Cross country in Iowa is a bit different this year on the girls side. The state association elected to switch the official race distance for the girls from 4K to 5K. We were curious who was making the most of the extra distance so we crunched the numbers. We took the current rank of athletes and compared that to the returning rank. We then took the difference (how much they improved) to see who has climbed the rankings since the switch.
| 2015 Rank | Time | Name | GR | Returning Rank | Difference |
| 163 | 20:22.0 | MORGAN ALLEN | 2016 | 976 | 813 |
| 95 | 19:59.0 | SAMI MCCULLEY | 2017 | 750 | 655 |
| 186 | 20:29.6 | MYAH GUERRERO | 2017 | 811 | 625 |
| 141 | 20:13.9 | MARI STEIN | 2018 | 709 | 568 |
| 10 | 18:58.5 | LILLYANA YEBRA | 2017 | 516 | 506 |
| 128 | 20:10.4 | LAUREN LUFT | 2016 | 584 | 456 |
| 169 | 20:23.7 | ELLIE GRETTER | 2018 | 586 | 417 |
| 173 | 20:24.7 | JORDAN BOS | 2017 | 576 | 403 |
| 124 | 20:09.1 | RYLEE WRIGHT | 2018 | 510 | 386 |
| 183 | 20:29.0 | ELISE EMMICK | 2018 | 533 | 350 |
| 72 | 19:49.6 | OLIVIA HAMILTON | 2018 | 391 | 319 |
| 196 | 20:32.5 | RYLEE WRIGHT | 2018 | 510 | 314 |
| 146 | 20:17.0 | KAITLYN MURANO | 2018 | 451 | 305 |
| 68 | 19:48.7 | KENNA RIECK | 2017 | 326 | 258 |
| 127 | 20:10.2 | KAYLYNNE BECHEN | 2018 | 379 | 252 |
| 163 | 20:22.0 | GALLIGAN JENNA | 2018 | 412 | 249 |
| 43 | 19:33.0 | TARYN SWAIM | 2018 | 281 | 238 |
| 61 | 19:45.0 | LAUREN VANDYKE | 2018 | 297 | 236 |
| 48 | 19:36.0 | PAIGE NICHOLSON | 2016 | 282 | 234 |
| 42 | 19:32.6 | AVERY LESTER | 2017 | 267 | 225 |
| 199 | 20:34.0 | LILY JONES | 2017 | 423 | 224 |
| 112 | 20:05.5 | ANNIE JENSEN | 2018 | 333 | 221 |
| 133 | 20:12.0 | LYDIA ROSE | 2016 | 350 | 217 |
| 123 | 20:09.0 | TAYLOR FERREL | 2016 | 322 | 199 |
| 125 | 20:09.7 | DESTINY SCAR | 2016 | 315 | 190 |
| 170 | 20:24.0 | JESSIE SKOPEC | 2017 | 354 | 184 |
| 51 | 19:38.0 | CLAIRE BURGER | 2018 | 232 | 181 |
| 111 | 20:05.4 | AMANI ALI | 2016 | 288 | 177 |
| 58 | 19:43.8 | MEREDITH KOENIGSFELD | 2016 | 231 | 173 |
| 77 | 19:52.0 | CASSIDY CHRISTOPHER | 2017 | 242 | 165 |
| 15 | 19:04.0 | ALYSSA WILLIAMS | 2016 | 178 | 163 |
| 108 | 20:05.0 | MOLLIE HANSEN | 2017 | 262 | 154 |
