2025 NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three teams earned first-place votes in the most recent NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, released on Thursday by the NAIA National Office.

That goes to show that it’s anybody’s race as the season heads to its climax at the 2025 NAIA Cross Country Championships on Friday, November 21, in Tallahassee, Florida.

NAIA — Men's Cross Country

This Week's National Top Five

1
The Master's (Calif.)

2
Indiana Wesleyan

3
Cumberlands (Ky.)

4
College of Idaho

5
Taylor (Ind.)

Cross Country Polls & Rankings

NATIONAL POLL

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1. The Master’s (Calif.)

The Mustangs collected 13 first-place votes after winning the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Oct. 4, as Brogan Collins won the race in 24:35. TMU had a pair of top three finishes, as Jack Anderson finished two spots behind Collins. TMU is back in action Oct. 18 at the Higlander, in Riverside, Calif.

2. Indiana Wesleyan

IWU closed the gap on top-ranked TMU, gathering five first-place votes in this week’s poll. The Wildcats won Oct. 10’s Ray Bullock Invitational, at Taylor (Ind.), led by Josh Bainbridge,  Hunter Sasnich, Trenton Sweet, and Braden Sweet, who finished in a pack, fourth through seventh. IWU is off this week, back in action Oct. 25, at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge, hosted by Aquinas (Mich.).

3. Cumberlands (Ky.)

The Patriots climbed a spot this week, standing out in a loaded field at the Louisville Classic. Noah Loeser crossed the line in Louisville in 24:48, a top-20 time in program history. The Patriots will return to competition at the NAIA Appalachian Challenge on Friday, Oct. 24, in Knoxville, Tenn.

4. College of Idaho

The 2024 defending national champions made their move back into the top 10 and gained a first-place vote with a seventh-place finish at the LC State Invitational, led by Michael Altenburg’s 25:57 in the 8,000-meter race. Up next for the Yotes will be the Blazing Tiger Classic in Ashland, Neb. The Blazing Tiger Classic will be the squad’s last race before the CCC Championships.

5. Taylor (Ind.)

The Trojans narrowly missed second-ranked Indiana Wesleyan at the Ray Bullock Invite, getting the top two finishes in the race from seniors Luke Harber and Ryan Hankak, who finished in 25:01 and 25:05. Taylor fell seven points behind IWU, and the teams will meet again Oct. 25 at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge, hosted by Aquinas. 

Here are the rest of the top-ten teams: No. 6 Milligan, No. 7 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), No. 8 Marian (Ind.), No. 9 Southern Oregon, and No. 10 IU East (Ind.).