POLL: National Girls XC Performer of the Week (Dec. 1-7)

Dec 08, 2025

Photo Credit: Harrison Wampler/MileSplit

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With the national postseason almost completely in the rear-view mirror, five girls turned in standout performances on the biggest stages of the season.

The RunningLane Cross Country Championships, Nike Cross Nationals, and Brooks West XC Championships all delivered major moments, and these athletes made the most of their opportunities as the 2025 cross country season winds toward its close.

The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, December 11, and the winner will be announced shortly after.

Check out the 16th and final group of nominees for National Performer of the Week!

* Athletes cannot be nominated for National Performer of the Week in back-to-back weeks*

POLL: National Boys XC Performer of the Week (Dec. 1-7)

This Week's Nominees:

Katy Zang, School (Teays Valley): As a junior, her cross country season unfortunately got cut short, but the final race of her senior campaign made up for it in a big way. A few weeks after her 13th-place finish at NXN Midwest, where she clocked 117:26, Zang made a statement. At the RunningLane Cross Country Championships, the future Indiana Hoosier ran her fastest 5k since September 2024, running 17:04.28 to win the Girls Gold title. Zang battled Coppell's (Texas) Maya Easterwood, but ultimately took down the junior by two seconds.

Jia Jain, Union Catholic Reg. (N.J.): After stepping up to the line with an 18:59.48 PB to her name, the Union Catholic freshman shaved 36 seconds off as she won the Girls Silver race in 18:26.11. Winning by 14 seconds, Jain cemented herself as one of the next great distance talents that New Jersey has to offer, one of the fastest times run by a freshman since 2020. Down in PR'Ville, Jain used a 6:11 second mile to separate herself from the front pack, before closing in 5:59 to drop the hammer and charge down the homestretch.

Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer (Mich.): Was there ever a doubt? After entering the weekend with a clean 9-0 record and seven-straight sub-16:50 performances, Dudek was one of the top contenders to break the tape in Portland. After falling into third at the 4k mark and five seconds back of the eventual third-place finisher, Jaelyn Williams, Dudek used a 3:26 final 1k to come from behind and win the title. She's now the fifth-fastest in meet history, and became the first-ever NXN champion from the Midwest regional, as well as Michigan's first champion on either side.

Carmen Dorsey-Spitz, Moriarty (N.M.): From the moment the starting gun went off, Dorsey-Spitz worked her way to the front and never relinquished the lead over the rest of the race. The junior, who won the New Mexico 4A state title last month, gapped the talented field by 13 seconds, finishing in 17:38.7. She became the first New Mexico athlete to qualify through the West regional since 2010, and will look to make the most of her first national championship opportunity.

Blair Bartlett, The Lawrenceville School (N.J.): The second of two New Jersey nominees this week, Bartlett left it all on the course at Nike Cross Nationals, finishing runner-up and reminding everybody she's the real deal. Coming up just over a second and a half short of snagging the title, Bartlett ran 16:51.7, her fifth time running sub-17 this fall. The New Jersey state record holder now sits No. 6 all-time in meet history, and became just the 14th girl to ever break 17:00 on a challenging Glendoveer course.

NPOTW's Previous Winners:

Week 1: Sophia Szolosi, Athens (Ohio)

Week 2: Addison Kegel, Billings Central Catholic (Mont.)

Week 3: Brianna Reilly, Harrisburg (S.D.)

Week 4: Sienna Anderson, Summit (Tenn.)

Week 5: Jazzlyn Garner, The Webb School of Knoxville (Tenn.)

Week 6: Kaitlyn Carr, Smithville (Ohio)

Week 7: Leila Hailey, Rockvale (Tenn.)

Week 8: Macy Wingard, Denton-Braswell (Texas)

Week 9: Summer Wilson, Irvine (Calif.)

Week 10: Braelyn Combe, Santiago Corona (Calif.)

Week 11: Maddie Gullickson, Wayzata (Minn.)