| 52 | 19:38.5 | KALI RYAN | 2017 | 204 | 152 |
| 25 | 19:17.3 | SUZANNE PUTZE | 2018 | 173 | 148 |
| 180 | 20:26.0 | JILLIAN JAEGER | 2017 | 326 | 146 |
| 190 | 20:31.0 | KYLA WILKENING | 2018 | 336 | 146 |
| 132 | 20:11.4 | KIERRA MCKERNAN | 2018 | 271 | 139 |
| 35 | 19:28.4 | SUZANNE PUTZE | 2018 | 173 | 138 |
| 104 | 20:03.0 | KARSON FOLEY | 2018 | 232 | 128 |
| 49 | 19:36.4 | HANNAH FRAZEE | 2017 | 175 | 126 |
| 50 | 19:38.0 | ELLE RUFFRIDGE | 2017 | 173 | 123 |
| 113 | 20:06.0 | TAYLOR HAUSER | 231 | 118 | |
| 32 | 19:27.0 | HALEY FYE | 2016 | 144 | 112 |
| 16 | 19:04.2 | KARLEY LARSON | 2018 | 127 | 111 |
| 68 | 19:48.7 | TRINITY BORLAND | 2018 | 168 | 100 |
| 163 | 20:22.0 | AMELIA MORROW | 2018 | 261 | 98 |
| 70 | 19:49.0 | ODESSA NEELEY | 2017 | 161 | 91 |
| 91 | 19:58.0 | EMMA DUNCAN | 2018 | 178 | 87 |
| 56 | 19:41.6 | FAITH MEYER | 2017 | 139 | 83 |
| 156 | 20:19.7 | BATZ SYDNEY | 2017 | 239 | 83 |
| 4 | 18:46.0 | EMILY POSS | 2017 | 79 | 75 |
| 96 | 19:59.0 | JAMIE LARSEN | 2016 | 170 | 74 |
| 19 | 19:09.0 | LEXI SMITH | 2018 | 89 | 70 |
| 32 | 19:27.0 | BRETT SCHNEIDER | 2018 | 102 | 70 |
| 194 | 20:31.7 | SARA BAUERMEISTER | 2016 | 264 | 70 |
| 81 | 19:52.9 | ELLIE MENDLIK | 2018 | 148 | 67 |
| 174 | 20:25.0 | AMELIA LESHER | 2018 | 240 | 66 |
| 63 | 19:46.8 | EMILY BYWATER | 2017 | 128 | 65 |
| 73 | 19:50.0 | CAMRYN REEG | 2018 | 135 | 62 |
| 5 | 18:46.7 | HALEY HUMPHREY | 2016 | 66 | 61 |
| 80 | 19:52.2 | MORIAH MORTER | 2018 | 141 | 61 |
| 144 | 20:15.6 | SAMMY BLUM | 2017 | 204 | 60 |
| 29 | 19:24.2 | TIA SAUNDERS | 2016 | 88 | 59 |
| 174 | 20:25.0 | KARSON FOLEY | 2018 | 232 | 58 |
| 107 | 20:04.0 | LAURA SNYDER | 2016 | 164 | 57 |
| 89 | 19:57.0 | DAKOTA HOSTETTER | 2017 | 142 | 53 |
| 66 | 19:48.0 | ASHLEY ARENDS | 2017 | 118 | 52 |
| 100 | 20:01.0 | MACY NIEWOEHNER | 2018 | 152 | 52 |
| 17 | 19:06.3 | HANNAH FUSSELMAN | 2018 | 64 | 47 |
| 36 | 19:30.0 | MCKAYLA COLE | 2017 | 80 | 44 |
| 97 | 20:00.0 | TAYLOR LOCK | 2016 | 137 | 40 |
| 130 | 20:11.0 | MAREN JEPPSON | 2016 | 170 | 40 |
| 54 | 19:41.0 | CASEY NICHOLS | 2018 | 86 | 32 |
| 36 | 19:30.0 | MICKEY COLE | 2016 | 67 | 31 |
