Over the next eight weeks, Missouri MileSplit will be doing a deep dive into the top returners for each event heading into the 2025 Track and Field season. We will have premium rankings pieces highlighting the top 100 returners in each classification as well as an overall outlook for each event for all non-subscribers.
With cross country still somewhat on the brain, we kick off our previews with the closest race to cross country on the outdoor track: the 3200 Meter Run.
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Class 5 Outlook
Blue Spring South's Rew #5 and Marquette's Eggers #12
Two more returners come in under 11:10 --Marquette's Maleah Eggers and Blue Springs South's Ella Rew -- while the second tier of returners comes in 13 seconds later. Expect cross country state runner-up freshman Lucinda Wright to be among the contenders this year, as well as the state champion Bella Navaro-Sanchez, should she decide to move up from the 800 and 1600 in her sophomore season. We think Joplin's Ava Doll will take a major step forward after a successful first cross country campaign and are also watching freshman Ella Messner, who ran 5:05.96 for a full mile as an eighth grader.
Class 4 Outlook
Class 5 probably has the depth, but Class 4 may have the most firepower in the 3200 this spring. Harrisonville's Kayleigh Norris (at top) leads the charge not just in this classification, but in the entire state, with her 10:29.91 personal best from Nike Outdoor Nationals. It is the 11th fastest time in state history and 62nd among national returners. The two-time cross country champion is also a two-time winner on the track with victories in the 2023 1600 and 2024 3200 and may be eyeing the distance triple crown once again after falling just short in her last two tries.
Father Tolton figures to be in Class 4 again this season, even after adding runner-up team trophy points to their championship factor total once again. Elyse Wilmes is second among 3200 returners, but she typically sticks to the 400, 800, and 1600 and left the longer race to her teammates Angelina Cottone and Makaylin Viet in the state series last year. Both girls went sub-11:15 last spring and are looking to bounce back from their cross country seasons. Smithville's Naomi Hunter was a notable absence from the Class 4 State Cross Country meet after running 17:59 this fall, but she figures to be among the top returners in the 3200 as she is, in fact, the third fastest returner in the entire state with her 11:02.43 best.
There are several girls who took a step forward this fall and figure to be in the mix, as well, including Gabrielle Moresi, Lucy Rines, and Lucy Boyer. Keep an eye on freshmen Grace Owenby, assuming Washington moves back down to Class 4 for the track and field season, and Martina Ressel from Notre Dame Cape Girardeau. Finally, the departure of former Sullivan runner Mariah Denney to Washington state will have a significant impact on the Class 4 field, as well.
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Class 3 Outlook
St. Charles West's girls dominated the cross country season again, and though many of their girls disperse to other endeavors for the track and field season, state cross country champion Brianna Krueger remains and is the second fastest returner among Class 3 3200 meter runners. She dropped all the way down to 18:09.58 this fall after running 11:34.12 and eventually finishing 5th in the 3200 last spring. She may be the top returner if Metro High School drops into Class 2 for track and field, after they moved down the cross country season, as Lucy Luetkemeyer and her 11:31.52 2024 season best would move out of the top spot. 
After Krueger is Lexington's Addison Smith, but Smith could also find herself in Class 2 this spring after winning the Class 2 Cross Country State Championship this fall, so Ste. Genevieve's Hollyn Zangaro would stand among the top returners with the 11:51.44 best that earned her 7th at last year's state meet. Four other girls return for the 2025 season with personal bests under 12:00 and we should see some significant marks from freshman Kelly Frank.
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Class 2 Outlook
Two of Class 2's potentially top returners would come down from Class 3, but we do have six girls from last year's Class 2 make-up coming back with marks under 12:00. Brentwood's Kensington Curd is tops among them with an 11:35.09 personal best. The state champion in the event took a step back this cross country season, but will still be among the girls to watch this spring nonetheless. Only a few ticks behind her is track specialist Jade Gray from Penney and her 11:35.43 personal best. Gray earned three all-state medals and was just behind Curd in the 3200 last May. New Covenant's Clara Trent makes it three of the top three finishers at last year's state meet returning for the 2025 season. We expect this year's 3200 to be a barn burner in Class 2 with several girls all vying for the top spot, including North Platte's Chloe Heckman, Brookfield's Samantha Sharp, and Valle Catholic's Madelyn Griffard.
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Class 1 Outlook
Class 1 features one girl returning under 12:00, but we have seen volatility in the Class 1 ranks over the last few years so it truly could be anyone's guess who comes out on top this season.
Mya Wray won gold in the 3200 last spring with her 11:52.52 personal best and is the only returner under 12:00. This fall, we saw Calvary Lutheran's Sonya Brunner step up and take charge in Class 1, but she has yet to compete on the track in her career, but we have seen career debuts from seniors recently so watch for her to show up this year. Mansfield's Faith Clark took a big step forward this fall, as well, and should be poised to improve on her 13:05.21 personal best -- though she may be back in Class 2 for the track season based on projections.
Watch for Chadwick's girls, led by Gretchen House and Macy Landry, Stoutland state champion Mallory Shaw, and Thomas Jefferson's Macie Shifferd, and Rock Port's Norah Watkins to all be in the mix for medals and victory this May.
Over the next eight weeks, Missouri MileSplit will be doing a deep dive into the top returners for each event heading into the 2025 Track and Field season. We will have premium rankings pieces highlighting the top 100 returners in each classification as well as an overall outlook for each event for all non-subscribers.
With cross country still somewhat on the brain, we kick off our previews with the closest race to cross country on the outdoor track: the 3200 Meter Run.