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The usual national level post season meets have been cancelled for this year. Lubbock Christian University is hosting a post season meet this season to give athletes across the country a chance to shoot for a national title.
That has resulted in an intimate but very competitive girls 5,000m race coming up. Several state champions and top individual finishers from last week's 2020 UIL state meet will be competing along with some of the nation's top girl's high school runners.
Girl's Top National Contenders
Abby Vanderkooi (MI) - Vanderkooi is the top returner from last year's Foot Locker National Championships (3rd).The Michigan star has two sub 17 minute 5Ks this season and added another Michigan state championships.
Sydney Thorvaldson (WY) - Arkansas signee Thorvaldson is the top returner from last year's Team Cross Country National Championships (3rd). The Wyoming star won another state title and five sub 17 minute 5Ks on the season, including her 16:19 PR.
Carlee Hansen (UT) - North Carolina signee Hanson added another state title to her resume this fall and a 16:57.70 PR at Desert Twilight where she finished 3rd.
Mia Barnett (CA) - The Californian hasn't had a 2020 season due to the shutdown in the state. However, the Virginia signee won the Footlocker West Regional Championship last season and was 39th at the nationals.
Julia David-Smith (WA) - The 2019 Washington state champ hasn't had much of a season due to the state shutdown, but she did finish second at Desert Twilight this year. She was 18th at last year's Team Cross Country Nationals in Oregon.
| name | performance notes |
|---|---|
| Carlee Hansen (UT) | 4:42/10:20/16:36/12xUT State Champ |
| Mia Barnett (CA) | 4:46/10:22/17:02/19' Footlocker West Champ |
| Julia David-Smith (WA) | 4:49/10:21/17:01 |
| Abby Vanderkooi (MI) | 4:48/10:02/16:48/Top Footlocker Returner (3rd) |
| Sophie Atkinson (TX) | 4:48/10:30/16:57 for 2nd @ State meet |
| Sydney Thorvaldson (WY) | 4:52/10:06/16:38 Top NXN returner(3rd) |
| Brynn Brown (TX) | 4:48/9:58/16:25 (TX State Meet Record Holder) |
| Gonzales, Chachi (TX) | 4:41TT/17:32 3rd @ State Meet |
| Clarke, Adele | 5:09/11:08 st ch |
| Emme O'Donnell (TX) | 5:07/11:21/19:00 |
| Fox, Tabitha | 12:07 St champ |
Girl's Top State Contenders
Brynn Brown (Denton Guyer) - The North Carolina signee is fresh off of her UIL 6A girl's state championship. Not only did Brown win her first state cross title, but she also did it in a new state meet course record of 16:25.89. She will put her undefeated cross country season on the line against some of the top girls in Texas and in the nation.
Sophie Atkinson (Katy Cinco Ranch) - Last week, Atkinson was the UIL 6A girls runner-up in 16:57.44. The Virginia signee was undefeated until the state meet and she will look to bet back to her winning ways.
Anastacia (Chachi) Gonzales (Boerne Champion) - Gonzales is just a junior, but she is one of the fastest middle distance girls in the country; her distance capabilities aren't too bad either. She has three sub 18 minute 5Ks this season including her 17:32.42 PR at the UIL 5A state meet that helped her place 3rd. Gonzales is one of the most entertaining and fearless runners there are. When the competition level rises, so does she.
Adele Clarke (Celina) - Clarke is another recently crowned state champion as she ran to the UIL 4A state title last week. She has seven wins on the season including a 11:08 3200m performance at the Celina Invitational.
Emme O'Donnell (Port Lavaca Calhoun) - O'Donnell fell just short of her goal to win a state championship. Placing second at the UIL 4A state meet behind Clarke, so look for her to have a little extra motivation in this race.
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