2023 NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 5

NEW ORLEANS – You can’t slow them down!

Here is the week five edition of the NCAA DII 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 are set for Saturday, November 4.

Atlantic Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Charleston (W.Va.), No. 2 Davis and Elkins, No. 3 Slippery Rock

Next in Line: No. 4 Lock Haven

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 Edinboro

Note: A win at the Bloomsburg Invitational this weekend awarded Lock Haven a one-way ticket to the No. 4 spot in the Atlantic Region.

Central Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Winona State, No. 2 Augustana (S.D.), No. 3 Pittsburg State

Next in Line: No. 4 U-Mary

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 Missouri Southern

Note: No changes in the top five this week.  

East Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Southern Connecticut State, No. 2 Roberts Wesleyan, No. 3 Southern New Hampshire

Next in Line: No. 4 Saint Michael’s 

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 Saint Anselm

Note: No. 1 Southern Connecticut State took a gamble at the Lewis Crossover and it paid off. The Owls landed 23rd amongst a plethora of highly ranked Division II competition, proving that the East Region debate is far from over. Saint Michael’s charged up to the No. 4 spot on the back of Tess Drury. The Purple Knight rookie was crowned champion at the James Earley Invitational over a crowd of 184 entrees. 

Midwest Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Grand Valley State, No. 2 Lewis, No. 3 Cedarville

Next in Line: No. 4 Wayne State (Mich.)

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 Saginaw Valley State

Note: No changes in the top five this week. 

South Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Lee (Tenn.), No. 2 Tampa, No. 3 Mississippi College

Next in Line: No. 4 Palm Beach Atlantic

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 Florida Southern

Note: No changes in the top five this week. 

South Central Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Adams State, No. 2 Colo. School of Mines, No. 3 Western Colorado

Next in Line: No. 4 UC-Colorado Springs

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 CSU-Pueblo

Note: No changes in the top five this week. 

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Wingate, No. 2 Flagler, No. 3 Catawba

Next in Line: No. 4 Anderson (S.C.)

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 Lincoln Memorial

Note: No. 2 Flager waited, and waited, and waited for their time to strike. And then they finally did. After weeks of residing in Florida, the Saints traveled to the UAH Chargers XC Invite in Alabama for a few telling trials. They answered the call, taking down Charleston (W.Va.), Mississippi College, and No. 5 Catawba in succession.

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Chico State, No. 2 Western Washington, No. 3 Biola (Calif.)

Next in Line: No. 4 CUI

Also in the Hunt: No. 5 Azusa Pacific

Note: On a hot fall day in San Francisco, California, the West Region convened at the San Fransisco State Invitational. No. 1 Chico State and No. 4 CUI benefited greatly as the two squads defeated Stanislaus State in a battle that came down to the wire. In the end, it was the Wildcats who hunted down the Golden Eagles to capture a two point victory.