2024 NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 3

NEW ORLEANS – Racing means ranking.

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2024 season, as released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). 

Regional Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams’ strength with current season results (if applicable) in determining a rank-order of squad potential. Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible to receive a ranking. Teams with provisional status within the region may be ranked.

Regional Championships Friday is set for November 15.

Great Lakes Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Wisconsin

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Butler, No. 5 Michigan State

Notes: Both Wisconsin and Michigan leapfrogged Butler between Week 2 and Week 3. That’s because the Badgers and the Wolverines scored decisive victories this past weekend at their respective meets: Wisconsin at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational; Michigan at the Live in the Lou Cross Country Classic.

Mid-Atlantic Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Princeton, No. 2 Villanova

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Georgetown, No. 4 Navy, No. 5 Pitt

Notes: There were intra-regional matchups galore at the Paul Short Run this past weekend. Navy finished the best out of all teams in the Mid-Atlantic Region and moved up to fourth, while Pitt surged to fifth following their strong effort that put them ahead of several regional foes.

Midwest Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Oklahoma State, No. 2 Iowa State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Loyola-Chicago, No. 4 Missouri, No. 5 Tulsa

Notes: Loyola-Chicago cemented its No. 3 spot following a strong result at its own Lakefront Invitational where it finished ahead of regional foe Minnesota.

Mountain Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 BYU, No. 2 New Mexico

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Northern Arizona, No. 4 Colorado, No. 5 Utah State

Notes: New Mexico usurps Northern Arizona for the second project automatic qualifying spot out of the region. The Lobos, led by Habtom Samuel, last competed two weeks ago at the Cowboy Jamboree and finished runner-up to defending national champion Oklahoma State.

Northeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Syracuse, No. 2 Harvard

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Iona, No. 4 Cornell, No. 5 Providence

Notes: Regional foes raced against each other at the Paul Short Run this past weekend. Harvard, running without star Graham Blanks, finished runner-up in the Men’s College Gold 8k with a meager 6.4-second spread between its first and fifth runners. Cornell took fifth in the same race, ahead of Army, Yale and UMass Amherst, among others.

South Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Florida State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Lipscomb

Notes: Alabama cemented its spot atop the South Region with its runner-up finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational. The Crimson Tide went 1-2-3 with Dismus Lokira, Victor Kiprop and Dennis Kipruto in those respective finishing positions. Depth proved to be Alabama’s undoing as it finished runner-up to Wisconsin despite its front-running prowess.

South Central Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Arkansas, No. 2 Texas

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Tulane, No. 4 Incarnate Word, No. 5 TCU

Notes: There were no changes to the top-5 in Week 3.

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Wake Forest, No. 2 North Carolina

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Eastern Kentucky, No. 4 Virginia, No. 5 Furman

Notes: Furman leapfrogged Charlotte into the top-5 for the first time this season (Liberty also jumped Charlotte, which fell to No. 7). The 49ers finished fourth at the Live in the Lou Cross Country Classic behind meet champion Michigan and two ranked NCAA DII programs.

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Stanford, No. 2 Washington

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 California Baptist, No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 Portland

Notes: California Baptist impressed at the Notre Dame Joe Piane Invitational this past weekend with a third-place finish behind meet champion Notre Dame and Northern Arizona. We’ll see regional matchups between the top-5 teams over the next two weeks: Oregon and Portland square off at the Dellinger Invitational on Friday; Stanford and Washington take on all comers at the Pre-National Invitational in two weeks.