2024 NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 3
NEW ORLEANS – Things are heating up.
Week 3 saw a lot of movement within the top 5 of the 2024 NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NCAA Division II — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Adams State
Adams State
2
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
3
CSU Pueblo
CSU Pueblo
4
Augustana (S.D.)
Augustana (S.D.)
5
Colo. School of Mines
Colo. School of Mines
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
There were no changes at the top: No. 1 Adams State is still the unanimous favorite with No. 2 Grand Valley State right behind. The Grizzlies and the Lakers will square off this weekend at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Indiana.
At No. 3 is where things get interesting, because that’s where you find CSU Pueblo this week with its best ranking in program history. Western Colorado, now eighth, previously held that spot since the preseason.
The switch happened because the Thunderwolves and the Mountaineers squared off at the Chile Pepper XC Festival this past weekend alongside several powerhouse NCAA DI programs. CSU Pueblo, led by senior Helen Braybrook, finished as the top NCAA DII squad in fourth place behind NCAA DI stalwarts Texas, LSU and Arkansas. Western Colorado, paced by senior Leah Taylor, were sixth in the team standings (NCAA DI Rice split the NCAA DII programs in fifth).
Colorado School of Mines might have taken the weekend off, but its victory at the Roadrunner Invitational last week still reverberates through the rankings. The Orediggers will compete again this Saturday at the Ted Castaneda Classic in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
This week’s biggest move came a little farther down, with Fort Hays State rising nine spots from No. 30 to No. 21. The Tigers won the Open Women’s 6k at the Gans Creek Classic with junior transfer Emily Diereks leading the way in third place (21:24). It was an impressive win for FHSU, which is stacking valuable experience to get out of a tough Central Region come November.
Finally, Walsh moved up five spots from No. 28 to No. 23 to reach the top 25 this week. The Cavs won the Lock Haven Invitational, their third straight team victory this season. Walsh will look to keep the streak going at the upcoming DII Crossover Meet at Lewis University.
No. 9 UC-Colorado Springs, No. 14 Nebraska Kearney, No. 18 U-Mary, No. 19 Alaska, and No. 20 Winona State all improved one spot as well.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 23, because that’s when the 2024 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships will be held at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento, California.
Taylor Mascetta is an aspiring sports journalist and a recent graduate of Syracuse University’s master’s program in Broadcast and Digital Journalism. She competed for both Syracuse and Fordham University’s track and field teams over a 5-year NCAA career, which forged her deep passion for the sport both on and off the track. She now works as an announcer with the Armory Track and Field Center, a content creator with the Magic Boost program, and has additional experience covering the NFL and college basketball. You can follow Mascetta’s reporting journey on her X account @TMascettaTV or Instagram @taytay929.
