MileSplit\'s Foot Locker Power Rankings - South Girls

The South will not only be strong on the boys side this year, but on the girls side, on paper, they look to be the strongest region up top.  Foot Locker defending champion Kathy Kroeger is back and running strong, while runner-up Aurora Scott has one last year to earn a national championship.  With those two leading the way, the South will be very tough to beat, especially since they return six of their top ten from 2006.

MileSplit's Foot Locker Power Rankings - South Girls

(Photos Taken By John Herzog) 

1. Kathy Kroeger (Jr., Independence, TN) - If you end the fall as the top runner in the land, 99% of the time you should return the next fall (assuming you didn't graduate) ranked the pre-season number one.  This is what Kroeger has earned.  Her surprising victory last fall was one of the ages.  While she took much of the track season off, she seems to be recovered and 100% ready to go.  Look for Kroeger to progress steadily and race best in late-October through December. 

2. Aurora Scott (Sr., VA) - Despite a second place finish at Foot Locker Nationals last year, and a fantastic indoor season, Scott disappeared during the outdoor season for the second year in a row.  This raises many questions towards the stability of her training and focus, but regardless she is one of the favorites to win it all in San Diego.  Scott has been on top of the running world since freshman year, but will need to take that one last step if she hopes to overcome Kroeger and California's Jordan Hasay for the national crown.

3. Emilie Amaro (Sr., Cypress Bay, FL) - 13th place.  That is the place that Amaro will be trying to beat this year.  Last year, Amaro emerged as one of the best in the nation at FL Nationals, earning a birth and then finishing in an all-American spot.  This year, after placing ninth at Nike Outdoor Nationals in the two-mile in 10:32, Amaro focuses in on another shot in San Diego.

4. Emily Reese (Sr., Chamblee, GA) - Injuries decimated Reese's chances to qualify for Foot Locker Nationals last season.  Hoping that would not happen again, Reese continually works hard to stay healthy.  In track she showed just how much of a player she will be this fall, with insane effort of 10:16 in the 3200m and 4:47 in the 1600.  Reese will surprise many this fall and don't discount her from finishing in the top three or four at nationals.

5. Ashley Brasovan (Jr., Wellington, FL) - Bad luck it seems has reared its head the past two years at Foot Locker Regionals for Brasovan.  Both year's she was favored to easily make nationals, and both times came away empty handed.  Fully healthy and ready for the big fall, Brasovan should be hungrier than ever.  Showcasing just how motivated she is, she ran 10:13 in the 3200 and finished fourth at Nike Outdoor Nationals in the two-mile. 

6. Cory McGee (So., Pass Christian, MS) - What a freshman year McGee had!  The Mississippi native not only qualified for Foot Locker Nationals, but placed fifteenth in the process.  After that, during the spring, McGee ran 10:39 in the 3200 and ran 4:48 for a third place finish in the mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals, only six seconds off the freshman class national record. 

7. Kayla Hale (Jr., Holy Trinity, FL) - If it wasn't for Reese and Brasovan being healthy, Hale's ranking would be much higher.  The junior returns back as the fifth best runner from last year's strong South squad.  Hale finished a very impressive twenty-first and should be confident that she can build on that.  Her 10:34 two-mile indoors is a strong indication that she will return back to San Diego in '07.

8. Catherine Loden (Sr., White Oak, TX) - While Loden is the only Texas girl in our first rankings of the year, she will have plenty of competition throughout the state.  Texas is one of those states that is always good, regardless of how many great seniors graduate.  Luckily for Loden, she has the leg up, as she returns as the #7 Foot Locker South returnee, and is the defending champion in 3A cross country.  Top that with a nice 10:41 3200m effort, and she is definitely a Power Rankings player.

9. Katie Huston (So., Sparkman, AL) - While Jennifer Dunn may be Alabama's top Foot Locker Regionals returnee, Huston has the edge at this point, after winning the state cross country title last fall and the 3200m title this past spring.  Those are two huge wins, especially with some of the girls she was competing against.  Huston ran 10:41 in the 3200m, which matches up fairly well compared to others on this list.  Now lets see if she can carry that success to the bigger stage of Foot Locker.

