2024 NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – Buckle up, cross country fans – the NCAA DI women’s cross country competition looks to be close again.
In fact, the combatants in last year’s final race – when NC State topped Northern Arizona by just one point – actually tied for No. 1 in the preseason edition of the NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll for the upcoming 2024 season, as released on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
It’s the first-ever tie in the NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll as the Wolfpack and Lumberjacks each collected five first-place votes. The other first-place vote went to No. 3 Notre Dame while Pacific Northwest rivals Oregon and Washington rounded out the top-5.
NCAA Division I — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
NC State
NC State
1
Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona
3
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
4
Oregon
Oregon
5
Washington
Washington
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
NC State will be looking for a fourth-straight national crown, a feat only accomplished by Villanova while winning six straight 1989-94. The Wolfpack return four of its national championship squad, but the missing ones are their top-3. Still, three of the returners competed as freshmen last year and there’s no shortage of quality new names this year, including prep star Ellie Shea, who was the top non-African at the World U20 Cross Country Championships last spring. Add in a pair of redshirt freshmen in Angelina Napoleon (a 9:54.08 steepler with an 800 PR of 2:03.97) and Jolena Quarzo (a teammate of Shea at the World XC and younger sister of Gionna Quarzo, part of last year’s title team).
NAU, which entered last year’s NCAA Championships as a unanimous No. 1 in the Coaches’ Poll, returns three including two scorers led by Elise Stearns, who was fourth in the 2022 edition. The Lumberjacks’ talented roster also includes transfers Alyson Churchill (22nd last year for Florida State), Karrie Baloga (82nd for Colorado) and Hayley Burns (2022 NJCAA DII champ while at Coconino [Ariz.] CC).
No. 3 is the highest ranking for Notre Dame in the poll since Week 2 of 2003, and the excitement in South Bend, Indiana, is warranted. The Irish finished fourth last year – their highest since being third in 2002 – and return five of its top-7 led by Erin Strzelecki (37th). More weapons come from transfer Emily Covert (50th last year for Colorado and also fourth in the 2022 track 10,000 meters) and redshirt freshman Ariane Olson (ACC 10,000-meter champ in the spring).
Oregon’s No. 4 ranking is its highest since being No. 2 in Week 7 of 2018. Six of the Ducks’ top-7 return from a tenth-place finish last year. Add in transfer Silan Ayyildiz, who finished 11th last year for South Carolina. Ayyildiz is one of three Ducks who posted impressive track PRs this spring/summer: she clocked a 4:09.34/15:15.84 combo in the 1500/5000; top returner Maddy Elmore notched a 15:15.79 in the 5k in the spring; and Klaudia Kazimierska – third in the 1500 at the NCAA Championships in June before reaching the Paris Olympics final – sped 3:59.95 two days ago to rate No. 3 on the all-time, all-dates collegiate list.
At No. 5, Washington is at its highest since being No. 4 in 2019, a season in which they reached No. 2. All five scorers return led by the 1-2 of Chloe Foerster and Sophie O’Sullivan, each off fresh summer track PRs in the 1500 – Foerster at 4:07.66, O’Sullivan at 4:00.23 in the Paris Olympic heats.
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in the preseason: No. 6 BYU, No. 7 Stanford, No. 8 Florida, No. 9 Providence and No. 10 Tennessee. The Friars’ No. 9 ranking is their best since a No. 7 in 2017, while the Vols’ No. 10 is their highest since 2004, when they hit No. 9.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 23, because that’s when the 2024 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships will be held at the Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wisconsin.