| 114 | 20:07.0 | IZZY BUCHANAN | 2018 | 144 | 30 |
| 3 | 18:35.0 | MARY ARCH | 2017 | 29 | 26 |
| 160 | 20:21.0 | KRISTINA RICE | 2016 | 186 | 26 |
| 87 | 19:55.2 | REGAN FRANCE | 2016 | 112 | 25 |
| 153 | 20:19.0 | MADISON LARSEN | 2018 | 178 | 25 |
| 9 | 18:54.0 | JULIA NOAH | 2016 | 31 | 22 |
| 22 | 19:14.9 | GABBY SKOPEC | 2017 | 43 | 21 |
| 31 | 19:26.1 | TIFFANY WILLIAMS | 2016 | 52 | 21 |
| 14 | 19:03.0 | RACHEL BRUSH | 2016 | 30 | 16 |
| 182 | 20:27.0 | ALISSA NEUBAUER | 2018 | 196 | 14 |
| 59 | 19:45.0 | JENNY DICKES | 2016 | 72 | 13 |
| 100 | 20:01.0 | ALEX ROBRAN | 2018 | 113 | 13 |
| 97 | 20:00.0 | CARLY KLAVINS | 2016 | 108 | 11 |
| 11 | 19:00.8 | MADISON BACH | 2016 | 20 | 9 |
| 117 | 20:07.1 | PAYTON SPORRER | 2018 | 126 | 9 |
| 145 | 20:16.3 | KRISTAN BROWN | 2017 | 153 | 8 |
| 118 | 20:08.0 | CASEY MIDDLESWART | 2016 | 125 | 7 |
| 6 | 18:48.0 | JORDAN WINKE | 2017 | 12 | 6 |
| 24 | 19:17.0 | RACHEL BRUSH | 2016 | 30 | 6 |
| 137 | 20:13.0 | ANNA HERTZ | 2018 | 142 | 5 |
| 18 | 19:07.3 | MEGAN MOOBERRY | 2017 | 22 | 4 |
| 30 | 19:24.4 | GRACE MEYER | 2017 | 34 | 4 |
| 39 | 19:31.0 | ANNA TOOT | 2016 | 42 | 3 |
| 1 | 18:17.0 | JESSICA MCKEE | 2018 | 3 | 2 |
| 45 | 19:34.0 | JULIA SCHUMACHER | 2018 | 47 | 2 |
| 47 | 19:35.0 | VIVIAN BRODERICK | 2017 | 48 | 1 |
| 2 | 18:23.0 | MCKENZIE YANEK | 2016 | 1 | -1 |
| 97 | 20:00.0 | JOSEPHINE BERLAGE | 2017 | 95 | -2 |
| 8 | 18:50.5 | BRINA KRAFT | 2017 | 2 | -6 |
| 167 | 20:23.0 | ODESSA NEELEY | 2017 | 161 | -6 |
| 26 | 19:18.0 | ELYSE PRESCOTT | 2016 | 19 | -7 |
| 179 | 20:25.9 | MADDIE FLYNN | 2016 | 172 | -7 |
| 27 | 19:19.0 | ELLIE FRIESEN | 2018 | 18 | -9 |
| 21 | 19:13.0 | JULIE HOLLENSBE | 2016 | 9 | -12 |
| 136 | 20:12.9 | KYE MADSEN | 2016 | 124 | -12 |
| 65 | 19:47.9 | DANIELLE ROOS | 2017 | 50 | -15 |
| 75 | 19:50.5 | ADDIE SWANSON | 2017 | 59 | -16 |
| 152 | 20:18.9 | CLAIRE RONNEBAUM | 2018 | 136 | -16 |
| 55 | 19:41.3 | LARKIN CHAPMAN | 2016 | 38 | -17 |
| 86 | 19:55.0 | KENZIE MENTE | 2017 | 69 | -17 |
| 53 | 19:40.0 | ABBY KOHUT-JACKSON | 2016 | 35 | -18 |
| 126 | 20:10.0 | TRISHA COBERLY | 2016 | 108 | -18 |
| 73 | 19:50.0 | TAYLOR BROWN | 2016 | 53 | -20 |
