USTFCCCA Polls & Rankings
By USTFCCCA Communications, USTFCCCA September 18, 2024   

2024 NJCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1

NEW ORLEANS – Mesa (Ariz.) CC continues at the top while four programs joined the top-10 with leaps of 10-plus spots in the Week 1 edition of the 2024 NJCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.

NJCAA Division II — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
Pasco-Hernando (Fla.)
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
Bismarck State (N.D.)
1
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
2
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
3
Pasco-Hernando (Fla.)
4
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
5
Bismarck State (N.D.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
NATIONAL POLL
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Mesa increased its number of first-place votes from nine to 10 in this poll. The Thunderbirds have been led by freshman Kinley Jackson in each of its first two meets thus far.

Jumping up five spots to No. 2 – and collecting two first-place votes – is Wallace State (Ala.) CC in matching its program best set in Week 1 of 2021. Two freshmen – Grace Gosline and Reagan Parris – have shared team honors in the first two meets.

Rising 10 positions to a program-best No. 3 is Pasco-Hernando (Fla.). Freshman Emelyn Lacour has led the way for the Bobcats in both of its meets thus far.

Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC rises four places to No. 4, its highest since being No. 3 in Week 1 of 2020. The Raiders have been led by Elicia Land in both of their races thus far.

No. 5 Bismarck State (N.D.) was this week’s biggest mover after sitting in the preseason poll’s “also receiving votes” category. The Mystics are led by Ava Stafford, who was 17th in last year’s NJCAA DII Cross Country Championships.

Completing the top-10 are No. 6 Calhoun (Ala.) CC, No. 7 UA Rich Mountain (Ark.), No. 8 Shelton State (Ala.) CC, No. 9 Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC and No. 10 Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC. Calhoun and UA Rich Mountain moved up 11 and 13 positions, respectively.

The season culminates on Saturday, November 9, when the 2024 NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will be held at Pole Green Park near Richmond, Virginia.

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USTFCCCA NJCAA Division II
Women's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll

2024 Week 1 - September 18th

RANK TEAM & INFOPTSCHANGE
1 mesa-ariz-cc MESA (ARIZ.) CC
West Region
Region 1
Dan Pescador (10th) 		238
(10 fpv) 		◀▶
(LW: 1)
2 wallace-state-hanceville-ala-cc WALLACE STATE-HANCEVILLE (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Tony Crider (1st) 		228
(2 fpv) 		▲ 5
(LW: 7)
3 pasco-hernando-fla PASCO-HERNANDO (FLA.)
Atlantic Region
Region 8
Jacki Waller (18th) 		175 ▲ 10
(LW: 13)
4 grand-rapids-mich-cc GRAND RAPIDS (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Sharon Becker (4th) 		169 ▲ 4
(LW: 8)
5 bismarck-state-n-d BISMARCK STATE (N.D.)
West Region
Region 13
Julia Hammerschmidt (1st) 		164
(LW: RV)
6 calhoun-ala-cc CALHOUN (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Dante Dorsey (1st) 		161 ▲ 11
(LW: 17)
7 ua-rich-mountain-ark UA RICH MOUNTAIN (ARK.)
West Region
Region 2
Samantha Shores (7th) 		145 ▲ 13
(LW: 20)
8 shelton-state-ala-cc SHELTON STATE (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Charles Tiller (2nd) 		141 ▲ 4
(LW: 12)
9 paradise-valley-ariz-cc PARADISE VALLEY (ARIZ.) CC
West Region
Region 1
David Barney (29th) 		118 ▼ 7
(LW: 2)
10 des-moines-area-iowa-cc DES MOINES AREA (IOWA) CC
Midwest Region
Region 11
Michael Melchert (5th) 		109 ▼ 7
(LW: 3)
11 st-clair-county-mich-cc ST. CLAIR COUNTY (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Andrea Rheaume (3rd) 		100 ◀▶
(LW: 11)
12 gadsden-state-ala-cc GADSDEN STATE (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Jackson Millander (1st) 		99 ▲ 10
(LW: 22)
13 heartland-ill-cc HEARTLAND (ILL.) CC
Midwest Region
Region 24
CJ Hamilton (1st) 		83 ▼ 7
(LW: 6)
14 lansing-mich-cc LANSING (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Jim Robinson (16th) 		76 ▼ 5
(LW: 9)
15 macomb-mich-cc MACOMB (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Matt Fecht (3rd) 		70 NR
16 southeastern-iowa-cc SOUTHEASTERN (IOWA) CC
Midwest Region
Region 11
Lucas Keifer (5th) 		60 ▼ 7
(LW: 9)
17 daytona-state-fla DAYTONA STATE (FLA.)
Atlantic Region
Region 8
Judy Wilson (7th) 		55 ▼ 12
(LW: 5)
17 muskegon-mich-cc MUSKEGON (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Nick Macinkowski (3rd) 		55 ▼ 1
(LW: 16)
19 mott-mich-cc MOTT (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Nathan Elston (1st) 		47 NR
20 northeast-alabama-cc NORTHEAST ALABAMA CC
Central Region
Region 22
Patrick Laney (2nd) 		42 ▼ 6
(LW: 14)
21 cowley-kan COWLEY (KAN.)
West Region
Region 6
Cameron Rieth (7th) 		35 ▼ 17
(LW: 4)
22 gulf-coast-state-fla GULF COAST STATE (FLA.)
Atlantic Region
Region 8
Tom Dever (1st) 		32 NR
23 south-florida-state SOUTH FLORIDA STATE
Atlantic Region
Region 8
Cristi Bobo (6th) 		31
(LW: RV)
24 marion-military-institute-ala MARION MILITARY INSTITUTE (ALA.)
Central Region
Region 22
Chad Balentine (6th) 		21
(LW: RV)
25 lake-michigan LAKE MICHIGAN
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Alan Martens (2nd) 		20 ▼ 1
(LW: 24)

