2018 NJCAA DIII Cross Country National Coaches’ Ranking – Week 4
NEW ORLEANS – Ready or not: The 2018 NJCAA Division III Cross Country Championships are upon us!
This weekend marks the final meet of the season for those athletes and teams in NJCAA DIII.
Before they toe the starting line this weekend with national glory on the line, it would be prudent to check out the newest NJCAA DIII Cross Country National Coaches’ Rankings, as released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Week-by-Week Ranking Charts
NATIONAL COACHES’ RANKING
MEN: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All Years
WOMEN: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All Years
This will be the 18th installment of the NJCAA DIII Championships. The first meet was held back in 1991.
Men’s Story
Harper (Ill.) is the favorite to win the team title as it enters the meet ranked No. 1. That is a familiar spot for the Hawks, who have been ranked No. 1 in the season’s final index in each of the past three years. It should be noted that Harper (Ill.) has won seven consecutive national titles dating back to 2011. No men’s team in NJCAA DIII history has won eight in a row (SUNY Delhi also won seven in a row from 2004-2010).
Sandhills (N.C.) comes into the final meet of the season ranked second after swapping spots with Suffolk County (N.Y.). The Flyers recently finished as the top NJCAA DIII team at the Region X Championships and were led by sophomore Daniel Taylor. The Sharks, who fell to No. 3 this week, last competed at the St. Joseph’s Invitational on October 13.
Columbus State (Ohio) and Lorain County (Ohio) round out the top-5 in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Women’s Story
The top-3 teams remain unchanged from one week ago and that’s how they’ll go into the championship meet: Harper (Ill.) is No. 1, followed by No. 2 Hudson Valley (N.Y.) and No. 3 Suffolk County (N.Y.). The Hawks are looking to win their third consecutive national title. The Vikings have the reigning National Athlete of the Week on their roster (Mercedes Planavsky), while the Sharks are hoping to win their first national title since 2015.
Oxford (Ga.) jumped into the rankings for the first time this season. The Eagles won the team title at the Region X Championships this past weekend and are flying high at the right time.
Camden County (N.J.) fell one spot from No. 4 to No. 5 ahead of the biggest meet of the year.
