2025 NCAA DIII Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – Cross country is back.
Here is the 2025 preseason edition of the NCAA DIII Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, as released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Tuesday. USTFCCCA polls and rankings are presented by AthleticNET.
NCAA Division III — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
UW-La Crosse
UW-La Crosse
2
Wartburg
Wartburg
3
SUNY Geneseo
SUNY Geneseo
4
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins
5
Pomona-Pitzer
Pomona-Pitzer
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Defending champion UW-La Crosse starts the year at the same place it ended the 2024 campaign – on top. The Eagles, who were unanimously chosen as the nation’s top squad, return six of their seven runners from that squad, including four All-Americans: Grant Matthai (third), Aidan Matthai (fifth), Joey Sullivan (16th), and Jayden Zywicki (20th). This is just the second time in program history that UW-La Crosse is ranked No. 1 in the preseason.
Wartburg holds down the No. 2 spot, just as it did throughout the 2024 season. The Knights, who finished national runner-up in two of the past three years, welcome back three All-America athletes – Isaiah Hammerand (seventh), Jacob Green (15th), and Lance Sobaski (37th). This matches Wartburg’s best preseason ranking in program history. Hammerand lowered his PRs on the track to 14:18.34 for 5k and 30:00.83 for 10k.
SUNY Geneseo is ranked third to begin the season, tying its best preseason ranking since 2017. The Knights, who finished sixth last year, return several talented runners, namely Empire 8 champion Ryan Hagan and All-Region performer Pierce Young. Both Hagan and Young set multiple PRs during the outdoor season, as well as placing top-five in their respective events at the NCAA Championships (Hagan in the 1500; Young in the steeplechase).
Expectations are high for Johns Hopkins, as it comes in ranked fourth – its best rank in program history, regardless of poll date. The Blue Jays, who finished 14th nationally in back-to-back years, welcome back six of seven runners from last year’s squad, highlighted by star Emmanuel Leblond, who finished sixth at the 2024 NCAA Championships and later took top-three honors in both NCAA Championship 5ks on the track.
Pomona-Pitzer comes into the season ranked fifth, which is its lowest preseason billing since 2019. That’s not a bad thing, though, as the Sagehens won its first of three national title six years ago. Graduation hit Pomona-Pitzer hard, yet the squad had capable depth waiting in the wings. The Sagehens return three of their top-seven runners from 2024 and transfer Amir Barkan should make an immediate impact for the three-time national champions.
North Central (Ill.) and St. Olaf are tied at sixth in the preseason, while RPI, Williams, and UW-Whitewater round out the top-ten teams.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 22, because that’s when the 2025 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships will be held at the Roger Millikin Cross Country Course in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
