Saucony Flo50 Individual Girls XC Rankings Countdown


Athlete: Brie Oakley
Year: 2017
School: Grandview, CO

Analysis: Brie Oakley jumped straight into the elite ranks in her first year of running after spending most of her formative years as a competitive soccer player. She placed runner-up to three-time champion Lauren Gregory at the Colorado state cross country championship, then placed fourth at the NXN Southwest Regional and 26th at NXN.

Not bad for a first-timer. But Oakley's gift for distance running became apparent when she took to the track. The junior was undefeated in both the 1600m and 3200m and won Colorado state titles in each event. She broke Melody Fairchild's 26-year-old Class 5A state meet record in the 3200m with her winning time of 10:33.16, though a solo effort of 10:27.38 would stand as her PB in the event. But the highlight of the year came at the Brooks PR Invitational, where she clocked a massive PB of 10:08.89 to place third behind Shona McCulloch of Canada and Stanford commit Fiona O'Keeffe. The time makes Oakley the nation's No. 2 returner. Can she carry that track success into the cross country season? She's spent some time at altitude camp this summer, so I'm guessing 'yes.'