2024 NJCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 2

NEW ORLEANS – Two rivals from Arizona earned all of the first-place votes in the Week 2 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
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
1
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
2
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
3
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
4
Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC
4
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
Cross Country Polls & Rankings

Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC soared up eight positions to No. 1 with its first two races of the year occurring since the Week 1 poll. The Pumas collected nine first-place votes with impressive showings in defeating previous No. 1 Mesa (Ariz.) CC at both the UC Riverside Invitational and Arizona CCAC Championships.  Keira Damron, who was fifth in last year’s NJCAA DII Cross Country Championships, led PVCC in both meets, including winning the ACCAC title.

Mesa drops to No. 2 and received three first-place votes. Kinley Jackson has been the Thunderbirds’ top runner in two of their three meets, with fellow freshman Lucy Melzer earning honors in the other meet.

Wallace State (Ala.) CC drops a notch to No. 3. Freshman Reagan Parris has now led the Lions in three of their four races.

There’s a tie at No. 4. Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC, which started No. 3 in the preseason poll, is led by Kayden Spencer while Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC has seen Erica Land lead the way in all three of its meets.

Rounding out the top-10 are No. 6 Pasco-Hernando (Fla.), No. 7 Cowley (Kan.), No. 8 Lansing (Mich.) CC, No. 9 Heartland (Ill.) CC and No. 10 UA Rich Mountain (Ark.). Cowley was the poll’s biggest mover this week, rising 14 positions.

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.

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USTFCCCA NJCAA Division II
Women's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll

2024 Week 2 - October 2nd

RANK TEAM & INFOPTSCHANGE
1 paradise-valley-ariz-cc PARADISE VALLEY (ARIZ.) CC
West Region
Region 1
David Barney (29th)
236
(9 fpv)
▲ 8
(LW: 9)
2 mesa-ariz-cc MESA (ARIZ.) CC
West Region
Region 1
Dan Pescador (10th)
231
(3 fpv)
▼ 1
(LW: 1)
3 wallace-state-hanceville-ala-cc WALLACE STATE-HANCEVILLE (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Tony Crider (1st)
215 ▼ 1
(LW: 2)
4 des-moines-area-iowa-cc DES MOINES AREA (IOWA) CC
Midwest Region
Region 11
Michael Melchert (5th)
175 ▲ 6
(LW: 10)
4 grand-rapids-mich-cc GRAND RAPIDS (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Sharon Becker (4th)
175 ◀▶
(LW: 4)
6 pasco-hernando-fla PASCO-HERNANDO (FLA.)
Atlantic Region
Region 8
Jacki Waller (18th)
172 ▼ 3
(LW: 3)
7 cowley-kan COWLEY (KAN.)
West Region
Region 6
Cameron Rieth (7th)
170 ▲ 14
(LW: 21)
8 lansing-mich-cc LANSING (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Jim Robinson (16th)
153 ▲ 6
(LW: 14)
9 heartland-ill-cc HEARTLAND (ILL.) CC
Midwest Region
Region 24
CJ Hamilton (1st)
151 ▲ 4
(LW: 13)
10 ua-rich-mountain-ark UA RICH MOUNTAIN (ARK.)
West Region
Region 2
Samantha Shores (7th)
127 ▼ 3
(LW: 7)
11 calhoun-ala-cc CALHOUN (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Dante Dorsey (1st)
122 ▼ 5
(LW: 6)
12 bismarck-state-n-d BISMARCK STATE (N.D.)
West Region
Region 13
Julia Hammerschmidt (1st)
94 ▼ 7
(LW: 5)
12 shelton-state-ala-cc SHELTON STATE (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Charles Tiller (2nd)
94 ▼ 4
(LW: 8)
14 southeastern-iowa-cc SOUTHEASTERN (IOWA) CC
Midwest Region
Region 11
Lucas Keifer (5th)
66 ▲ 2
(LW: 16)
15 carl-albert-state-okla CARL ALBERT STATE (OKLA.)
West Region
Region 2
Kristin Snyder (4th)
65
(LW: RV)
16 st-clair-county-mich-cc ST. CLAIR COUNTY (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Andrea Rheaume (3rd)
63 ▼ 5
(LW: 11)
17 muskegon-mich-cc MUSKEGON (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Nick Macinkowski (3rd)
51 ◀▶
(LW: 17)
18 daytona-state-fla DAYTONA STATE (FLA.)
Atlantic Region
Region 8
Judy Wilson (7th)
27 ▼ 1
(LW: 17)
19 northwest-arkansas-cc NORTHWEST ARKANSAS CC
West Region
Region 2
Josphat Boit (4th)
25
(LW: RV)
20 carl-sandburg-ill CARL SANDBURG (ILL.)
Midwest Region
Region 4
Kim Schrader (1st)
23 NR
21 gadsden-state-ala-cc GADSDEN STATE (ALA.) CC
Central Region
Region 22
Jackson Millander (1st)
18 ▼ 9
(LW: 12)
21 macomb-mich-cc MACOMB (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Matt Fecht (3rd)
18 ▼ 6
(LW: 15)
23 florida-gateway FLORIDA GATEWAY
Atlantic Region
Region 8
April Morse (7th)
14
(LW: RV)
24 mott-mich-cc MOTT (MICH.) CC
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Nathan Elston (1st)
12 ▼ 5
(LW: 19)
25 lake-michigan LAKE MICHIGAN
Great Lakes Region
Region 12
Alan Martens (2nd)
10 ◀▶
(LW: 25)