10. Virginia Hine (Sr., White Station, TN) - Qualifying for Foot Locker Nationals is never easy.  Hine did it last year however, but was far from satisfied with the outcome.  Her last place finish in San Diego was obviously not the race she was looking for.  While not running the most complete track season, Hine still managed a blazing 2:13 in the 800 and is the second returnee in Tennessee behind FLS #1 Kroeger. 

11. Jennifer Dunn (Sr., Austin, AL) - Dunn's '06-'07 school year was one filled with big second place finishes.  While finishing second in the 6A cross country state meet, she also placed second in the 1600 and 3200 at state track in the spring.  One spot higher should be her goal this fall, and with a nice 10:41 two-mile behind her, that definitely seems like a strong reality.

12. Lia DiValentin (Jr., Chatilly, VA) - While hurt during the '06 cross country season, DiValentin is now healthy, and after a fantastic track season she should be excited about this fall.  DiValentin's 10:43 two-mile at Nike Indoor Nationals was definitely her key run all season long.  She showed consistency however, and will be a favorite when state and FL Regionals role around.

Others To Keep An Eye On:

Alabama

Madeline Morgan (Jr., Mountain Brook) -  While she could very easily be top twelve during parts of the season or right at the end of the season, Morgan will have her hands full for now in her own state.  While she has great track credentials, running 10:41 for the 3200, she still ran behind FLS #11 Dunn and FLS #9 Huston all year. 

Kentucky

MaryGrace Pellegrini (Sr., DuPont Manual) - The top runner in Kentucky hands down, Pellegrini could focus on being fully prepared for Foot Locker Regionals and not have to worry much about the regular season if she wanted.  She ran 10:58 in the two-mile this spring and should look to improve quite a bit.

Mississippi

Katlyn Will (Jr., Corinth) - While she may not be in FLS #6 Cory McGee's category yet, Will should get her chances to match up against McGee this fall, as McGee's team moved into Will's division.  Will is a very talented runner and could surprise many come seasons end.

North Carolina

Kimberly Spano (Sr., North Mecklenburg) - The top returnee in the North Carolina's 4A division, won state last year by over 30 seconds.  With this behind her, and a couple of second place efforts in her state 1600/3200 this spring, Spano is the girl everyone in the state will be focusing on.

Adrianne Soo (Jr., Durham Academy) - After finishing fifteenth last year at FL South, Soo played soccer in the spring full-time and injuries plagued her this summer.  However, as the number nine returnee, you cannot discount her. 

Tennessee

Amber Zimmerman (So., Webb School of Knoxville) - While she won the DII Girls State Championship last fall, Zimmerman may get glanced over early on in the season with the return of FLS #1 Kroeger and Foot Locker Nationals returnee Hine.  Look for Zimmerman to hang tough and have a better showing than her 30th place effort last fall at regionals.

Texas

Kristie Krueger (Sr., Argyle) - Krueger has perhaps the best track season out of anyone in Texas.  She ran a phenominal 10:41 in the two-mile and was fourteenth in the mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals. 

Kristen Hanselka (Sr., Kingwood) - As one of the top 5A returnees in Texas, Hanselka has to be thinking big.  Texas has a lot of depth this year in the state, and many of them ran excellent track times.  She ran 10:49 in the 3200m this spring, and is as much a favorite as anyone else.

Tara Upshaw (Jr., Southlake Carroll) - Leading one of the better teams in the country, Upshaw is one of the athletes on this list that has a lot of big meet experience.  She is the eighth returnee from FL South last year, and is a top returnee is 5A in Texas.

Virginia

Liz Barclay (Jr., Albemarle) - The number two returnee in AAA, Barclay has a lot going for her.  She split time with soccer in the spring and didn't have the same track season maybe she could have because of this.  This fall will tell a lot.

Kathleen Lautzenheiser (So., Midlothian) - A great spring by the talented freshman, after an already amazing fall, gives Lautzenheiser a lot of momentum heading into her sophomore campaign.  However, while she might be the top girl in the state, and have a shot at making FL Nationals, her team is highly ranked in the NTN SE Region and will bypass FL South if her team has a chance to go to NTN.