2019 NCAA DII Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS — After winning the first national men’s cross country title in program history, the Grand Valley State Lakers enter the 2019 season as the No. 1 team in NCAA’s Division II according to a poll of coaches released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
NCAA Division II — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
2
Western Colorado
Western Colorado
3
Colo. School of Mines
Colo. School of Mines
4
Chico State
Chico State
5
Adams State
Adams State
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
GVSU enjoys its first preseason No. 1 plaudit in program history and is listed in the top spot in the poll overall for the first time since 2015.
After the Lakers, RMAC — Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference — programs hold the No. 2, 3, 5, and 10 spots.
At No. 2, Western Colorado earns its best preseason ranking since 2013 after notching a third-place finish at last year’s NCAA championships.
Colorado School of Mines assumes the No. 3 spot in the preseason for the third-consecutive year. The 2015 national champion Orediggers have compiled seven podium finishes at the NCAA championships this decade and finished runner-up in 2018.
It’s a broken record for Chico State at No. 4. They’ve assumed that exact position in the preseason for the sixth time in seven years. After placing seventh last year, the Wildcats look to jump back on the NCAA’s podium for the first time since 2016.
For the first time since 2002, No. 5 Adams State sits outside the top two in the preseason poll. The winners of eight national crowns since 2008, the Grizzlies placed fourth at the 2018 national meet.
At No. 6, Missouri Southern has produced its best showing in the poll since they were No. 5 in the 2001 preseason tally. While starting last year at No. 20, the Lions climbed to a season-best No. 7 at year’s end, ultimately finishing 11th at the national championships.
Coming off its best national finish in program history in fifth-place, Sioux Falls at No. 7 hits an all-time program best ranking.
More all-time bests were set by No. 15 Charleston (W.Va.) and No. 20 Michigan Tech.
The South Central region with six in the national top 25 leads among all regions. The Midwest and West regions follow close behind with five teams each in the listing.
The RMAC leads the way among conferences with five listed in the top 25, including three-of-the-top-five spots with No. 2 Western Colorado, No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, and No. 5 Adams State. The GLIAC and GNAC each have three in the preseason order.
The NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships are slated for Saturday, November 23rd in Sacramento, Calif. The national poll has no bearance on selection for the national meet.
