2024 NJCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – There’s no question at No. 1.
Reigning national champion Salt Lake (Utah) CC is a unanimous No. 1 in the preseason 2024 NJCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Will the Bruins repeat? We’ll have to wait until Saturday, November 9, for the answer as that’s when the 2024 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships are scheduled at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia.
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division I — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
2
New Mexico JC
New Mexico JC
3
Iowa Western CC
Iowa Western CC
4
Southern Idaho
Southern Idaho
5
Iowa Central CC
Iowa Central CC
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
In just the program’s third year, Salt Lake CC has already earned the respect of its peers, earning all 10 first-place votes in the preseason poll despite losing its top-6 from last year’s title-winning group. Lindsie Fausett is the top returner and a formidable one at that – in May she was the 10,000-meter champ in the NJCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Bruins’ deep roster includes a number of freshmen, including Angelina Lione, who was the team’s top finisher at last weekend’s Utah Valley Invitational.
The leading contenders in the preseason poll are familiar as the top-4 mirrors last year’s finish at the national championships.
No. 2 New Mexico JC was runner-up last year for a second-straight year. Two returners include Jayne Elvin, who was 13th in last year’s national championships, but the T-Birds’ top-2 in the Lori Fitzgerald Memorial last weekend were a of freshmen, Amal Kachouri and Ines Mrabet.
Iowa Western CC’s No. 3 showing is its highest in the poll since being No. 2 four times in 2021. Led by defending individual champion Silvia Gradizzi, the Reivers return their top-4 from last year’s team that finished a program-best third. Also back are seventh-placer Barbara Nieva along with Angie Estrada (14th) and Ayianna Olivas (22nd).
No. 4 Southern Idaho was fourth last year after topping the podium the two years before. The Golden Eagles return three scorers from last year, led by sixth-place finisher Rozzlyn Cazier, while two freshmen – Laurie Davidson and Sage Lyon – were CSI’s top runners in last weekend’s Utah Valley Invitational.
No. 5 Iowa Central CC, which didn’t enter a team in last year’s national championships, is back in the top-5 for the first time since 2022. The Tritons’ Yiddiya Bifa was the top JUCO finisher at last weekend’s Hawkeye Invitational, taking sixth place.
Completing the top-10: No. 6 Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, No. 7 Central Arizona, No. 8 Colby (Kan.) CC, No. 9 Crowder (Mo.) and No. 10 Dodge City (Kan.) CC. That’s the highest-ever ranking for Crowder, which was 17th in last year’s nationals; the Roughriders (who have four Kenyan freshmen) have yet to race this year.
