2024 NJCAA DI Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – It looks close from the start in the preseason edition of the 2024 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).
Two teams collected all of the first-place votes, with returning runner-up Salt Lake (Utah) CC earning the top position by four points over Iowa Western CC.
A national title would be the first in either program’s history, but other teams may rise up by the time the 2024 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships are held on Saturday, November 9, at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia.
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division I — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
2
Iowa Western CC
Iowa Western CC
3
Butler (Kan.) CC
Butler (Kan.) CC
4
Iowa Central CC
Iowa Central CC
5
New Mexico JC
New Mexico JC
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Salt Lake CC grabbed six first-place votes and returns four from its squad that was just seven points away from the team crown last year. That group is led by returning individual champion JaQuavious Harris, a setter of multiple records during the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons. The Bruins’ returnees include two other scorers at the nationals in Finn Anspach and Seth Smith.
Iowa Western CC, which earned four first-place votes, was fifth last year and also has a runner-up team finish in its history (2021). The Reivers return two scorers from last year’s fifth-place team, led by tenth-placer Mohamed Kowa (also a three-time national indoor champ on the track). But the excitement is on revving up from several newcomers led by Geofrey Ronoh, who debuted with a victory in last weekend’s Hawkeye Invitational.
At No. 3, Butler (Kan.) CC is at its highest-ever in the poll. The Grizzlies bring back just one scorer from last year’s 11th-place team but add several new names to its roster, including Bhekizulu Khumalo was runner-up in last year’s Chile Pepper Festival open race while running unattached.
Iowa Central CC is No. 4, its highest since 2022, when they were runners-up after winning national titles the two years prior. Hamza Mohamed is the only returning Triton from last year’s eighth-place squad, but among the newcomers is transfer Yasser Soualah, who was Butler’s No. 2 runner in last year’s nationals. Freshman Mohamed Dahmouch was ICCC’s top runner at last week’s Hawkeye Invitational, finishing sixth.
No. 5 New Mexico JC returns two non-scorers from last year’s fourth-place team and are led so far this year by freshman Mohammed Mrahi, the second JUCO finisher in last weekend’s Lori Fitzgerald Memorial.
Rounding out the top-10 are No. 6 Colby (Kan.) CC, No. 7 Central Arizona, No. 8 Indian Hills CC, No. 9 Crowder (Mo.) and No. 10 Hutchinson (Kan.) CC. That’s a highest-ever ranking for Crowder, which was 18th in last year’s nationals; the Roughriders (who have four Kenyan freshmen) have yet to race this year. Defending champion Trinidad State (Colo.) is No. 13.
