2021 NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 2
NEW ORLEANS – The cross country season is moving right along!
Twenty-three changes took place in the Week 2 installment of the 2021 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).
NCAA Division II — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
2
Colo. School of Mines
Colo. School of Mines
3
Adams State
Adams State
4
Augustana (S.D.)
Augustana (S.D.)
5
Lee (Tenn.)
Lee (Tenn.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Grand Valley State continues to sit atop the National Coaches’ Poll after receiving all eight first-place votes. The Lakers debuted a full squad at the Spartan Invitational and finished second to NCAA Division I Michigan State, currently ranked No. 6 nationally. Hannah Becker paced GVSU with her seventh-place finish in the individual standings.
Holding steady for a second week in a row is No. 2 Colorado School of Mines, No. 3 Adams State and No. 4 Augustana (S.D.). The Orediggers topped the field at the Roadrunners Invitational and had seven runners in the top-13, including their first five in the top-9, led by a 2-3 punch from Zoe Baker and Molly Maksin, respectively. The Grizzlies sent a squad to compete at the Mountaineer Cowboy Invite, and although they finished third in the team standings, they did not have their top-5 racing this past week.
Not only is Lee (Tenn.) in the top-5 for the first time this season, it is also their best billing in program history. The fifth-ranked Flames placed sixth at the Florida State Open in a field that featured several nationally ranked NCAA DI programs, including co-No. 1 BYU. Celine Ritter starred for the Flames and posted an 11th place finish to be the first NCAA DII athlete across the line.
Cal State Stanislaus moved up to No. 6 this week for a program best, while Southwest Baptist improved to five spots to No. 7 for their first appearance in the top-10 since 2015, and second overall. The Bearcats finished second to NCAA DI Arkansas at the Missouri Southern Stampede and took down several NCAA DII opponents in the process. Elysia Burgos and Tessa Valdivia earned top-10 finishes in fifth and ninth, respectively.
Colorado Christian, which moved up six spots from No. 27 to No. 21, is also enjoying a program-best ranking. The Cougars put together a strong outing at the Roadrunners Invite that ended in a third place finish behind Colorado School of Mines and NCAA DI Colorado State, who finished first and second, respectively. Shannon King was the first Cougar across the line in seventh, while Paige Tack also earned a top-10 finish in tenth.
There are four new faces in this week’s National Coaches’ Poll: No. 23 Northwest Missouri, No. 25 West Texas A&M and No. 26 Saginaw Valley State both moved from the Land of the Not Ranked; No. 29 Western Colorado was previously receiving votes. The Bearcats are back in the National Coaches’ Poll for the first time since 2012 and earned a third place finish at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite. The Lady Buffs, who are making their first appearance in the national poll since 2014, placed fourth at the Southern Stampede, led by a 1-2 finish from Florance Uwajeneza and Eleonora Curtabbi.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 20, as the 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will take place at Abbey Golf Course in Tampa, Florida.