| 45 | 19:34.0 | TRINA MORENO | 2016 | 24 | -21 |
| 62 | 19:46.0 | MEGAN GRAY | 2018 | 37 | -25 |
| 43 | 19:33.0 | SIERRA MITCHELL | 2017 | 17 | -26 |
| 59 | 19:45.0 | SARAH STEFFENSMEIER | 2016 | 33 | -26 |
| 77 | 19:52.0 | OLIVIA MOORE | 2017 | 49 | -28 |
| 40 | 19:31.5 | GWYNN WRIGHT | 2016 | 10 | -30 |
| 94 | 19:59.0 | MADDIE CASE | 2018 | 60 | -34 |
| 197 | 20:33.0 | ALYSSA DOUGHERTY | 2016 | 161 | -36 |
| 160 | 20:21.0 | SHEA DAHLSTROM | 2017 | 123 | -37 |
| 77 | 19:52.0 | NEANAGIT MALOW | 2016 | 39 | -38 |
| 142 | 20:14.0 | ANNA BAKER | 2016 | 103 | -39 |
| 91 | 19:58.0 | FELICITY TAYLOR | 2018 | 51 | -40 |
| 140 | 20:13.4 | MADDIE MANN | 2017 | 98 | -42 |
| 200 | 20:34.9 | KELSEY LANG | 2016 | 155 | -45 |
| 103 | 20:02.8 | JESSICA REHMANN | 2016 | 57 | -46 |
| 110 | 20:05.3 | ALLY GALLAGHER | 2017 | 63 | -47 |
| 104 | 20:03.0 | JOSIE KRIENER | 2017 | 53 | -51 |
| 167 | 20:23.0 | HEATHER HOSTAGER | 2018 | 116 | -51 |
| 135 | 20:12.9 | MORGAN GARCIA | 2016 | 81 | -54 |
| 146 | 20:17.0 | ALLISON ZIERKE | 2017 | 92 | -54 |
| 83 | 19:54.0 | SARA NESS | 2016 | 27 | -56 |
| 102 | 20:02.6 | SYDNEY SPRANGER | 2017 | 46 | -56 |
| 70 | 19:49.0 | PAIGE HOLUB | 2018 | 6 | -64 |
| 114 | 20:07.0 | DRAKE BRENNAN | 2018 | 45 | -69 |
| 76 | 19:51.0 | HALEY SCHROEDER | 2016 | 4 | -72 |
| 82 | 19:53.0 | SHELBY REICKS | 2017 | 8 | -74 |
| 178 | 20:25.2 | DEANNA NEWHOUSE | 2017 | 104 | -74 |
| 148 | 20:18.0 | LILY CAMPBELL | 2018 | 72 | -76 |
| 91 | 19:58.0 | LILY HORST | 2016 | 14 | -77 |
| 181 | 20:26.4 | RYAN WEISS | 2017 | 92 | -89 |
| 148 | 20:18.0 | SARAH ALTEMEIER | 2018 | 56 | -92 |
| 118 | 20:08.0 | JOY RIPSLINGER | 2017 | 21 | -97 |
| 183 | 20:29.0 | CARLY RAHN | 2017 | 82 | -101 |
| 151 | 20:18.3 | KATELYN MOORE | 2017 | 40 | -111 |
| 148 | 20:18.0 | BECCA MCDERMOTT | 2017 | 25 | -123 |
| 160 | 20:21.0 | SIERRA MITCHELL | 2017 | 17 | -143 |
| 190 | 20:31.0 | MADDY BRADLEY | 2016 | 41 | -149 |
| 157 | 20:20.0 | SIENNA DEJONG | 2017 | 4 | -153 |
| 174 | 20:25.0 | ANNA HOSTETLER | 2018 | 12 | -162 |
| 195 | 20:31.9 | ALEXIS COOK | 2017 | 32 | -163 |
| 185 | 20:29.4 | AMBER DECKER | 2016 | 16 | -169 |
| 197 | 20:33.0 | TAYLOR MCDONALD | 2018 | 15 | -182 |