Also Receiving Votes: Coconino (Ariz.) CC 14, NorthWest Arkansas CC 11, Allen (Kan.) CC 8, Moraine Valley (Ill.) CC 6, Lake-Sumter State (Fla.) 3, Potomac State (W.Va.) 2, Florida Gateway 1, Carl Albert State (Okla.) 1

Dropped Out: No. 15 Coconino (Ariz.) CC, No. 18 Southwestern Michigan, No. 19 Potomac State (W.Va.), No. 21 Florida Gateway, No. 22 Waubonsee (Ill.) CC, No. 25 Carl Sandburg (Ill.)

NJCAA Division II
NCAA Division INCAA Division IINCAA Division IIINJCAA Division INAIANJCAA Division II

Women's Cross Country
Men's Cross CountryWomen's Cross Country

National Coaches' Poll
National Coaches' Poll

2024
202520242023202220212020

Week-by-Week Ranking

TeamPreseasonWeek #1Week #2Week #3Week #4FINAL
Mesa (Ariz.) CC112211
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC291122
Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC3104443
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC723374
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC844635
Heartland (Ill.) CC6139766
Pasco-Hernando (Fla.)133611107
Cowley (Kan.)4217558
Lansing (Mich.) CC9148889
Shelton State (Ala.) CC12812121310
Calhoun (Ala.) CC17611101611
Bismarck State (N.D.)RV51291412
Lake Michigan242525161213
UA Rich Mountain (Ark.)2071013914
NorthWest Arkansas CCRV19181715
Daytona State (Fla.)51718232116
Carl Albert State (Okla.)RV15151117
Southeastern (Iowa) CC91614171818
Muskegon (Mich.) CC161717201519
Jacksonville (Texas)2320
Potomac State (W.Va.)19RVRV21
Carl Sandburg (Ill.)2520RV2022
Gulf Coast State (Fla.)22252223
North Iowa Area CC24
Florida Gateway21RV2325
Moraine Valley (Ill.) CCRVRV1926
South Florida StateRV2327
Northeast Alabama CC1420RVRV28
Mott (Mich.) CC1924212429
Gadsden State (Ala.) CC221221RV30
Lake-Sumter State (Fla.)RVRV31
Florida State-Jacksonville32
College of Central FloridaRV33
Murray State (Okla.)34
Kaskaskia (Ill.)35
Pellissippi State (Tenn.) CCRV36
State Fair (Mo.)RV37
Northeast Mississippi CC38
Walters State (Tenn.) CC39
Tallahassee State (Fla.)40
Jefferson State (Ala.) CC41
St. Clair County (Mich.) CC1111161423
Coconino (Ariz.) CC15RVRV25
Marion Military Institute (Ala.)RV2419
Macomb (Mich.) CC152121
Waubonsee (Ill.) CC22RV
Allen (Kan.) CCRVRV
Dawson (Mont.) CCRV
Southwestern Michigan18

USTFCCCA NJCAA Division II Cross Country

2024 Rankings & Polls Calendar
Weeks National Coaches' Poll KEY DATES
PreseasonWed 9/4
MEN | WOMEN
Week 1Wed 9/18
MEN | WOMEN
Week 2Wed 10/2
MEN | WOMEN
Week 3Wed 10/16
MEN | WOMEN
Week 4Wed 10/30
MEN | WOMEN		Sat., Nov. 9 - NJCAA Championships (Richmond, Va.)
FINAL Results
(official final ranking)		Sat 11/9
MEN | WOMEN