Preseason Division II Regional Team Rankings Announced

NEW ORLEANS – Could 2014 be a year for a "changing of the guard" at the regional level in Division II cross country? Depends whether you’re looking at the men’s  or women’s Regional Team Rankings released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Three of the eight regions in the men’s rankings were topped by teams that finished third or lower in their respective regions a year ago, while just one region on the women’s side – the West Region – was absent a champion from its No. 1 spot.

American International‘s men finished fourth in the East Region last year but are projected as the early-season favorites behind last year’s fourth-place national finisher Michael Biwott, while the Shippensburg and Saint Leo men were tabbed preseason Nos. 1 in the Atlantic and South regions, respectively, following third-place finishes a year ago.

Regional Rankings Summary PDF | DII XC Rankings Central
QUICK LINKS: Men’s Regions | Women’s Regions

In those three men’s regions, the reigning regional team champs were ranked no lower than third – the minimum threshold for teams that qualify to the NCAA Division II Championships from each region – but the Alaska Anchorage women find themselves in a much more precarious situation.

The Seawolves are without their top four runners from their 2013 squad, and are consequently ranked No. 7 in the West, which is headed by last year’s regional runner-up Chico State. Going in the opposite direction was Cal Baptist, which moved up eight spots from its ninth-place 2013 showing to No. 2 in the preseason.

Such changes at the top were lacking in the other regions, particularly in the South Central and Midwest regions, homes to the reigning men’s and women’s national champions, respectively.

The Adams State men, winners of five of the past six national cross country team crowns, will begin 2014 at No. 1 in its region, while the Grand Valley State women, themselves champions in three of the past four years, open up their campaign atop the Midwest.

Adams State‘s women and Grand Valley State‘s men — both national runners-up a year ago — also claimed the No. 1 spots in those regions.

Rounding out the top-ranked men’s teams by region were Augustana (S.D.) (Central Region), Mount Olive (Southeast Region) and Chico State (West Region).

By women’s region, Edinboro (Atlantic Region), Minnesota Duluth (Central Region), Stonehill (East Region), Tampa (South Region) and Wingate (Southeast Region) all came in at No. 1 for their respection segments of the nation as reigning regional champions.

The preseason National Coaches Polls will be released Wednesday.

USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning team strength with current-season results in determining predicted team finishes at the NCAA Regional Championships.