2023 NJCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – Close balloting found familiar names – and even a new one – among the top programs in the Preseason NJCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Three teams earned first-place votes. The real decider, of course, will be the 2023 NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, set for Saturday, November 11, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.
NJCAA Division II — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Cowley (Kan.)
Cowley (Kan.)
2
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
3
Heartland (Ill.) CC
Heartland (Ill.) CC
4
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
5
Daytona State (Fla.)
Daytona State (Fla.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Cowley (Kan.) returns no one from its squad that finished sixth at last year’s NJCAA DII Championships. No matter – the Tigers still garnered the most first-place votes (7) in the Preseason poll and are No. 1 for the first time since 2020, when they won their last DII title. Cowley opened eyes with six freshmen – led by Leticia Belo – to finish third in the JK Gold Classic earlier this month.
No. 2 is Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC, which collected three first-place votes in reaching the top-5 for the first time in program history (their highest previous was No. 9 ranking in 2021). The Pumas return all five scorers from the team that finished 16th in last year’s NJCAA DII Championships, led by Jazmin Estrada (22nd).
Heartland (Ill.) CC is No. 3 after receiving two first-place votes. This is familiar territory for the Hawks, who have been ranked in the top-5 in all 15 rankings since DII polling began in 2020 (with all but one appearance in the top-3). Three runners – including scorers Addysen Clark (30th) and Kalei McDaniel (32nd) – return from last year’s team.
Mesa (Ariz.) CC is No. 4. The Thunderbirds return just one runner from last year’s team, which finished as runner-up in the NJCAA DII Championships. Mesa’s top runner thus far has been freshman Carmella Baldwin, the first JUCO finisher in last week’s George Kyte Classic.
No. 5 is Daytona State (Fla.), which matches its highest-ever ranking (achieved in 2021). The Falcons return five from last year’s ninth-place team – four were scorers, led by Shannon Jones (fourth).
Rounding out the top-10: No. 6 Lansing (Mich.) CC, No. 7 Wallace State (Ala.) CC, No. 8 Southeastern (Iowa) CC, No. 9 Pasco-Hernando (Fla.) and No. 10. Coconino (Ariz.) CC. Lansing is the reigning NJCAA DII champions.
