With that being said, here is your Milesplit Mississippi Top 5 Returners for the 2025 XC Season!
1. Lilly Overby - Simpson Academy
After a historic 2025 track season and an untouchable 2024 cross country campaign, Lilly Overby needs no introduction. She finished last year as the fastest 5000m runner in Mississippi, while also leading the state in the 800m and 1600m/mile. Her current 5000m personal best of 17:53 makes her the only returner under 18 minutes and ranks her third all-time in Mississippi.
The best way to capture her dominance is not by looking back at her accomplishments but by focusing on what lies ahead. Overby is only 24 seconds shy of the state record set by Olympian Cory McGee of Pass Christian, a mark that has stood for 15 years. The closest anyone has come since was Morgan Claire Rose of Kirk Academy, who ran 17:50. With the next-best returner sitting nearly a minute behind, this season will not be about competition with her peers. It will be about Lilly Overby racing against the clock.
Personal Bests: 17:53(5k), 11:20.04(3200m), 4:57.96(One-mile), 2:12.83(800m)
2. Alex Lee - Madison Central High School
The battle for second place is shaping up to be one of the most exciting storylines of the season, with Alex Lee and Blair Britt nearly inseparable on paper. Both hold nearly identical 5000m personal bests, but one key race helps tip the scales.
During the 2025 track season, Lee delivered a performance that set her apart, running an 11:06 in the 3200m, the fastest time in the state. When paired with her strong marks in the 800m and 1600m, she emerges as the most complete candidate for this ranking. Britt, on the other hand, has proven herself as a consistent front-runner in cross country, highlighted by her MAIS State Championship win and multiple sub-19 performances as only a middle schooler.
The head-to-head history makes this matchup even more compelling. Lee currently leads their rivalry six races to one, with Britt's lone victory coming at the 2024 Jesse Owens Classic. That edge, combined with her recent track dominance, gives Lee the nod heading into the fall.
Personal Bests: 18:58.30(5k), 11:06.39(3200m), 5:03.52(One-mile), 2:19.26(800m)
3. Blair Britt - Madison-Ridgeland Academy
The middle school phenom has officially entered the high school ranks, and all signs point to Blair Britt becoming one of the very best in Mississippi. As an eighth grader, she posted a 5000m personal best of 18:42, which stands as the second-fastest returning time in the state this season.
What makes Britt especially dangerous is her steady trajectory of improvement. Each year, she has lowered her times, picking up wins at every level of competition along the way, and she shows no signs of slowing down. Her progression in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m on the track mirrors her cross-country success, proving she has both the closing speed and endurance to contend with anyone.
Personal Bests: 18:42(5k), 11:28.52(3200m), 5:16.54(1600m), 2:22.31(800m)
4. Jewel Baker - East Rankin Academy
Jewel Baker is the definition of a young star on the rise. She has been making waves in Mississippi distance running since the 6th grade, and now, heading into 8th grade, she is only gaining momentum. Already a familiar name on both the track and cross country course, Baker has proven herself against older competition time and again.
Her biggest breakthrough came last spring when she ran an 11:27.90 in the 3200m, a mark that stood as the fourth-fastest time in the entire state. That performance was not an outlier but a reflection of her steady progression and growing strength. On top of that, she has consistently delivered in the 1600m and 5k, keeping pace with some of the top high school athletes in Mississippi despite being years younger.
Personal Bests: 19:23(5k), 11:27.90(3200m), 5:19.02(1600m), 2:23.76(800m)
5. Layla Warren - Simpson Academy
Back in 2023, Layla Warren of Simpson Academy was one of the top runners in Mississippi. That fall, she ran 18:45 in the 5000m, good for the seventh-fastest time in the state. She carried that momentum into the 2024 track season, where she delivered some of the best performances in Mississippi across multiple events.
Her rise, however, hit a snag during the 2024 cross-country season. A tough stretch pushed her down the rankings, but it didn't take long for her to bounce back. The 2025 track season proved to be a turning point, as she returned to form and consistently found herself near the top of the state leaderboards. What makes Warren unique is her versatility - few athletes can compete at a high level from the 100m up to the 3200m, and she closed the year with the sixth-fastest 3200m in the state.
Despite last year's setbacks in cross country, all the evidence points to Warren being back and better than ever. She has already broken 19 minutes in the 5k, and her track times from last season back up that ability. With the right training and momentum this fall, Warren is not just capable of mirroring her breakthrough 2023 campaign - she has the potential to finish even faster and firmly reestablish herself as one of Mississippi's elite distance runners.
Personal Bests: 18:45(5k), 11:30.56(3200m), 5:17.86(1600m), 2:24.61(800m)