2024 NJCAA DI Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 4
NEW ORLEANS – The already-tight team picture got even closer in the final edition of the 2024 NJCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Just two points separate the top-2 teams and – for the first time all year – a third squad received at least one first-place vote. All of which means we’re set for a thrilling 2024 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, to be held in 10 days on Saturday, November 9, at Pole Green Park near Richmond, Virginia.
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division I — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
2
Iowa Western CC
Iowa Western CC
3
El Paso (Texas) CC
El Paso (Texas) CC
4
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
5
Butler (Kan.) CC
Butler (Kan.) CC
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Salt Lake (Utah) CC continues at No. 1, but now by two points instead of three and now with five first-place votes instead of six. Without a regional championship, the Bruins scored a perfect 15 points to win the Utah Open. The third-year program – runner-up in last year’s nationals by seven points – continue to be led by reigning NJCAA DI Cross Country champion JaQuavious Harris, who is undefeated this year against JUCO competition. Salt Lake returns two other scorers in Finn Anspach and Seth Smith.
Previous No. 1 Iowa Western CC remains No. 2, one point closer to the top while still collecting four first-place votes. The Reivers – whose best-ever nationals finish is second in 2021 – are coming off a victory in the Region 11 Championships as individual champ Geofrey Ronoh led teammates Barnabas Ndiwa and Mohammed Kowa under the course record. Ronoh is undefeated against all competition in five races this year. Kowa was tenth in last year’s nationals.
No. 3 El Paso (Texas) CC earned the final first-place vote. Champions of the loaded Region 5 – which has eight teams ranked in the top-20 – the Tejanos’ best-ever finish at nationals is being runner-up in 2019. Matthew Kipkoech and Wallace Kigen have split team honors 2-2 this fall.
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC moves up to No. 4, their highest ranking since being No. 2 in Week 2 of 2020, the year of its best nationals finish of fifth. The Blue Dragons won the Region 6 Championships convincingly, with Dennis Cheruiyot (second), Cornelius Kogo (third) and Titus Kiprotich (fifth) all clocking sub-24 times.
Butler (Kan.) CC drops a notch to No. 5 after a runner-up finish in the Region 6 Championships. The Grizzlies – the only team besides Salt Lake and Iowa Western to be top-5 all season – also feature one of the nation’s best individuals in Emmanuel Otim, who is undefeated against JUCO competition in five races with four outright victories.
Rounding out the top-10 teams are No. 6 New Mexico JC, No. 7 Crowder (Mo.) , No. 8 Fort Hays Tech Northwest (Kan.), No. 9 Odessa (Texas) and No. 10 Central Arizona. That’s a program-high ranking at No. 9 for the Wranglers, who are led by Mohammed El Youssfi, undefeated against JUCO competition this year.
