2023 NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 4

NEW ORLEANS – Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2023 season, as released on Monday 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.

Remember that Regional Championships Friday is set for November 10. That’s the last stop before athletes and teams #RunPanorama at #NCAAXC23 on Saturday, November 18 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Great Lakes Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Michigan

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Butler, No. 5 Michigan State

Note: If you check the order in which teams from the Great Lakes Region finished at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, you’ll understand the regional rankings in Week 4. Notre Dame topped the lot in 11th place, followed by Michigan in 15th, Wisconsin in 22nd, Butler in 24th and Michigan State in 25th. The Irish were a tiebreaker outside of the top-10. 

Mid-Atlantic Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Villanova, No. 2 Princeton

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Navy, No. 4 Georgetown, No. 5 La Salle

Note: Both Villanova and Princeton ran to strong results at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational to solidify their spots atop the rankings, while both Georgetown and La Salle leapfrogged Penn State into the No. 4 and No. 5 spots, respectively.

Midwest Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Oklahoma State, No. 2 Iowa State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Drake, No. 4 Loyola Chicago, No. 5 Tulsa

Note: There were no changes to the top-5 teams.

Mountain Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Northern Arizona, No. 2 BYU

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Colorado, No. 4 New Mexico, No. 5 Montana State

Note: Both Colorado and New Mexico leapfrogged Air Force following their efforts at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, while Montana State made the bigger jump of the week from No. 9 to No. 5. The Bobcats were fourth at the XC23 Pre-Nationals Invitational.

Northeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Syracuse, No. 2 Harvard

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Iona, No. 4 Stony Brook, No. 5 Yale

Note: Stony Brook improved two spots from No. 6 to No. 4 after winning the team title at the IC4A Championships this past weekend. The Seawolves beat a host of regional foes, including runner-up Boston University and third-place Northeastern, among others.

South Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Tennessee, No. 2 Alabama

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Florida State, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 5 North Florida

Note: The top-3 teams raced at different meets to varying success and were rewarded justly. Tennessee finished runner-up at the XC23 Pre-Nationals Invitational, while Alabama crushed the competition at its own Crimson Tide Invitational and Florida State was 28th at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational with Ole Miss farther back in 35th place.

South Central Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Arkansas

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Tulane, No. 4 Incarnate Word, No. 5 Texas A&M

Note: Tulane, Incarnate Word and Texas A&M finished in that same order at the Arturo Barrios Invitational this past weekend, hence the rankings. The Green Wave won the team title, while the Cardinals finished third and the Aggies were fourth at their home invitational.

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Furman, No. 2 North Carolina

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Virginia, No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 5 Eastern Kentucky

Note: Holy, Furman! The Paladins vaulted from No. 8 to No. 1 after an impressive performance at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. Furman went head-to-head against three of those other programs and came out on top. The Paladins finished ninth, while the North Carolina took tenth in a tiebreaker, Wake Forest was 16th, followed by Eastern Kentucky in 17th.

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 California Baptist, No. 2 Boise State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 Gonzaga, No. 5 Washington

Note: California Baptist and Boise State were the top-2 teams from the West Region at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational and sit in that respective order after the biggest weekend of the regular season. The Lancers finished fourth, while the Broncos were 18th. Father down, yo’d find Stanford in 20th and Washington in 27th.