2025 NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 2
CLICK HERE TO READ ON THE NAIA WEBSITE
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Here is the newest edition of the NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Thursday by the NAIA National Office.
NAIA — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
The Master's (Calif.)
The Master's (Calif.)
2
Indiana Wesleyan
Indiana Wesleyan
3
Milligan (Tenn.)
Milligan (Tenn.)
4
Cumberlands (Ky.)
Cumberlands (Ky.)
5
Taylor (Ind.)
Taylor (Ind.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
No. 1 The Master’s (Calif.)
The Mustangs have not competed since last week’s rating, retaining No. 1 going into Saturday’s Pomona-Pitzer Invitational, in Claremont, Calif.
No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan
Led by NAIA Runner of the Week Josh Bainbridge, IWU remained No. 2, and last week at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Mo., the Wildcats were the top team in the 8K Open race, more than 100 points better than the next-nearest NAIA program. In all, IWU collected wins over five other NAIA programs in the field of 20 teams. The Wildcats have now won back-to-back races to start the 2025 season, also finishing in front of a field of 20 at the IWU Twilight, Sept. 5. Indiana Wesleyan is back on the cross country course Friday, Oct. 10, in the Ray Bullock Invitational, hosted by Taylor (Ind.), in Upland, Ind.
No. 3 Milligan (Tenn.)
The Buffs hosted and won last week’s Eli Cramer Invitational, and Milligan is back in action Friday evening at the Firetower Project, hosted by Appalachian State. The Buffs are up a spot, this week, to No. 3.
No. 4 Cumberlands (Ky.)
UC slid a spot, this week, and the Patriots he Mustangs have not competed since last week’s rating. They’re back in action Saturday, at the Greater Louisville Classic, hosted by the University of Louisville.
No. 5 Taylor (Ind.)
Taylor stepped out of primarily NAIA competition last week and finished eighth at the Seminole Invite, hosted by Florida State. Luke Harber led Taylor with a 25th-place finish and time of 25:26.7. The Trojans were 16 points back of the Univrsity of Tampa, and within two spots of Miami (Fla.). The Trojans finished seven positions better than Ave Maria (Fla.), and 11 in front of SCAD Savannah (Ga.).
Here are the rest of the top-ten teams: No. 6 Marian (Ind.), No. 7 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), No. 8 Spring Arbor (Mich.), plus Corban (Ore.) and Saint Mary (Kan.), who are both tied at No. 9.
The 2025 NAIA Cross Country Championships are scheduled to be held Friday, November 21, at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida. This will be the second time in the past four years that the meet will be held in the Sunshine State.
