2024 NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After a week of challenge meets, Taylor (Ind.) overtook Milligan (Tenn.) as No. 1 in the Week 4 edition of the NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Thursday by the NAIA National Office.
NAIA — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Taylor (Ind.)
Taylor (Ind.)
2
Milligan (Tenn.)
Milligan (Tenn.)
3
Saint Mary (Kan.)
Saint Mary (Kan.)
4
The Master's (Calif.)
The Master's (Calif.)
5
Montreat (N.C.)
Montreat (N.C.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Taylor made a big move, increasing its collection of first-place votes from three to 14. Much of their increased attention came from a dominating win at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge with 27 points with three top-4 runners led by Janie Halterman.
Milligan won the NAIA Appalachian Challenge with 44 points and earned three first-place votes. Ellen-Mary Keaney led the Buffs with a runner-up finish.
Continuing at No. 3 is Saint Mary (Kan.), improving its collection of first-place votes to three after winning the Blazing Tiger NAIA Classic with 30 points, led by individual winner Reagan Hiebert leading a 1-3-5 finish that included twin sister Riley in third.
No. 4 remains The Master’s (Calif.), which was off this past weekend after taking 4th in the UC Riverside Highlander Invitational a week earlier. The Mustangs were led by Hannah Fredericks in earning her third M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honors.
Rising to No. 5 is Montreat (N.C.) with an impressive runner-up finish at the NAIA Appalachian Challenge. The Cavaliers were led by Heather Murphy, whose first collegiate race earned her top individual honors as well as being M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week,
Rounding out the top-10 are No. 6 defending national champion College of Idaho, No. 7 Cumberlands (Ky.), No. 8 Dordt (Iowa), No. 9 Grace (Ind.) and No. 10 Southern Oregon.
The 2024 NAIA Cross Country Championships are scheduled to be held Friday, November 22, at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri.
