2019 NJCAA DI Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 3

NEW ORLEANS – While Cloud County CC and Iowa Central CC remain at the top of the NJCAA Division I Cross Country National Polls, each program is followed by a new school in the No. 2 position.

Both polls show the best are in final preparation stages, with most regionals next week and the 2019 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships just over three weeks away on Saturday, November 9, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

NJCAA Division I — Men's Cross Country

This Week's National Top Five

1
Cloud County (Kan.) CC

2
El Paso (Texas) CC

3
Iowa Central CC

4
Central Arizona

5
Southern Idaho

Cross Country Polls & Rankings

NATIONAL POLL

Cloud County CC remained as the nation’s No. 1 squad, finishing as the top JUCO team at the Chile Pepper Festival on October 5. The T-Birds, led by perhaps the country’s best runner in Dais Malebana, have earned the majority of the first-place votes in each poll this season.

El Paso CC made the biggest move of the top five teams, rising up to No. 2 after residing at No. 4 in the last two polls. The Tejanos are led by Gideon Cheplak, one of team’s three top-10 runners returning from last year’s third-place unit.

Last year’s top two teams – Iowa Central CC and Central Arizona – follow at Nos. 3 and 4. If neither programs wins the nationals this year, it will be the first time since 2011 that one of them hasn’t been national champion.

Southern Idaho made its first appearance in the top-5 after opening at No. 9, followed by a No. 7 in the last poll.

NJCAA Division I — Women's Cross Country

This Week's National Top Five

1
Iowa Central CC

2
Southern Idaho

3
El Paso (Texas) CC

4
South Plains (Texas)

5
Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)

Cross Country Polls & Rankings

NATIONAL POLL

Nobody seems able to slow down Iowa Central CC, which sits as a unanimous No. 1 for the third time this year. The Tritons, led by Winrose Chesang, were the class JUCO team at Chile Pepper Festival on Oct. 5 as they march towards a three-peat as national champions.

Rising to No. 2 is Southern Idaho, top JUCO finisher at the Inland Championships on Saturday. The Golden Eagles were third in last year’s nationals.

El Paso CC and South Plains are next in the poll, though their order was reversed when they met at the South Plains Open on Oct. 5. On that day only 5 points – and No. 8 New Mexico JC – separated the Texas rivals. El Paso is led by defending national champ Everlyn Kemboi, who was 3rd in that race behind NMJC’s Flomena Asekol and Gladys Jemaiyo of South Plains.

Monroe, the top JUCO team in the Louisville Classic on Oct. 5, is No. 5, up one spot from the last poll after opening at No. 10. Before this year, the Mustangs – 21st in last year’s nationals – had a high ranking of No. 11 in week 2 of 2018.