East Lyme

Coach: David Sdao (7th season).

Key returnees: Jr. Kirsten Thompson, So. Lily Whittaker, Sr. Liv Otter, Sr. Becca Alaimo, Jr. Allie Fenton, Sr. Kendall Roberts, Jr. Serena Valentin.

Top newcomers: Fr. Colleen Keller, Fr. Erin Collinge, Jr. Charlotte Wojcik, So. Kayla Berchielli, So. Maura Whaley.

Outlook: The Vikings will build around Thompson, who placed fourth in the ECC meet a year ago. Whittaker, who was 24th as a freshman, Fenton, Otter and Alaimo also return and Sdao said the improvement shown by Valentin and Roberts will make East Lyme a solid team. The Vikings have more than 30 runners in the program, so Sdao's top runners will constantly be pushed.

Fitch

Coach: Shawn Towne (21st year).

Key returnees: Sr. Alana Olendorf, Sr. Caleigh Coers, Sr. Haley Pope, Jr. Alicia Moroyoqui, So. Molly Reinhold, So. Kailey Sullivan, Jr. Katie Schneider.

Outlook: The Falcons are coming off one of the program's best seasons in recent history, beating rival NFA to win the Large Division and following that up with a victory in the ECC championship meet. Towne isn't sure his team can repeat that effort, especially with the loss of top runner Sarah Dinovelli (8th in the ECC meet), but Reinhold was an ECC all-star as a freshman and Olendorf placed 11th in the conference meet, so Fitch should be strong and will only get better once some of its younger runners gain experience.

Ledyard

Coach: Bruce Douglass (42nd year).

Key returnees: Jr. Megan Brawner, Jr. Carina Mitchell, Jr. Katherine Woodmansee, Jr. May Zhang, So. Erin Gralton, Sr. Emme Cronin.

Top newcomers: Sr. Jessica Burger, Fr. Averie Greeley.

Outlook: The Colonels were 9-3 in 2013, including an impressive early-season win over NFA, but No. 1 runner Jordan Houdeshell struggled with injuries down the stretch and they struggled in the postseason. Houdeshell and No. 2 Julia Driscoll are gone, but juniors Mitchell and Woodmansee lead a strong returning group. Said Douglass: "Our goal is to perform better in the ECC and state meets with a more cohesive team performance."

NFA

Coach: Kara Kochanski-Vendola (9th year).

Key returnees: Sr. Evelyn Cournoyer, Sr. Alyssa Field, So. Kelsie Hall, Jr. Reide Jacksin, So. Margaret Lewerk, Sr. Henley Smith, So. Lindsay Sylvia, Sr. Erica Traini.

Top newcomers: So. Breanna Cubilla, Fr. Sydney Corl, Fr. Sydney Kupis, So. Mackenzie Lane, So. Aliza Moyer, Fr. Emma Trombley.

Outlook: Field finished ninth in the ECC meet last year, while Lewerk and Sylvia had top 25 finishes despite being freshmen, so the Wildcats have some key returnees from last year's team which finished 11-4 overall, 8-2 in the Large Division. Kochanski-Vendola said NFA has better depth than previous seasons and expects to challenge defending champion Fitch and Woodstock Academy for the division title.

ECC Medium

New London

Coach: Bob Castronova (4th year).

Key returnees: Sr. Deanna McCarvell, Sr. Enna Pierce, Jr. Brianna Jones, Jr. Rebecca Weigel.

Outlook: Numbers continue to be an issue for the Whalers (2-14), but Castronova does have some experience led by seniors McCarvell and Pierce. McCarvell was a member of New London's state championship basketball team last winter, so her leadership will be key.

Stonington

Coach: Jenna Ross (6th year).

Top returnees: Sr. Antonia Reynolds, Sr. Caralyn Granato, Jr. Elyse Huysman, Jr. Sienna Gray, Sr. Meg Rolfe, Jr. Serena Monteiro.

Top newcomers: Fr. Liz Gray, Jr. Mallory McArdle, Jr. Claire Morehouse.

Outlook: The Bears were in the middle of the pack in the Medium Division, finishing 7-9 overall, 5-5 in the division, but with the return of the majority of their top runners and some newcomers to push them, Ross expects Stonington to improve and possibly contend for a divisional title.

Waterford

Coach: Chris Gamble (8th year).

Key returnees: Sr. Jennifer Kohl, Jr. Jeannette Mooney.

Outlook: The Lancers had a winning record in the Medium Division (6-4) while finishing 8-8 overall, but are struggling for numbers and will have to rely heavily on some untested newcomers to remain competitive this fall. Waterford does have one of the top returning runners in Mooney, however. She placed 10th in the ECC meet as a sophomore and was a Medium all-star.

ECC Small

St. Bernard

Coach: Susan Griffin (7th year).

Key returnees: Sr. Erica Massad, Sr. Kathryn McKinley, Jr. Kaelin Smith, So. Ellen Arvidson, So. Autumn Kane, So. Anna McKinley.

Top newcomers: So. Julie Sedensky, Fr. Christina McCaffrey.

Outlook: Arvidson was 13th in the ECC and 12th in Class S as a freshman last season, as the Saints went 7-3 in the ECC Small Division to finish tied for second behind unbeaten Griswold (10-0). Massad and Kathryn McKinley are captains and McCaffrey fits into the top group after a successful middle school season a year ago. "I'm looking forward to this group of girls," Griffin said. "You can tell I've been working with these girls for a couple of years. You can give them harder workouts and there's a little grumbling, but they're responding. I have a nice pack. I'm excited."

Wheeler

Coach: Diane Kodama (11th year).

Key returnees: Sr. Kelsey Melinosky, Sr. Sarah Volack, Jr. Lea Janz.

Top newcomers: Jr. Justine Gouvin, Jr. Lauren Swanson.

Outlook: The Lions begin the season with only five runners, so staying healthy is a must. But Melinosky is a returning ECC Small Division all-star after playing 19th in the ECC meet, so remaining competitive in the division (Wheeler was 4-6 last year, 5-11 overall) is possible.

Others

Norwich Tech

Coach: Adam Lachendro (6th year).

Key returnees: Sr. Sarah Noel, So. April Sanborn.

Top newcomer: Fr. Santi Smith.

Outlook: The Warriors are coming off a 2-2 season, but will rely on three freshmen to be key contributors during their Constitution State Conference season. Noel will provide senior leadership.

Old Lyme

Coach: Barb O'Leary (10th year).

Key returnees: Rachel Vandette, Meri Duxbury, Ava Restrepo.

Top newcomers: Mae Lucey, Emma Pennie, Anna Mesham.

Outlook: The Wildcats will field a young team in 2014, but O'Leary feels there is enough talent to keep Old Lyme competitive in the always strong Shoreline Conference.