2023 NCAA DIII Women’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – Cross country is back!
Here is the preseason edition of the NCAA DIII Women’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
One look at the results from the East Region Championships last year shows you exactly where the teams stand in the preseason: defending champion MIT comes in at No. 1; regional runner-up Bates is ranked second; third-place Brandeis is billed third to begin the season.
No. 4 Tufts and No. 5 Bowdoin round out the preseason top-5.
Great Lakes Region
Fans should see strong competition throughout the season between defending regional champion John Carroll and two other top-3 squads from 2022: Hope and Calvin. The Blue Streaks headline the preseason rankings and are followed by the Flying Dutch and Knights.
No. 4 Centre and No. 5 Wittenberg round out the preseason top-5.
Metro Region
Defending regional champion Widener headlines the preseason rankings. The Pride ran away with the title last year and return a healthy amount of talent from that squad. TCNJ, last year’s fourth-place team, sits second, while last year’s third-place team Stockton holds down that spot.
No. 4 Swarthmore and No. 5 Moravian round out the preseason top-5.
Mid-Atlantic Region
Perennial powerhouse Johns Hopkins headlines the preseason rankings and will be led this season by Sara Stephenson, who finished third in the region last year. Carnegie Mellon, last year’s runner-up, begins the season ranked second with Dickinson right behind in third.
No. 4 Scranton and No. 5 Elizabethtown round out the preseason top-5.
Mideast Region
Two-time defending regional champion Williams headlines the preseason rankings and returns six of its top-7 runners from last year. Amherst, which finished second last year, finds itself in a familiar spot to begin the season, while last year’s third-place team RPI held steady right there.
No. 4 Middlebury and No. 5 Connecticut College round out the preseason top-5.
Midwest Region
Expect a hotly-contest battle for the team title in the Midwest Region between top-ranked Wartburg, second-ranked UChicago and third-ranked Washington (Mo.). The Knights have the most talent returning of the trio, but the Maroons and Bears hope to replenish their ranks with their copious amounts of depth. Just nine points decided the team title last year.
No. 4 Central (Iowa) and No. 5 Simpson round out the preseason top-5.
Niagara Region
SUNY Geneseo has been the crème de la crème of the Niagara Region and sits atop the rankings to begin the season. The Knights rolled to the team title last year by 61 points and welcome back four of their top-7 runners from 2022. Both second-ranked NYU and third-ranked Ithaca expect to be even better than they were last year with several returning athletes who made a difference.
No. 4 Hamilton and No. 5 Rochester (N.Y.) round out the preseason top-5.
North Region
Defending regional champion Carleton headlines the preseason rankings and returns six of the top-7 runners from last year’s squad. Second-ranked St. Olaf has six of its top-7 runners back, while third-ranked UW-La Crosse will have each of its top-4 runners from a talented team.
No. 4 Saint Benedict and No. 5 UW-Eau Claire round out the preseason top-5.
South Region
The past two regional champions in the South Region sit No. 1 and No. 2 to begin the season: 2022 champ Lynchburg at the top; 2021 winner Emory at No. 2. Last year’s third-place squad Washington & Lee holds down the third spot and welcome back four of its top-7 runners.
No. 4 Christopher Newport and No. 5 Catholic round out the preseason top-5.
West Region
Look for a close battle at the top of the West Region between No. 1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, No. 2 George Fox and No. 3 Pomona-Pitzer. The Athenas welcome back five of their top-7 runners from last year, while the Bruins have six of their top-7 back in the fold. Look for the Sagehens to gel throughout the season, as they lost its top-3 runners from last year.
No. 4 Colorado College and No. 5 UC Santa Cruz round out the preseason top-5.
