2023 NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 7
NEW ORLEANS – Here is the newest edition of the NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll for the 2023 season, as released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday afternoon. Only teams that qualified for the upcoming NCAA Championships are included in this ranking.
Remember that this poll is conducted by counting votes from eight member coaches – one from each of the division’s eight regions – who also do the Regional Rankings.
NCAA Division II — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
2
Adams State
Adams State
3
Colo. School of Mines
Colo. School of Mines
4
Western Colorado
Western Colorado
5
Winona State
Winona State
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Regionals. The day that decides who will be traveling to Joplin, Missouri for the NCAA Championships and who will be hoping for an at-large bid.
For No. 1 Grand Valley State, it was just another business trip. The Lakers won the Midwest Region with poise, tallying 28 points, and extended their reign at the top of the index for the fourth straight week. No. 2 Adams State responded by claiming a title of its own in the South Central Region, making quick work of No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, No. 4 Western Colorado and No. 6 West Texas A&M. The Grizzlies commanded a 32-point lead over the Orediggers once the dust settled.
No. 5 Winona State demonstrated to the committee why they deserve to be one of the frontrunners, posting a 43-point gap on the way to a Central Region title. Headed by star Lindsay Cunningham, the Warriors put three women in the top-10 and averaged 35 seconds faster than the next squad. No. 7 Lee (Tenn.) dug into their top-10 position after a victory at the South Region Championships, while No. 11 Western Washington crept up a spot following a title-winning effort at the West Region Championships. The Vikings put any rumors of their validity to stand atop the West to rest after defeating No. 14 Biola (Calif.) and No. 17 Chico State in a grueling head-to-head battle.
No. 16 Wingate and No. 30 Charleston (W.Va.) each raised their own trophies at the Southeast and Atlantic Region Championships. The Bulldogs bested No. 23 Catawba 30-53 and the Golden Eagles soared to a 29 point win over Slippery Rock. No. 8 Cedarville was the biggest benefactor of this weekend, ascending eight notches after the Yellowjackets buzzed to a runner-up finish behind the number one team in the country.
No. 9 UC-Colorado Springs, No. 15 Colorado Christian, No. 18 Pittsburg State, No . 20 Mississippi College, No. 23 Dallas Baptist, No. 25 Wayne State (Mich.), and No. 28 Saginaw Valley State also improved their billing in Week 7.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 18th, as the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will take place at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, Missouri!
