Southern Oregon Takes Over NAIA Men’s Cross Country Coaches’ Poll

Contact: Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information & Media Services, [email protected]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With 19 first-place votes for 650 points, Southern Oregon has taken the top-spot in the fourth edition of the NAIA Men’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Wednesday. The Raiders are the owners of the No. 1 ranking for the first time during the 2010 season, taking over a spot that was occupied by Malone (Ohio) for the first three regular season and preseason polls. Shawnee State (Ohio) bumped up two spots to No. 2 and was awarded one first-place vote for 614 points. Malone dropped back to No. 3, earning two first-place nods and 612 points. Fourth-ranked Wayland Baptist (Texas) landed one first-place nod for 604 points and Embry-Riddle (Fla.) held on to its No. 5 ranking with 562 points. 

Southern Oregon returns to the top of the Top 25 for the first time since spending the final three polls of the 2009 campaign at No. 1. Malone’s reign on top came to a close after registering a seventh-place finish at the All-Ohio Championships on Oct. 1. At the event, Shawnee State finished sixth as a team with 151 points to the Pioneers’ 159 points. 

The shake-up of teams at the top of the poll caused a ripple effect throughout as three more teams improved their position and 10 dropped in rank. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) reaped the greatest benefit with a climb of seven spots from No. 18 to 11. Of the teams that fell back, six changed by two spots. Oklahoma Baptist’s fall from No. 20 to 25 marked the largest regression. 

After a preseason No. 25 ranking, Bryan (Tenn.) spent the first three polls on the outside looking in. The Lions ended the hiatus by landing a spot on the poll at No. 18. No. 21 Great Falls (Mont.) garnered its first Top-25 showing of the 2010 campaign. The pair of newcomers replace previously ranked-No. 21 Vanguard (Calif.) and No. 25 Black Hills State (S.D.). 

Fourteen conferences and independents were recognized in the Top 25, with seven boasting multiple teams in the poll. Four leagues, The Association of Independent Institutions, Cascade Collegiate Conference, Golden State Athletic Conference and Sooner Athletic Conference, landed a trio of ranked teams. The American Mideast Conference, Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference and Frontier Conference all have two Top-25 programs. 

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The next poll of the 2010 season will be released on Oct. 12.

Others receiving votes: Siena Heights University (Mich.) 161; Vanguard University (Calif.) 124; McKendree University (Ill.) 106; Black Hills State University (S.D.) 98; Marian University (Ind.) 57; Southwestern College (Kan.) 47; Concordia University (Ore.) 34; Dakota State University (S.D.) 22; Indiana Wesleyan University 12; Indiana Institute of Technology 4; Cornerstone University (Mich.) 1; Dordt College (Iowa) 1; Union University (Tenn.) 1; Morningside College (Iowa) 1; William Woods University (Mo.) 1; Westmont College (Calif.) 1.

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Top Five Maintain Control of NAIA Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Poll
Cascade Collegiate Conference and the Golden State Athletic Conference continue dominance on the poll

Oct. 6, 2010

Contact: Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information & Media Services, [email protected]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The nation’s top-five women’s cross country teams maintained their control in the fourth edition of the NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, the national office announced Wednesday. Biola (Calif.) tallied 24 of 25 possible first-place votes and 715 total points to spend a fifth-consecutive week at No. 1. Second-ranked California State-San Marcos was awarded one first-place nod for 686 points. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) is ranked third with 669 points and is followed by No. 4 Simon Fraser (B.C.) with 646 points and No. 5 Malone (Ohio) with 629 points. 

Not only did the top-five squads hold on to their spots in the poll, but so did seven others including a pair of top-10 teams in No. 7 College of Idaho and No. 8 Milligan (Tenn.). 

Changes were minimal with 12 total teams carrying over their rank. Indiana Wesleyan made the biggest jump, moving from No. 18 to 13. Both sixth-ranked Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) and 10th-ranked British Columbia bumped up three spots from last week’s announcement. 

Concordia (Ore.) was one of five teams that dropped back in the Top 25. The Cavaliers, ranked sixth in the last poll, plummeted 12 spots to No. 18. The four other slipped only slightly, moving one or two spots. 

Previously ranked-No. 25 Wayland Baptist (Texas) fell out of the Top 25 and opened the door for Carroll (Mont.), who checks in at No. 22. The Fighting Saints were ranked No. 25 in the Sept. 22 poll. 

Thirteen conferences are represented among the Top 25, seven of which boast multiple teams. The Cascade Collegiate Conference and the Golden State Athletic Conference continue to lead the league listings with four ranked programs. The Association of Independent Institutions landed a trio of teams among the Top 25. Four conferences have two ranked teams. 

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The next poll of the 2010 season will be released on Oct. 12.

Others receiving votes: Lee University (Tenn.) 133; Wayland Baptist University (Texas) 91; Indiana Institute of Technology 69; Northwest Christian University (Ore.) 48; Spring Arbor University (Mich.) 47; Shorter University (Ga.) 37; Park University (Mo.) 31; William Jewell College (Mo.) 23; Northwestern College (Iowa) 17; Shawnee State University (Ohio) 12; Southwestern College (Kan.) 7; Jamestown College (N.D.) 5; Rocky Mountain College (Mont.) 3; Minot State University (N.D.) 3; Houghton College (N.Y.) 1; Oklahoma Baptist University 1; Baker University (Kan.) 1; Vanguard University (Calif.) 1; Taylor University (Ind.) 1; SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 1.