Also Receiving Votes: Allen (Kan.) CC 5, Dawson (Mont.) CC 4, Potomac State (W.Va.) 2, Northeast Alabama CC 2

Dropped Out: No. 20 Northeast Alabama CC, No. 22 Gulf Coast State (Fla.), No. 23 South Florida State, No. 24 Marion Military Institute (Ala.)



Week-by-Week Ranking

TeamPreseasonWeek #1Week #2Week #3Week #4FINAL
Mesa (Ariz.) CC112211
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC291122
Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC3104443
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC723374
Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC844635
Heartland (Ill.) CC6139766
Pasco-Hernando (Fla.)133611107
Cowley (Kan.)4217558
Lansing (Mich.) CC9148889
Shelton State (Ala.) CC12812121310
Calhoun (Ala.) CC17611101611
Bismarck State (N.D.)RV51291412
Lake Michigan242525161213
UA Rich Mountain (Ark.)2071013914
NorthWest Arkansas CCRV19181715
Daytona State (Fla.)51718232116
Carl Albert State (Okla.)RV15151117
Southeastern (Iowa) CC91614171818
Muskegon (Mich.) CC161717201519
Jacksonville (Texas)2320
Potomac State (W.Va.)19RVRV21
Carl Sandburg (Ill.)2520RV2022
Gulf Coast State (Fla.)22252223
North Iowa Area CC24
Florida Gateway21RV2325
Moraine Valley (Ill.) CCRVRV1926
South Florida StateRV2327
Northeast Alabama CC1420RVRV28
Mott (Mich.) CC1924212429
Gadsden State (Ala.) CC221221RV30
Lake-Sumter State (Fla.)RVRV31
Florida State-Jacksonville32
College of Central FloridaRV33
Murray State (Okla.)34
Kaskaskia (Ill.)35
Pellissippi State (Tenn.) CCRV36
State Fair (Mo.)RV37
Northeast Mississippi CC38
Walters State (Tenn.) CC39
Tallahassee State (Fla.)40
Jefferson State (Ala.) CC41
St. Clair County (Mich.) CC1111161423
Coconino (Ariz.) CC15RVRV25
Marion Military Institute (Ala.)RV2419
Macomb (Mich.) CC152121
Waubonsee (Ill.) CC22RV
Allen (Kan.) CCRVRV
Dawson (Mont.) CCRV
Southwestern Michigan18

USTFCCCA NJCAA Division II Cross Country

2024 Rankings & Polls Calendar
Weeks National Coaches' Poll KEY DATES
PreseasonWed 9/4
MEN | WOMEN
Week 1Wed 9/18
MEN | WOMEN
Week 2Wed 10/2
MEN | WOMEN
Week 3Wed 10/16
MEN | WOMEN
Week 4Wed 10/30
MEN | WOMEN
Sat., Nov. 9 - NJCAA Championships (Richmond, Va.)
FINAL Results
(official final ranking)
Sat 11/9
MEN | WOMEN