabella Velazquez, Sr., view of the Waddell Canyon
In the spring, she had a solid season, running 11:13.80 for the 3,200 m, the sixth fastest time among returning athletes.
21. Lauren Sherman, Jr., Surprise Shadow Ridge
Had one of the biggest improvements of any athlete in her class last season, starting with a time of 33 minutes as a freshman and finishing her sophomore year with a time of 19 minutes. Will be a top 15 returning athlete in the 5,000m in 2024 with a time of 19:05.2.
22. Addison Bisceglie, Sr., Gilbert Christian
The Gilbert Higley transfer student must sit out until mid-season under the AIA transfer rule. Coach Amy Ford is hoping for a debut at Desert Twilight. He ran the 1,600 m on the track in 5:07.09.
23. Lyla Yango, Jr., Scottsdale Desert Mountain
Was part of the team that surprised Flagstaff last year, winning the Division II state title. With two of the top runners now graduated, Yango appears to be one of the athletes ready to take the lead. Her 11:30.67 in the 3200m is No. 12 for returning runners.
24. Audra Huempfner, Jr., Gilbert Highland
Despite placing 36th at the Division I championships, Huempfner was not part of the title-winning Hawks’ points team (the top five runners score points in cross country) – that’s how strong the team was. But after a strong season on the track, she seems ready to contribute this year. Huempfner ran the 3200m in 11:29.41.
25. Damira Allen, Jr., Ganado
Last year she nearly won the Division III state title, but was passed by Gilbert Christian’s Mila Russo in a photo finish at the finish line. Last fall she ran a personal best of 19:27.3 in the 5,000-meter run. She has done some built-in altitude training since Ganado is at an elevation of 6,400 feet in Apache County.
Logan Stanley is a sports reporter for The Arizona Republic, focusing primarily on high school, ASU and Olympic sports. For ideas for human interest stories and other news stories, contact Stanley at [email protected] or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@LSscribe.
