2023 NJCAA DII Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1
NEW ORLEANS – The top-3 remained the same in the Week 1 NJCAA Division II Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
NJCAA Division II — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
2
Lansing (Mich.) CC
Lansing (Mich.) CC
3
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
4
Daytona State (Fla.)
Daytona State (Fla.)
5
Heartland (Ill.) CC
Heartland (Ill.) CC
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Defending champion Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC repeats at No. 1 – with 10 of the 12 first-place votes – without yet fielding a complete team this year. The Pumas return five of seven from last year, including two who were among the top-3 freshmen in the field in Jonathan Barney (ninth) and Nathan Pestka (11th).
Lansing (Mich.) CC remains No. 2. The Stars return a trio from last year’s third-place team, led by Michael Dennis who has been the top JUCO runner in two-straight meets – including winning the season’s kickoff at the Olivet College Comet Open.
No. 3 Mesa (Ariz.) CC hasn’t competed since a third-place finish at the George Kyte Classic two weeks ago, where Greyson Akers – one of five returners for the Thunderbirds from last year’s fourth-place team at nationals – was Mesa’s top runner.
Moving up a notch to No. 4 is Daytona State (Fla.), reaching its highest since being No. 2 in Week 5 of 2021, the year they finished as national runner-up. The Falcons are led by Jared Falchook, one of three scorers who return from last year’s seventh-place team.
Also moving up a spot is Heartland (Ill.) CC to No. 5. Last year’s national runner-up, the Hawks return one scorer from 2022 in Balin Doud, who was 12th.
Rounding out the top-10 teams are No. 6 Cowley (Kan.), No. 7 Wallace State (Ala.) CC, No. 8 St. Clair County (Mich.) CC, No. 9 Pasco-Hernando (Fla.) and No. 10 Southwestern Michigan.
The season culminates on Saturday, November 11, when the 2023 NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will be held at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.
