2025 NJCAA DI Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 4
NEW ORLEANS – The top-2 became closer while their order continued for a third-straight time in the Week 4 edition of the 2025 NJCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
This is the final set of rankings before the 2025 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, which will be held at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Saturday, November 8.
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division I — Men's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Iowa Western CC
Iowa Western CC
2
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
3
Iowa Central CC
Iowa Central CC
4
New Mexico JC
New Mexico JC
5
Butler (Kan.) CC
Butler (Kan.) CC
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Strong regional competition had expected effects in these rankings.
Iowa Western CC remained No. 1, but this time received “only” nine of the ten first-place votes after two-straight times being the unanimous choice. The Reivers – in search of their first-ever NJCAA DI team title in cross country (they’ve been runner-up twice) – held off a spirited charge by in-state rival Iowa Central CC to win the Region 11 Championships, 26-30, on the same course as the upcoming nationals. Iowa Western was led by Barnabas Ndiwa, who recorded the fourth-fastest time in in course history at 24:05.9 in evening his seasonal record with teammate Geofrey Ronoh at 2-2; that duo finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in last year’s NJCAA DI race.
Hutchinson (Kan.) CC continued at No. 2 and collected the other first-place vote, its first of the season. The Blue Dragons – whose best finish at nationals is third from last year – also won a close competition in taking the Region 6 title over Butler, 35-40, behind the 1-2 finish of Cornelius Kogo and Titus Kiprotich. Kogo is 3-1 head-to-head this year against Kiprotich, who is the fourth-highest returner from last year’s nationals (ninth).
Rising two places to No. 3 is Iowa Central CC, who last won the national crown in 2021 (three of their five team titles have come while hosting the NJCAA Championships). Their five scorers at the Region 11 meet were all freshmen, and third-place finisher Soufyane Laaziz earned team honors for the second time this season, just ahead of Chakib Cherkaoui Rhazouani, who has led the squad three times. Saad Rifi Loutfi also has led the Tritons this year, but his twin brother Said has closed their family head-to-head record to 4-2 this fall.
Dropping a notch to No. 4 is New Mexico JC, which won the Region 5 Championships over seven other squads in the current rankings. The T-Birds were 53 points ahead of their nearest competitor as Mohammed Mrahi led the way with a runner-up finish behind Amantle Modingwane, a threat for the national individual title on team runner-up Odessa (Texas), this week’s biggest mover in rising seven spots to No. 8.
No. 5 is Butler (Kan.) CC, dropping one spot despite being a close runner-up to Hutchinson in the Region 6 Championships. The Grizzlies were fourth in last year’s nationals – their first top-5 finish since 2006 – and are led by a strong group whose top runner this year been either Itumeleng Ngxabazi (twice), Emmanuel Otim (twice, and also the leading national individual returner after being third) and Sfiso Makolomaka (once).
Region 1 and 16 champs Central Arizona and Crowder (Mo.), respectively, follow at Nos. 6 and 7 ahead of Odessa at No. 8. Rounding out the top-10 teams are No. 9 Colby (Kan.) CC and No. 10 Snow (Utah).
