2021 NJCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1

NEW ORLEANS – The College of Southern Idaho bolted to the lead as No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll.

It’s the first No. 1 ranking in program history for the Golden Eagles as an exciting season will culminate with the 2021 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 13 at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia.

NJCAA Division I — Women's Cross Country

This Week's National Top Five

1
Southern Idaho

2
Dodge City (Kan.) CC

2
New Mexico JC

4
Cloud County (Kan.) CC

5
Western Texas

Cross Country Polls & Rankings

NATIONAL POLL

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College of Southern Idaho opened the season impressively with four freshmen finishing ahead of the three returners from last year’s third-place team in the CSI Classic on September 3. CSI earned six of the eight first-place votes in the Week 1 poll.

Dodge City (Kan.) CC earned the only other first-place votes and tied New Mexico JC for the No. 2 position in the Week 1 poll. Dodge City, which returns six runners from last year’s fifth-place team, finished second at the Terry Masterson Classic on September 3 with 81 points. NMJC was national runner-up in 2019 but missed last year’s meet. The T-Birds opened up with an all-freshman squad that finished seventh in the Texas Tech Open on September 4.

Runners-up last year, Cloud County (Kan.) checks in at No. 4 in the Week 1 poll. The T-Birds were right behind Dodge City for third place at the Terry Masterson Classic.

Western Texas, ninth last year, was the second-highest JC team in the Texas Tech Open. The Westerners were led by Valerie Garcia, one of three freshmen who complement four returners.

Rounding out the top-10: No. 6 Garden City (Kan.) CC, No. 7 (tie) Hutchinson (Kan.) CC and North Central Texas, No. 9 Indian Hills (Iowa) and No. 10 Ranger (Texas) JC, the defending national champions.

Only programs which have competed this year are eligible in the poll.