2021 NJCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1
NEW ORLEANS – Much like last year, the NJCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll displays impressive balance.
Hawkeye (Iowa) CC leads a competitive group out of the gates as teams race for the final battle at the 2021 NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 13 at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia.
NJCAA Division II — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Hawkeye (Iowa) CC
Hawkeye (Iowa) CC
2
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
3
Heartland (Ill.) CC
Heartland (Ill.) CC
4
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
5
Cowley (Kan.)
Cowley (Kan.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
The RedTails return two top-10 finishers from last year’s third-place team in Ryann Portch and Kaylee Leicht. Hawkeye (Iowa) CC garnered seven of the 13 first-place votes in the Week 1 poll.
Wallace State (Ala.) is rated No. 2, a program-high. The Lions opened up with a seventh-place finish as the top JUCO team at the Jacksonville State Foothills Invitational on September 3.
Runners-up last year, Heartland (Ill.) CC captured five first-place votes in the Week 1 poll. The Hawks are looking for big things in the program’s second year, including a roster almost double in size from 2020.
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC is No. 4 in the Week 1 poll, matching their finish in last year’s national championships.
Cowley (Kan.) no longer has its two top-10 finishers from last year, but a freshman-dominated roster includes Karissa Glover, who finished third as the top JUCO runner at the Terry Masterson Classic on September 3.
Rounding out the top-10: No. 6 St. Clair County (Mich.) CC, No. 7 North Iowa Area CC, No. 8 Pasco-Hernando State (Fla.), No. 9 Florida Gateway and No. 10 Mesa (Ariz.) CC.
