2018 NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll — Week 2
NEW ORLEANS – If you thought the Regional Rankings were boring this week you might be slightly disappointed in Week Two of the NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll that was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA).
There was close to no changes in the current poll as the top-10 teams all remained the same and just nine of the top-25 teams had any movement from the last ranking.
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Adams State once again received all eight first place votes to hold down the No. 1 ranking for the third-straight week to open the year. It is the first time a team has started a season for that many weeks at the top since Grand Valley State opened as the top team for the first four polls in 2016.
The Grizzlies finished second at the Mountaineer/Cowboy Invite back on September 15 and will race again at the Fort Hays State Tiger Open on October 13.
Western State and Grand Valley State remained in a tie for No. 2 as both teams were off from competition this past weekend. Grand Valley will return to the course this weekend at the Lakefront Invitational while Western State will be off until the Lewis University Conference Cross-Over on October 6.
No. 4 U-Mary and No. 5 Augustana (S.D.) rounded out the nation’s top-five and both will be at the Roy Griak Invitational this weekend.
No. 6 Chico State, No. 7 Alaska Anchorage, No. 8 Colorado Mines, No. 9 Simon Fraser, No. 10 Hillsdale all held pat to make up the country’s top-ten teams.
Chico State will take to the course for the first time this weekend for the Capital Cross Challenge.
Alaska Anchorage is fresh off a win at the UNLV Invitational and will race next at the Western Washington Invitational on October 20.
Colorado Mines will be off until they meet up with Adams State at the Tiger Open in October.
Simon Fraser is in action this weekend at the Stanford Invitational while Hillsdale will be competing at the Greater Louisville Classic.
The biggest improvement of the week belonged to No. 20 Azusa Pacific as they shot up five spots from the previous poll despite being off this past weekend. It is the highest ranking ever received in program history.
Azusa Pacific finished fifth overall in its last race at the UC Riverside Invitational on September 15, knocking off quite a few Division I programs in the process. A correction in the poll was due for the talented squad.
No. 25 Pittsburg State, who was the only new program to the poll, re-joined the top-25 for the second time this season.
Tampa and Seattle Pacific also received votes.
