2018 NJCAA DI Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1
NEW ORLEANS – The NJCAA Division I cross country season is well underway, which means it’s time for Week One of the Men’s and Women’s National Coaches’ Polls, released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA).
The top teams in the nation will spend the season battling for eventual podium spots at the 2018 NJCAA National Championships on Saturday, November 10 in Garden City, Kansas, hosted by Garden City Community College.
Week-by-Week Ranking Charts
NATIONAL COACHES’ RANKING
MEN: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All Years
WOMEN: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All Years
Men’s Story
Central Arizona College was named the top team in the nation as last year’s national runner up looks to take another shot at the title with a deep squad.
The Vaqueros are led by All-Americans Manuel Olivio-Quinones and Ikageng Goarekwa who finished fourth and 12th at nationals a year ago. Central Arizona got the year underway with a fifth-place finish at the UC-Riverside Invitational, knocking off multiple NCAA Division I teams in the process.
The program hasn’t finished lower than third at the NJCAA Championships since 2010 and received nine of the 11 first place votes in this week’s poll.
Earning one first place vote to take the No. 2 spot was last year’s national champions in Iowa Central Community College.
The Tritons are fresh off a win at the All-American Invitational this past weekend and have already raced three times this season.
Cloud County Community College was picked as the No. 3 team after the squad has had an impressive early start to the year. The unit, which firsted 13th at nationals last season, just won the Class Golf standings at the Woody Greeno/Dirksen Invitational which consisted of NCAA DII, NAIA and NJCAA teams.
The group has been led by Dennis Kiptoo who has been named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for two-straight weeks.
Claiming the No. 4 spot was El Paso Community College after the unit claimed the team title at the Lori Fitzgerald Classic this past weekend, beating out teams from Western New Mexico, New Mexico State and UTEP.
Rounding out the top-five is No. 5 Hutchinson Community College after the Blue Dragons won the College/JUCO Men’s Race at the Missouri Southern Stampede Classic this past weekend.
Women’s Story
The top of women’s poll was closer than that of the men’s as defending national champion Iowa Central Community College was selected in the No. 1 spot with six first place votes.
The Tritons won the All-American Invitational this past weekend in their third race of the season. The unit was led by individual champion Abeba Sullivan who was named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for her efforts.
Right behind them in No. 2 is El Paso Community College with four first place votes after the group finished second overall at the Lori Fitzgerald Open, bettering teams from New Mexico, New Mexico State and Western New Mexico.
Slotting in at No. 3 is Cowley County College after they won the College/JUCO race at the Missouri Southern Stampede Classic this past weekend.
Taking the No. 4 spot is last year’s runner up Central Arizona College. The Vaqueras are led by All-American Allianna Atencio and are fresh off a 10th-place finish at the UC-Riverside Invitational.
Completing the top-five is No. 5 South Plains College after the Lady Texans finished fourth overall at the Texas Tech Open this past weekend.
