2018 NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 3
NEW ORLEANS – One could have guessed there would be good movement in the latest NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday after one of the biggest weekends in the sport so far this season.
And they would be exactly right.
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In total 18 of the previous top-25 teams saw change in this week’s poll which includes seven of the top-10 programs in the country. Four schools also recorded their highest marks ever received in the national poll.
There was no change to the top as No. 1 Adams State recorded all eight first place votes for the fourth consecutive week to open the season. The Grizzlies proved why they were the top team in the country with a second-place finish at the Stanford Invitational.
Adams State was edged out by nationally-ranked No. 5 Stanford by just a 62-69 margin. The school knocked off No. 16 Washington among numerous other Division I programs. Eilish Flanagan was the top Adams State finisher with four-place performance.
It is the first time a team has started a season in the top spot for the first four weeks since Grand Valley State accomplished the feat in 2016.
Slotting in at No. 2 is Grand Valley State who experienced no change from the week before after the Lakers placed second at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational this past weekend. They were the top Division II team at the meet and were paced by Sarah Berger who was the top collegiate (second athlete overall).
Falling one to No. 3 is Western State although it wasn’t really too much off a drop from its tie for second in the last poll. The Mountaineers were off from competition and return with the running of the Lewis University Conference Cross-Over on October 6.
Remaining at No. 4 is U-Mary after the Marauders won the Maroon team title at the Roy Griak Invitational. All-Americans Jaiden Schuette and Ida Narbuvoll led the way in second and third, respectively.
Moving into the top-five for the first time this season was No. 5 Colorado Mines which is the highest rank received in program history. The Orediggers were off from competition this week and have October 13 circled on their calendar as it is the first time they will be returning to competition when they go head-to-head with Mountain Region rival Adams State at the Fort Hayes State Tiger Open.
No. 6 Augustana (S.D.), No. 7 Chico State and No. 8 Alaska Anchorage each dropped one spot from the previous poll.
Augustana (S.D.) placed second in the Maroon race at the Roy Griak Invitational and Chico State took fifth at the Capital Cross Challenge while Alaska Anchorage was idle this past weekend.
The largest gain in the poll was No. 9 UC-Colorado Springs which shot up six spots after a third-place showing in the Maroon race at Roy Griak. It is the highest rank for the school since the 2013 season.
Moving into the top-10 and improving two spots was No. 10 Walsh which is fresh off a second-place finish at the All-Ohio Championships.
The second-largest improvement in the poll belonged to a four spot rise by No. 15 Michigan Tech which was the highest mark received in program history.
No. 17 Azusa Pacific and No. 20 Drury each improved three spots as well. Both set new school records for highest mark received in the poll.
There was only one new team as No. 21 Seattle Pacific joined the national poll for the first time this season.
Shippensburg, Southwest Baptist and Tampa also received votes.
