2018 NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 3
NEW ORLEANS – Following the trend from last week, the top of the most recent NCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Tuesday remained the same, while there was a little movement throughout the middle of the pack again.
This weekend is one of the most anticipated weekends so far in the cross country season as the best teams in the country take to the course against one another. 15 of the current top-30 teams will compete at Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, four will be in South Bend, Indiana, for the Joe Piane Invitational, and two will be at Lehigh University’s Paul Short Run. One top-30 program will also compete at the Greater Louisville Classic and the legendary Roy Griak Invitational.
In total seven of the top-10 teams in the country will be in Wisconsin against a field of what should be 35 programs.
Keep reading to see who sits where heading into a poll changing weekend.
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For the fourth week in a row, New Mexico sits atop the national rankings as the defending champions once again received all 11 first-place votes. The team will be one to watch in Wisconsin this weekend as they are expected to race a full squad for the first time this year.
It is the longest time that the Lady Lobos have held the No. 1 ranking to start a season and is the program’s longest run in the top spot since holding it for seven consecutive weeks to end the 2015 season.
Colorado is in the No. 2 spot after the Buffaloes have been off from competition for the last few weeks since competing at the Wyoming Invite on August 31. Both Colorado and New Mexico will go head-to-head at Nuttycombe.
Remaining at No. 3 is Stanford, who will host the Stanford Invitational. The Cardinal have also been off from racing since opening weekend. They will be joined this Saturday by No. 16 Washington.
Coming in at No. 4 is Oregon, who was one of the only teams in the top of the standings to race this past weekend. The Ducks recorded an impressive showing in winning the Bill Dellinger Invitational as they placed the top-seven athletes at the meet. Oregon is off from competition this weekend.
No. 5 stayed with Boise State who has been off since a victory at the Sundodger Invitational on September 8 while NC State held the No. 6 spot and will get a chance to take to a course for the first time this year in Wisconsin.
No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 8 Villanova and No. 9 Arkansas all remained in their previous spots from the last poll after also being off this past weekend.
Boise State, NC State, Wisconsin, Villanova and Arkansas will all be at Nuttycombe.
Rounding out the top-10 is No. 10 Michigan who last raced and picked up a victory at the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational on September 15. The Wolverines return to action this weekend as the only top-30 team at the Greater Louisville Classic.
The top-11 teams in the rankings did not change from the previous poll. It was the fourth consecutive poll to open the year in which the top-seven teams remained the same.
In review 18 of the top-30 teams saw movement compared to their previous position last week and once again much of the change came in the middle section of the poll.
Nine of the possible 12 teams in spots No. 12 to No. 23 improved one this week as No. 12 Furman, No. 13 Penn State, No. 14 Utah, No. 15 Michigan State, No. 16 Washington, No. 17 Iowa State, No. 19 Indiana, No. 22 Notre Dame and No. 23 Minnesota each improved one spot from the previous poll.
No. 18 Ole Miss, No. 20 Georgia Tech and No. 24 Utah all joined the rankings for the first time this season.
Syracuse, Texas, Brown, SMU, Nevada, Colorado State and Ohio State all sat just outside the top-30 and received votes.
Make sure to check back in throughout the season, especially next week as a lot will change leading up to the 2018 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
WHERE IS THE COUNTY COMPETING THIS WEEKEND?
Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational:
No. 1 New Mexico, No. 2 Colorado, No. 5 Boise State, No. 6 NC State, No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 8 Villanova, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 13 Penn State, No. 15 Michigan State, No. 17 Iowa State, No. 19 Indiana, No. 25 Providence, No. 27 Georgetown, No. 29 Portland, No. 29 Oklahoma State
Joe Piane Invitational:
No. 11 BYU, No. 12 Furman, No. 21 California, No. 22 Notre Dame
Stanford Invitational:
No. 4 Stanford, No. 16 Washington
Paul Short Invitational:
No. 14 Utah State, No. 26 Georgia
Greater Louisville Classic:
No. 10 Michigan
Roy Griak Invitational:
No. 23 Minnesota
Off:
No. 4 Oregon, No. 18 Ole Miss, No. 20 Georgia Tech, No. 24 Utah, No. 28 Dartmouth
