2025 NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 2

NEW ORLEANS – The Gans Creek Classic shook up the rankings.

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2025 season, as released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Regional Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams’ strength with current season results (if applicable) in determining a rank-order of squad potential. Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible to receive a ranking. Teams with provisional status within the region may be ranked.

Regional Championships Friday set for November 14. That’s when we’ll learn which two teams from each region will automatically qualify for the upcoming 2025 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 22, in Columbia, Missouri.

Great Lakes Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 2 Notre Dame

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Butler, No. 4 Michigan State, No. 5 Michigan

Notes: There were no changes to the top-five teams this week.

Wisconsin and Notre Dame will both race this upcoming weekend in Chicago and South Bend, respectively, while Butler, Michigan State and Michigan competed at the Gans Creek Classic and finished in that order.

Mid-Atlantic Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Princeton, No. 2 Georgetown

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Villanova, No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Navy

Notes: Get ready for some intraregional racing this weekend at the Paul Short Run. You’ll see Georgetown, Villanova, and Penn State all toe the start line in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Midwest Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Iowa State, No. 2 Oklahoma State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Missouri, No. 4 Tulsa, No. 5 Oklahoma

Notes: Iowa State and Oklahoma State both turned in impressive victories this past weekend, but Missouri opened the most eyes and vaulted three spots from No. 6 to No. 3. The Tigers took 12th place at the Gans Creek Classic and beat more than five nationally-ranked programs. 

Mountain Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 New Mexico, No. 2 Colorado

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 BYU, No. 4 Northern Arizona, No. 5 Air Force

Notes: New Mexico and Colorado both starred this past weekend. The Lobos were a close runner-up at the Cowboy Jamboree behind Oklahoma State, while the Buffs took third at the Gans Creek Classic ahead of BYU, Northern Arizona, and Air Force.

Northeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Syracuse, No. 2 Harvard

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Iona, No. 4 Cornell, No. 5 Boston College

Notes: Syracuse cemented its No. 1 ranking with a sixth-place showing at the Gans Creek Classic. Assaf Harari led the Orange with a 17th-place finish individually.

South Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Ole Miss

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Lipscomb, No. 4 Georgia, No. 5 Tennessee

Notes: The region’s top teams squared off at the Gans Creek Classic. Top-ranked Alabama finished highest in fourth place, ahead of both Ole Miss and Lipscomb. Fourth-ranked Georgia dominated the proceedings at a rain-soaked FSU Invitational, winning by 70 points.

South Central Region

Projected AQs: No.1 Tulane, No. 2 Arkansas

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Incarnate Word, No. 5 Texas

Notes: Tulane showed its ready to be a contender with an 11th-place finish at the Gans Creek Classic. The Green Wave beat four top-20 programs, namely No. 7 Stanford. Second-ranked Arkansas is scheduled to race again this weekend at the Chile Pepper Festival.

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Virginia, No. 2 Wake Forest

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 North Carolina, No. 4 Eastern Kentucky, No. 5 Furman

Notes: Four of the top-five teams took on the Gans Creek Classic this past weekend. Top-ranked Virginia finished a strong runner-up behind Iowa State with a meager 16-second spread between its No. 1 and No. 5 runners. Second-ranked Wake Forest took ninth in Columbia, Missouri, without Rocky Hansen and Joseph O’Brien, while fourth-ranked Eastern Kentucky and fifth-ranked Furman finished further down the team standings.  

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 California Baptist

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Washington State, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 Washington

Notes: Oregon usurped Stanford as the projected regional champion, while California Baptist and Washington State also found themselves ahead of the Cardinal. The Cougars were the only program to race its top squad this past weekend and came away with a 15th-place finish at the Gans Creek Classic. WSU was led by individual champion Solomon Kipchoge.