2023 NCAA DIII Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – Cross country is back!
Here is the preseason edition of the NCAA DIII Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2023 season, as released on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Regional Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams’ strength with current season results (if applicable) in determining a rank-order of squad potential. Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible to receive a ranking. Teams with provisional status within the region may be ranked.
Regional Championships Saturday is set for November 11.
East Region
Defending regional champion MIT is No. 1 to begin the season, followed by No. 2 Bates and No. 3 Tufts. The Engineers, who also won the national title last year, outclassed the field in 2022 as they scored just 21 points to beat the second-ranked Bobcats by 51 points. The Jumbos ended up fourth last year, one spot behind Colby, which is ranked sixth at the start of the current season.
No. 4 Bowdoin and No. 5 WPI round out the preseason top-5.
Great Lakes Region
Calvin, last year’s runner-up, is expected to win the regional title. The Knights return their entire top-7 and are led by Brandan Knepper. Two-time defending regional champion John Carroll sits No. 2 and will have to find a way to replace Alex Phillip, who transferred to North Carolina. Third-ranked Mount Union welcomes back six of its top-7 runners from last year’s squad.
No. 4 Hope and No. 5 Trine round out the top-5 teams in the preseason.
Metro Region
Two-time defending champion Haverford leads the way in the preseason thanks to returning five athletes who went sub-14:55 over 5000 meters outdoors. Moravian, last year’s third-place team, is ranked second in the preseason and has a strong contingent returning in 2023. Swarthmore sits third and is led by Will Sheehy, who finished fourth in the region last year.
No. 4 Rowan and No. 5 TCNJ round out the preseason top-5.
Mid-Atlantic Region
Defending regional champion Carnegie Mellon headlines the preseason rankings thanks to returning six of the seven runners who helped it top the podium in 2022. The regional ranker expects Johns Hopkins to make a run at the regional title, too, as it sits second to begin the season. Marywood is third and welcomes back its entire top-7 and adds a few talented freshmen.
No. 4 Dickinson and No. 5 Messiah round out the preseason top-5.
Mideast Region
Two-time defending regional champion Williams tops the preseason rankings, but must rely on several new faces since four athletes from last year’s top-7 are no longer on the team. RPI, last year’s runner-up, holds down a familiar spot and returns four of its top-7 runners. Middlebury has four All-Region athletes back in the mix and starts the season ranked third.
No. 4 Amherst and No. 5 Connecticut College round out the preseason top-5.
Midwest Region
North Central (Ill.) is projected to top the Midwest Region once again. The Cardinals return all but one of their top-7 runners from their 2022 squad. Wartburg is expected to push NCC for the crown, just as it did last year, especially with its depth returning. Washington (Mo.) might have finished fifth at the meet last year, but the regional ranker expects more from them in 2023.
No. 4 Loras and No. 5 Central (Iowa) round out the preseason top-5.
Niagara Region
Two-time defending regional champion SUNY Geneseo headlines the preseason rankings as it welcomes back four top-7 runners from its 2022 title-winning squad. SUNY Brockport, last year’s runner-up, sits second to begin the season. NYU comes in third in the initial index.
No. 4 RIT and No. 5 Rochester (N.Y.) round out the preseason top-5.
North Region
Competition will be fierce in the North Region this year as top-ranked UW-La Crosse, second-ranked UW-Whitewater and third-ranked St. Olaf all have strong squads. The Eagles and the Warhawks both welcome back their entire top-7s from 2022 and have depth behind them. The Oles have six athletes back from 2022 and added a transfer from a top NCAA DI program.
No. 4 UW-Oshkosh and No. 5 Saint John’s round out the preseason top-5.
South Region
Emory and Lynchburg put on a masterclass in competitive racing at last year’s regional meet as the Eagles edged the Hornets by just one point, 46-47. Lynchburg and Emory swap spots in the preseason rankings as the former returns a bit more talent than the latter. Washington & Lee, which finished fourth last year, holds down the third spot going into the 2023 season.
No. 4 Berry and No. 5 Christopher Newport round out the preseason top-5.
West Region
Two-time defending regional champion Pomona-Pitzer headlines the West Region. The Sagehens welcome back a strong core from a team that won the 2022 regional title by 29 points. 2022 runner-up Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is ranked second in the preseason, followed by third-ranked George Fox. Both the Stags and the Bruins return formidable groups in 2023.
No. 4 UC Santa Cruz and No. 5 Colorado College round out the preseason top-5.
