2023 NJCAA DI Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 4
NEW ORLEANS – The final poll of the year is also the tightest NJCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Just three points separated the top-3 teams and four squads received at least one first-place vote, which should mean we’re set for a thrilling 2023 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, to be held in 10 days on Saturday, November 11, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.
NJCAA Division I — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
New Mexico JC
New Mexico JC
2
Trinidad State (Colo.)
Trinidad State (Colo.)
3
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
4
Colby (Kan.) CC
Colby (Kan.) CC
5
Iowa Western CC
Iowa Western CC
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
New Mexico JC is No. 1 for a third-straight poll, maintaining its slim one-point margin along with the most first-place votes (four). The T-Birds scored 32 points in winning the strong Region 5 Championships that featured seven ranked teams as Tomas Vega led a 1-2 with twin brother German, with both breaking the course record at Harry McAdams Park at Hobbs, New Mexico, for the second-straight meet (Tomas clocking 23:04.8 to win by 2.4 seconds). NMJC is seeking its first men’s team title since 1979, when the NJCAA competed as a single division.
Moving back to No. 2 and earning two first-place votes is Trinidad State (Colo.), which was ranked No. 1 back in Week 2. The Trojans scored a perfect 15 points in taking the top-7 places at the Region 9 Championships, with Kidus Misgina continuing his unbeaten streak against JUCO runners. Trinidad State’s best-ever finish in this meet is fifth in 2019.
Just two points out of first is No. 3 Salt Lake (Utah) CC in collecting a first-place vote. The Bruins, in just their second year as a program, won the Scenic West Invitational with 20 points as JaQuavious Harris led a 1-2-3 in taking individual honors by more than 30 seconds. Salt Lake seems well poised to improve on their eighth-place finish from last year.
Holding steady at No. 4 and also garnering a first-place vote is defending champion Colby (Kan.) CC, just five points out of No. 1. The Trojans tallied 25 points in winning the Region 6 Championships, which boasted six teams ranked in DI plus two top-10 DII programs. Leading Colby was current M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week Kgadi Monyebodi, who ran his winning streak to four races in defeating previously undefeated Adem Bouldjadj of Butler (Kan.) CC by 29.9 seconds.
No. 5 Iowa Western CC rejoined the top-5. The Reivers were second to Iowa Central CC (last year’s national runner-up) in the Region 11 Championships as three top-8 programs finished within three points of each other (in DI-only scoring, Iowa Western edged Iowa Central by three points). Mohammed Kowa led the way for Iowa Western, winning the individual title. The Reivers’ best finish in the nationals is runner-up in 2021.
Completing the top-10 are No. 6 College of Southern Idaho, No. 7 Iowa Central CC, No. 8 Indian Hills (Iowa) CC, No. 9 Hill (Texas) and No. 10 Central Arizona. This is Hill’s first-ever appearance in the top-10.
