2018 NJCAA DI Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 4
NEW ORLEANS – After the running of Regional Championships around the country, there was much movement to be had in both sides of the latest NJCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s National Coaches’ Polls released on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The men’s side of the poll saw the crowning of a new No. 1 program to go along with movement of 18 of the top-25 teams. Included in that number is a change by nine of the ten teams in the top-10.
And while the top of the women’s poll might have remained intact, it too saw 18 of the top-25 teams switch in rank from the previous edition and some large jumps by programs in the back end of the rankings.
Week-by-Week Ranking Charts
NATIONAL COACHES’ POLL
MEN: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All Years
WOMEN: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All Years
The top teams in the nation will meet at the 2018 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 10, in Garden City, Kansas, hosted by Garden City Community College.
MEN’S STORY
There’s a new No. 1 team in the nation as Iowa Central CC took the top spot for the first time this season after it collected seven first place votes. The program is coming off a win at the Region XI Championships this past weekend with a 20-point performance.
Trading spots with them was No. 2 Central Arizona despite a win at the NJCAA Region I Championships on Monday. Central Arizona captured the team title after posting 21 points and received three first place votes for their efforts this week.
Holding at No. 3 was El Paso CC after a team title at the Region V/WJCAC Championships. The squad took home the top prize with a score of 23 points.
The largest gain in the poll belong to No. 4 Hutchinson (Kan.) CC who shot up four spots after winning the Region V Championships by a four-point margin. It was the best mark received in the poll in program history.
Rounding out the top-five was No. 5 Southern Idaho who was off from competition this past weekend.
Big improvements were also made by No. 14 Hawkeye (Iowa) CC (up three spots), No. 19 Highland (Kan.) CC (up two) and No. 21 North Iowa Area CC (up two).
The only new ranked program this week was No. 24 Waubonsee (Ill.) CC who has now been ranked for two of the four polls released this season.
WOMEN’S STORY
The No. 1 spot once again belonged with Iowa Central CC after a perfect 15-point victory at the Region XI Championships over the weekend. Iowa Central collected all ten first place votes after the performance and have now sat atop the country for all four polls released this season.
Remaining at No. 2 for the fourth consecutive week was El Paso CC after the group took the title at the Region V/WJCAC Championships.
Advancing one spot to No. 3 was Cowley (Kan.) after a solid performance in picking up a victory at the Region VI/Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division Championship. The team finished 41 points better than the next closest program.
Also jumping up one spot was No. 4 Central Arizona after a team win at the Region I Championships. The group ran well in recording 27 points.
Dropping two spots to No. 5 was Southern Idaho after an off week from competition.
While the top of the chart might not have moved much the rest of the poll saw programs take huge leaps from their previous ranking.
The largest rise belonged to No. 12 South Plains (Texas) who shot up six spots. Big improvements were also seen by No. 8 Pima (Ariz.) CC (up five), No. 17 Colby (Kan.) CC (up four), and No. 21 Dodge City (Kan.) CC (up three). It was a new program best for Pima CC.
No. 25 Cuyahoga (Ohio) CC was the only new addition to this week’s poll as they were ranked for the first time this season.
