2024 NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Preseason

NEW ORLEANS – Cross country is back!

Here is the preseason edition of the NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2024 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.

Regional Championships Friday is set for November 15.

Great Lakes Region

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

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

Notes: Depth is the name of the game at the top of the rankings, as top-ranked Notre Dame and defending champion Butler return a wealth of talent – and added some, too. The Bulldogs romped to the regional crown last year with four athletes in the top-10, of which three are back in the fold in 2024. The Irish, who finished fourth in the region last year, will be led by the likes of Cater Solomon, Josh Methner and Ethan Coleman, among others.

Mid-Atlantic Region

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

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Georgetown, No. 4 Navy, No. 5 Penn State

Notes: Defending champion Princeton starts the season at No. 1. The Tigers sat second all season long in 2023 before topping the podium at the regional meet. Princeton returns All-American Nicholas Bendtsen and All-Region performer Dan O’Brien. Villanova welcomes back All-American Liam Murphy and hopes Marco Langon takes the next step after a strong outdoor track & field season.

Midwest Region

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

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Tulsa, No. 4 Loyola (Ill.), No. 5 South Dakota State

Notes: Defending national champion Oklahoma State tops the Midwest Region for the 21st time in the past four years. Each of those instances was justified, but this year especially so with most of its title-winning team back in the mix. Iowa State owns its best preseason rank since 2019 and welcomes back six of the seven runners that helped it finish fifth nationally in 2023.

Mountain Region

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

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

Notes: BYU tops the Mountain Region in the preseason for the first time since 2012 and is projected to win its first regional crown since 2021. The Cougars return seven athletes who have a wealth of experience and finished top-65 at one of the past two NCAA Championships. Northern Arizona should never be counted out, but must rebuild after losing four of its top-5 runners from last year’s squad, including Drew Bosley and Nico Young.

Northeast Region

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

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Syracuse, No. 4 Providence, No. 5 Cornell

Notes: Iona peaked when it mattered last season and the defending champions top the preseason ratings. The Gaels return four of their top-5 athletes from that championship squad, including regional runner-up Damien Dilcher. Harvard has a strong contingent, led by reigning NCAA champion Graham Blanks and near All-American Ben Rosa.

South Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Ole Miss

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Florida State, No. 5 Auburn

Notes: Alabama is the preseason favorite for just the third time since 2010. The Crimson Tide are loaded with talent, headlined by defending individual region champion Hillary Cheruiyot and Victor Kiprop, who finished 20th at the NCAA Championships in 2023. Alabama also welcomes in a few dynamic freshmen and transfers. Ole Miss is led by Jack Meijer, who finished 13th at the regional meet last year. The Rebels last won the regional title in 2021.

South Central Region

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

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

Notes: Arkansas and Texas have been nearly interchangeable over the past few years and right now, the Razorbacks are the projected regional champion. Two All-America athletes return for Arkansas in 2024 – Patrick Kiprop and Kirami Yego – while Ben Shearer knocked on the door, too. The defending regional champion Longhorns will be led by Rodger Rivera, who finished fourth regionally and then among the top-25 athletes nationally.

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 2 Eastern Kentucky

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 4 NC State, No. 5 Virginia

Notes: Depth is the name in the Southeast Region. North Carolina and Eastern Kentucky are considered 1a and 1b, but someone has to be No. 1 and No. 2. The Tar Heels are defending champions and return two athletes who finished top-10 at the regional meet last year in Parker Wolfe and Ethan Strand (Wolfe would later take ninth at the NCAA Championships). The Colonels might have lost their No. 1 and No. 4 runners from last year’s regional meet, but welcome back Taha Er Raouy and Mohammed Jouhari and added several dynamic transfers.

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Stanford, No. 2 Portland

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Washington, No. 5 California Baptist

Notes: Three-time defending champion Stanford is projected to top the podium once again in 2024. The youth-led Cardinal return athletes like Cole Sprout, Leo Young and Lex Young, among others. Portland was the last non-Stanford program to win the regional title and it did so in three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019. The Pilots welcome back four of their top-5 runners from last year’s regional meet, including runner-up Matt Strangio.