

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.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
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.