Women's college track and field rankings: Stanford returns to the top 25

Week 6 of the women's outdoor track and field rankings saw Stanford return to the rankings, while the top-10 remained the same.

Here are takeaways from the national rating index from the USTFCCCA:

Stanford surges

Stanford was the lone new entrant in this week's top-25 teams in the national rating index, rising from unranked to No. 16. The Cardinal returned to the rankings after hosting the Payton Jordan Invitational.

Much of Stanford's rise can be attributed to the 1500 meters. The Cardinal duo of Julia Heymach and Christina Aragon ran top-five times nationally; Heymach's 4:11.00 finish is the fastest collegiate time all season. Aragon's 4:12.83 is the fifth-fastest time.

The Cardinal will now prepare for the upcoming Pac-12 Championships.

🔮: 5 predictions for the second half of the 2022 women's outdoor track and field season

Top 10 stays the same

The top-10 teams remained the same, in the same order, this week. There were many meets across the country, from Penn Relays in the northeast to the LSU Invitational in the south to the Desert Heat Classic out west, but only eight new national top-five marks were set by top-10 teams, many of which surpassed previously established top-five marks.

The top-10 appears to have stabilized as many teams end their regular seasons, preparing for upcoming conference championships.

🏅: The midseason superlatives — and a sleeper pick — for women's outdoor track and field

Biggest risers

The biggest risers this week in the top 25 are No. 14 Washington and No. 11 Baylor, jumping nine and six spots.

Washington's leap comes after an impressive weekend at the Payton Jordan Invitational and Fresno State Invitational. At the Payton Jordan Invitational, Haley Herberg and Allie Schadler ran the 10th and 11th-fastest times in the 5000 meters times nationally. At the Fresno State Invitational, Carley Thomas and Makayla Kelby put up the 20th-best national marks in the 800 meters and discus, respectively.

Baylor used a great showing at the LSU Invitational to rise into the top 25. The freshman duo of Imaobong Nse Uko and Kavia Francis ran 51.66 and 51.87 in the 400 meters, the sixth and eighth-fastest times nationally. Elsewhere, Aaliyah Miller ran the ninth-fastest national time in the 800 meters.

Those Bears were showing out in the 400 👀

🥇 Imaobong Uko, 51.66
🥉 Kavia Francis, 51.87#SicEm 🐻 pic.twitter.com/fQpeVygGXW

— Baylor Track & Field (@BaylorTrack) April 30, 2022

MORE: The top 10 women's track and field performances from the first half

2022 Penn Relays: See everything that happened at the 2022 Penn Relays

See the full rankings from May 2, 2022:

Dropped out: Georgia

The women's 4X400 squad with a HUGE win to complete the trifecta! #Gamecocks

Stephanie Davis, Makenzie Dunmore, Angel Frank and Jahnile Registre run a time of 3:26.53!

🔥 No. 2 in school history
🔥 No. 3 in Penn Relays history
🔥 No. 5 in the NCAA pic.twitter.com/tjAkMMOxs1

— Gamecock Track & XC (@GamecockTrack) April 30, 2022