2025 NCAA DIII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 5
NEW ORLEANS – In the words of Michael Buffer, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”
The newest edition of the NCAA DIII Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA), just ahead of a massive weekend of racing. All USTFCCA polls and rankings are presented by AthleticNET.
NCAA Division III — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
NYU
NYU
2
Williams
Williams
3
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins
4
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
5
MIT
MIT
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
“Massive” may be an understatement – “historic” is more like it.
For the first time in recent memory, the top five teams from any version of the USTFCCCA National Coaches’ Polls will face off at the same regular season meet. Those teams are No. 1 NYU, No. 2 Williams, No. 3 Johns Hopkins, No. 4 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and No. 5 MIT. The showdown takes place on Saturday at the Connecticut College Invitational in Waterford, Connecticut.
“We have worked hard over the years to bring in the most competitive inter-region field possible for the final week of significant competition prior to conference championship meets,” Connecticut College women’s cross country coach Ned Bishop said in an email. “Our course is absolutely beautiful and visiting teams have really enjoyed the experience. We put a priority on providing the best possible racing experience for everyone.”
Prepare for fireworks on the 6k course at Harkness Memorial State Park.
Three of those top five teams – NYU, Williams, and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps – received first-place votes from the electorate, and all five have something to prove. The Violets hope to show that their dominating victory over a host of ranked teams at the Paul Short Run wasn’t a one-off. The Ephs aim to hold their own against their first true test of the season. Johns Hopkins has gone 33 weeks without being No. 1 and could prove that it’s still a force to be reckoned with. The Athenas, who haven’t shied away from tough competition this season, most notably dismantling a strong field at the DIII Pre-Nats, wish for momentum to continue. Defending national champion MIT wants to show that it remains a threat, despite falling from No. 1 to No. 5 nearly a month until the NCAA meet.
NYU, Williams, Johns Hopkins, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and MIT will be joined by 11 other ranked teams in the Constitution State: No. 9 Carleton, No. 11 SUNY Geneseo, No. 12 Amherst, No. 13 Middlebury, No. 14 Washington & Lee, No. 16 Connecticut College, No. 17 Tufts, No. 19 Vassar, No. 26 St. Olaf, No. 27 Coast Guard, and No. 29 Wesleyan (Conn.).
Not to be outdone, the Augustana Interregional Invitational features 12 ranked teams, including three in the top ten: No. 6 UW-La Crosse, No. 7 UChicago, and No. 10 Washington (Mo.). The rest of the field includes No. 17 Trine, No. 20 UC Santa Cruz, No. 21 Wartburg, No. 22 Colorado College, No. 23 UW-Eau Claire, No. 24 Calvin, No. 25 RPI, No. 28 Pomona-Pitzer, and No. 29 Hope.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 22, because that’s when the 2025 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships will be held at the Roger Millikin Cross Country Course in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
