2025 NJCAA DI Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – A close competition is on the horizon based on the preseason edition of the 2025 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 two teams, and five programs collected at least one first-place vote. None of those were defending champion Salt Lake (Utah) CC.
Things will sort out at a familiar location as the 2025 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships return to Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Saturday, November 8. This will be the fifth time since 2013 that the nationals have been held there; no other site has been host more than twice in the time span.
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division I — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Iowa Western CC
Iowa Western CC
2
Butler (Kan.) CC
Butler (Kan.) CC
3
Iowa Central CC
Iowa Central CC
4
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
5
Odessa (Texas)
Odessa (Texas)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Iowa Western CC, last year’s runner-up, earned two first-place votes and leads the preseason poll for the first time in program history. The Reivers return three scorers, led by a potent top-2 in Barnabas Ndiwa and Geofrey Ronoh, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in last year’s individual battle.
No. 2 Butler (Kan.) CC is at its highest ranking in program history. The Grizzlies – which earned the highest number of first-place votes (four) – return their entire top-5 that posted a program-best finish of fourth last year. That group is led by the top returning individual, Emmanuel Otim, who was third.
Iowa Central CC claimed two first-place votes to rate No. 3. The Tritons are expected to be much higher than the 19th-place finish from last year. It wouldn’t be a big surprise – three of their five national titles in program history have come on home soil, and Iowa Central is hosting again this year. A number of newcomers include Chakib Cherkaoui Rhazouani, Emmanuel Kiplagat and Soufyane Laaziz. Laaziz was part of the team’s 4×800 relay squad that won NJCAA Indoor last year and was runner-up outdoors.
No. 4 Hutchinson (Kan.) CC was a program-high third last year and returns its top-4, led by Titus Kiprotich (ninth). The Blue Dragons are hoping for the return of Dennis Cheruiyot (10th), who didn’t run track last year due to injury.
No. 5 Odessa (Texas) also received a first-place vote. The Wranglers lost individual runner-up Mohammed El Youssfi but return three scorers from the group that finished eighth last year in its first nationals appearance since 2011.
Rounding out the top-10 are No. 6 New Mexico JC, No. 7 Crowder (Mo.), No. 8 Snow (Utah), No. 9 Ranger (Texas) and No. 10 Blinn (Texas). Crowder received one first-place vote.
