2025 NJCAA DII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1
NEW ORLEANS – Two rivals are knotted at the top of the Week 1 edition of the 2025 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).
The 2025 NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships are set to take place at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Saturday, November 8.
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division II — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
Mesa (Ariz.) CC
1
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC
3
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC
4
Muskegon (Mich.) CC
Muskegon (Mich.) CC
5
Daytona State (Fla.)
Daytona State (Fla.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
The tie for No. 1 among Mesa (Ariz.) CC and Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC almost doesn’t come as a surprise – one or the other of these Region 1 powers has been No. 1 in the national rankings in each poll since the beginning of last year.
Paradise Valley earned the most first-place votes with nine in returning to No. 1 for the first time since Week 3 of last year (it’s their sixth time total). It’s a rise of two places for the Pumas, who opened the year as the top NJCAA team at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge. PV was led by top returner Laynee Hollech, who was seventh individually in last year’s nationals.
Preseason No. 1 Mesa earned six first-place votes in remaining with at least a share at the top (they now have a program total of five No. 1s). The Thunderbirds are led by freshman Olivia Baker, who has swept M-F National Athlete of the Week honors the last two weeks. Mesa didn’t have a full team to finish the Cougar Challenge but competed impressively at the Lori Fitzgerald Memorial against NJCAA DI top-10 ranked New Mexico JC and El Paso CC.
Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) CC drops a notch to No. 3. The Lions were the top NJCAA DII program at the City Auto Memphis Twilight Classic and North Alabama Invitational, both times led by freshman Brookelyn Morgan.
Continuing at No. 4 is Muskegon (Mich.) CC. The Jayhawks have been the top JUCO team in all three of their meets thus far, and Tatum Dykstra has been the top JUCO individual each time, including an outright win at the Hanover Invitational.
Joining the top-5 for the first time since last year’s preseason poll is Daytona State (Fla.). The Falcons have been the top JUCO program in all three of their meets thus far, with freshman Emma Turner doubling as the leading JUCO individual each time.
Completing the top-10 are No. 6 Southeastern (Iowa) CC, No. 7 Lansing (Mich.) CC, No. 8 Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC, No. 9 Mott (Mich.) CC and No. 10 NorthWest Arkansas CC.
