2025 NCAA DIII Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 6

NEW ORLEANS – New regional rankings means there will be time for teams to prepare for  adjustments before the championship season.

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA DIII Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2025 season, as released on Tuesday 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 Saturday is set for November 15, which is where one team from each region will automatically qualify for the 2025 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships.

EAST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Tufts

Next in Line: No. 2 MIT

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Colby, No. 4 Bates, No. 5 WPI

Notes: Tufts continues to set the tone in the East after another standout effort at Connecticut  College Invitational, displaying depth and control across their top five. MIT remains the clear challenger, led by a consistent front trio. Colby makes a strong leap into contention, while Bates and WPI stay within striking distance as postseason racing nears.

GREAT LAKES REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Hope

Next in Line: No. 2 Case Western

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Kenyon, No. 4 Ohio Northern, No. 5 Trine

Notes: Hope remains the region’s voting favorite after another strong team performance at the Augustana Interregional Invitational. Case Western Reserve stays close behind with a convincing victory at Oberlin’s Inter-Regional Rumble, proving their consistency across multiple meets. Kenyon, Ohio Northern, and Trine continue to tighten the race for regional voting positions.

METRO REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 TCNJ

Next in Line: No. 2 Swarthmore

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Haverford, No. 4 Moravian, No. 5 Rowan

Notes: The Metro Region saw major movement this week, with TCNJ climbing to the top after a strong showing at the Connecticut College Invitational. Swarthmore and Haverford traded blows at the Rowan Interregional Border Battle in key head-to-head matchups, suggesting a close battle heading into the postseason. Moravian and Rowan round out a deep top five where margins remain razor-thin.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Johns Hopkins

Next in Line: No. 2 Carnegie Mellon

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Lebanon Valley, No. 4 Dickinson, No. 5 Messiah

Notes: Johns Hopkins continues to impress the nation and cement themselves with another dominant team performance led by a powerful front-runner in Emmanuel Leblond with a course record of 23:41 at the Connecticut College Invitational. Carnegie Mellon’s win at the Rowan Interregional Border-Battle keeps them firmly second, while Lebanon Valley, Dickinson, and Messiah all jostle for the remaining top spots in a competitive field.

MIDEAST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Williams

Next in Line: No. 2 RPI

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Amherst, No. 4 Wesleyan, No. 5 Middlebury

Notes: Williams remained as the titan in the Mideast, once again showcasing a balanced and deep lineup at Connecticut College Invitational. RPI continues to test itself against an elite caliber field at the Augustana Interregional Invite as the team finished third overall. Amherst holds steady in third, while Wesleyan and Middlebury maintain their regional standing in a tightly packed group as both teams competed at the Connecticut College Invitational.

MIDWEST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Wartburg

Next in Line: No. 2 UChicago

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 North Central (Ill.), No. 4 Washington (Mo.), No. 5 Loras

Notes: Wartburg once again proved their regional dominance with a strong pack and low spread at Augustana, only twelve points behind the North Region’s UW-La Crosse. UChicago rose to second after edging North Central (Ill.), setting up an intense rematch at regionals. Washington (Mo.) and Loras continue to hover near the top five, showing solid interregional depth at Augustana.

NIAGARA REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 SUNY Geneseo

Next in Line: No. 2 NYU

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 RIT, No. 4 Ithaca, No. 5 Rochester (NY)

Notes: SUNY Geneseo regains control of the Niagara Region with a close win over NYU at Connecticut College Invitational with Geneseo coming out on top by a small margin of four points. The Knights’ front group looked as if they’re rounding into postseason form. RIT, Ithaca, and Rochester continue to shuffle in a competitive second tier.

NORTH REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 UW-La Crosse

Next in Line: No. 2 UW-Platteville

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 UW-Stevens Point, No. 4 St. Olaf, No. 5 UW-Whitewater

Notes: UW-La Crosse stays in command of the North with yet another impressive team victory and minimal scoring gap at the Augustana Interregional Invitational. UW-Platteville and UW-Stevens Point continue to chase closely at the same meet as UW-La Crosse with the Pioneers besting the Pointers. St. Olaf ranked in fourth after competing at the Connecticut College Invitational. UW-Whitewater rose to fifth in the North Region over UW-Oshkosh at Augustana Interregional Invitational, which reinforces the region’s impressive depth against interregional opponents.

SOUTH REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Washington & Lee
Next in Line: No. 2 Lynchburg
Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Emory, No. 4 Pfeiffer, No. 5 Roanoke

Notes: Washington & Lee remains on top despite resting key runners, as the rest of the team competed at the South Region Showdown, displaying depth and confidence ahead of the postseason. Lynchburg tightened the gap while improving at Connecticut College Invitational. Emory finished just behind many teams from the Metro region at the Rowan Border-Battle while Pfeiffer and Roanoke continue to stay with improving performances across regional matchups.

WEST REGION

Projected AQ: No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer

Next in Line: No. 2 Colorado College

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 UC Santa Cruz, No. 4 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, No. 5 George Fox

Notes: Pomona-Pitzer continues to pace the West as the top team in the region at the Augustana Interregional Invitational. Colorado College continues its upward trajectory, most recently scoring a head-to-head victory over UC Santa Cruz at the Augustana Interregional Invitational. George Fox moves behind CMS after exhibiting depth at the George Oja Invite.