2023 NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 2
NEW ORLEANS – The days are getting shorter, but the racing is getting hotter.
Here is the newest edition of the NCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll for the 2023 season, as released on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). There were some major changes to the National Coaches’ Poll between Week 1 and Week 2 as the first major weekend of the regular season left its mark.
Remember that this poll is conducted by counting votes from 11 member coaches – one from each of the division’s nine regions (who also do the regional rankings) – as well as two members from the NCAA Cross Country Executive Committee.
NCAA Division I — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona
2
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State
3
BYU
BYU
4
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
5
North Carolina
North Carolina
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Eighteen teams who had some connection to the National Coaches’ Poll in Week 1 competed at the Virginia Invitational this past weekend (14 of those were ranked amongst the top-30; four others received votes). Teams who stepped up were rewarded; those who struggled were not.
Meet champion Northern Arizona continues to headline the index and hauled in nine first-place votes from the electorate. The Lumberjacks dominated the proceedings this past weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, as they put five runners in the top-25 – including an individual title by reigning M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week Drew Bosley – to win by 30 points over third-ranked BYU, 71-101. Coaches recognized the Cougars rested several top athletes and didn’t dock them a spot: BYU remains third behind No. 2 Oklahoma State.
You’d expect to see Stanford at No. 4, like it has been in the past weeks – but that changed. The Cardinal struggled on the challenging Panorama Farms course and finished ninth. Stanford fell nine spots to No. 13, which allowed five of those programs who placed better than the Cardinal to improve their ranking: North Carolina went from No. 6 to No. 5; Syracuse went from No. 11 to No. 6 for its best ranking since 2017; Villanova went from No. 12 to No. 7 for its best ranking since 2015; Air Force went from No. 17 to No. 8 to crack the top-10 for the second year in a row; and Butler went from No. 19 to No. 12.
Though it competed more than 1100 miles away, California Baptist turned a winning effort at the Roy Griak Invitational into a banner day. The Lancers soared 15 spots to a program-record No. 14 after taking down the likes of Gonzaga and Portland in Minnesota. CBU had never been ranked in the National Coaches’ Poll before 2022 and is now among the best in the nation.
Other notable jumps included Eastern Kentucky going from the Land of Receiving Votes to No. 17 for its best ranking since 2018 and Cal Poly being ranked for the first time since 2011 at No. 29. The Mustangs beat Oregon at the Bill Dellinger Invitational this past weekend.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 18, because that’s when the 2023 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships will be held at Panorama Farms in Charlottesville, Virginia.
