Shake Up At Top Of NAIA Men’s XC Coaches’ Poll
KANSAS CITY, Mo — British Columbia claims the No. 1 spot in the 2016 NAIA Men’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the NAIA national office announced Wednesday.
The next Top 25 poll will be released on Oct. 12.
Top 25 highlights (historical information dates back to 2001):
- British Columbia slides into the No. 1 ranking in the Top 25, garnering nine first-place votes and 516 points.
- This is the first time in school history the Thunderbirds have been ranked No. 1.
- Coming in at No. 2 is St. Francis (Ill.), which earned nine first-place votes and 514 points, has been active in the top five for the last 13 polls.
- Rounding out the top 5 is Southern Oregon at No. 3 with 504 points and one first place vote, The Master’s (Calif.) at No. 4 with 463 points and Marian (Ind.) at No. 5 with 451 points.
- The biggest move in the Top 25 is Oklahoma City, falling from No. 2 in the regular season poll to No. 10, and Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), dropping from No. 5 to No. 15.
- The Cascade Collegiate Conference leads the NAIA with four teams in the Top 25, followed by rhe Golden State Athletic Conference and the Crossroads League with three.
- No. 13 Aquinas (Mich.) extends its streak of being in the Top 25 poll to a NAIA-best 158-consecutive mentions, dating back to Aug. 22, 2000.
- Only three programs have gone the entire season ranked No. 1 – Oklahoma City (2014), former NAIA member Malone (Ohio) (2008) and former NAIA member Lindenwood (Mo.) (2007).
- There are three new teams in the Top 25 – No. 18 Northwest Christian (Ore.), No. 22 Eastern Oregon and No. 25 Missouri Valley.
NAIA MEN’S XC COACHES’ POLL (TOP 25) |
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| RANK | LAST | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 4 | British Columbia (9) | 516 |
| 2 | 1 | St. Francis (Ill.) (9) | 514 |
| 3 | 3 | Southern Oregon (1) | 504 |
| 4 | 6 | The Master’s (Calif.) | 463 |
| 5 | 7 | Marian (Ind.) | 451 |
| 6 | 9 | Saint Mary (Kan.) | 412 |
| 6 | 8 | SCAD Savannah (Ga.) | 412 |
| 8 | 10 | College of Idaho | 408 |
| 9 | 15 | Biola (Calif.) | 396 |
| 10 | 2 | Oklahoma City | 372 |
| 11 | 17 | Indiana Tech | 355 |
| 12 | 12 | Aquinas (Mich.) | 342 |
| 13 | 10 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 328 |
| 14 | 13 | Taylor (Ind.) | 325 |
| 15 | 5 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 302 |
| 16 | 16 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 265 |
| 17 | 23 | Westmont (Calif.) | 241 |
| 18 | NR | Northwest Christian (Ore.) | 229 |
| 19 | 14 | Bacone (Okla.) | 228 |
| 20 | 19 | Shawnee State (Ohio) | 176 |
| 21 | 20 | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 172 |
| 22 | 21 | Bethel (Ind.) | 152 |
| 22 | NR | Eastern Oregon | 152 |
| 24 | 22 | Morningside (Iowa) | 130 |
| 25 | NR | Missouri Valley | 94 |
Others receiving votes: Columbia (Mo.) 78; Cornerstone (Mich.) 75; Carroll (Mont.) 57; Bethel (Tenn.) 55; Dordt (Iowa) 53; Dalton State (Ga.) 48; Milligan (Tenn.) 46; Oregon Tech 46; Indiana Wesleyan 21; Wayland Baptist 12; Corban (Ore.) 4; Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 3; Cumberlands (Ky.) 3.