2024 NCAA DIII Women’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 1

NEW ORLEANS – Week 1 did not disappoint! 

Here is the Week 1 edition of the NCAA DIII Women’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2024 season, as released on Tuesday by the U.S. Track and 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 Saturday is set for November 16. 

EAST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 MIT 

Next in Line: No. 2  Tufts 

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Bates, No. 4 Suffolk, No. 5 Bowdoin 

Notes: The top-4 teams remained the same between the preseason and Week 1, but Bowdoin leapfrogged Colby into the No.5 spot. The Polar Bears finished second at the CBBT Opener two weeks ago, earning a head-to-head victory over Colby (third) and Bates (fourth). 

GREAT LAKES REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 DePauw 

Next in Line: No. 2 Calvin

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 John Carroll, No. 4 Hope, No. 5 Trine 

Notes: Trine jumped to the No.5 spot after finishing second at the Grizzly Invitational, behind DePauw (first) and ahead of former No. 5 Ohio Northern.

METRO REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Rowan 

Next in Line: No. 2 TCNJ

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Stockton, No. 4 Moravian, No. 5 Widener 

Notes: Rowan shot to No. 1 after a stellar performance at the Stockton Invite, placing 1-2-3-4, beating No. 3 Stockton. 

MID-ATLANTIC REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Johns Hopkins 

Next in Line: No. 2 Carnegie Mellon 

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Misericordia, No. 4 Gettysburg, No. 5 Dickinson

Notes: Gettysburg’s 1-2 punch of Kathryn Hopkins and Gabrielle Thiry at the Little 3 Championships, accompanied with a winning team score of 23, propels the squad to the No. 4 spot in the Mid-Atlantic Region. 

MIDEAST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Amherst 

Next in Line: No. 2 Middlebury

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Williams, No. 4 Connecticut College, No. 5 Vassar

Notes: There were no changes to the top-5 in Week 1.

MIDWEST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 UChicago

Next in Line: No. 2 Washington (Mo.)

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Central (Iowa), No. 4 Wartburg, No. 5 Loras 

Notes: There were no changes to the top-5 in Week 1.

NIAGARA REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 NYU

Next in Line: No. 2 SUNY Geneseo 

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Hamilton, No. 4 Ithaca, No. 5 Rochester

Notes: Rochester’s second place finish behind Hamilton (third) at the Hamilton College Short Course Invitational leapfrogs them over SUNY Oneonta to No. 5.

NORTH REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 UW-La Crosse

Next in Line: No. 2 St. Olaf

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Carleton, No. 4 UW-Stout, No. 5 UW-Oshkosh 

Notes: St. Olaf’s dominating win at the St. Olaf Ole Opener moves the squad into the No. 2 ranking, while UW-Oshkosh’s win with a perfect score of 15 at the Pioneer Gender Equity Invitational slots it into the No. 5 ranking. 

SOUTH REGION 

Projected AQ: No.1 Lynchburg

Next in Line: No. 2 Emory 

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Washington and Lee, No. 4 Catholic, No. 5 Bridgewater (Va.)

Notes: Bridgewater’s second place finish at the Eagle Cross Country Challenge behind the winning Washington and Lee (third) moves them into the No. 5 rank over former No. 5 team Shenandoah. 

WEST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

Next in Line: No. 2 Colorado College

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 George Fox, No. 4 UC-Santa Cruz, No. 5 Pomona-Pitzer

Notes: Colorado College leapfrogs George Fox for the No. 2 rank after placing second at the UCCS XC-Rust Buster, finishing only 21 points behind NCAA DII stalwart UC-Colorado Springs