2025 NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 5

NEW ORLEANS – Conference Championships Weekend left its mark.

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2025 season, as released on Monday 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 Friday set for November 14. That’s when we’ll learn which two teams from each region will automatically qualify for the upcoming 2025 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 22, in Columbia, Missouri.

Great Lakes Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Butler

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 5 Michigan

Notes: Michigan State remains atop the Great Lakes Region thanks to its runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships, ahead of third-place Wisconsin and fourth-place Michigan. Butler laid waste to the competition at the BIG EAST Championships, while Notre Dame finished fourth at the ACC Championships, just three points behind Wake Forest.

Mid-Atlantic Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Princeton, No. 2 Georgetown

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Navy, No. 4 Villanova, No. 5 Penn State

Notes: Princeton cemented its spot atop the Mid-Atlantic Region thanks to its routine victory over Harvard at the Ivy League Championships. Georgetown and Villanova went head-to-head at the BIG EAST Championships with the former earning a runner-up finish, compared to the latter’s third-place effort. Navy made quick work of the Patriot League, while Penn State finished eighth at the Big Ten Championships.

Midwest Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Oklahoma State, No. 2 Iowa State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Tulsa, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Loyola Chicago

Notes: Oklahoma State obliterated the competition – including Iowa State – this past weekend at the Big 12 Championships. The Cowboys, who scored 20 points, moved as a pack and placed five in the top seven with a spread of just eight seconds. The Cyclones took runner-up honors with 43 points behind three top-ten finishers. Tulsa beat Tulane by six points for the American Conference title, while Oklahoma topped region rival Missouri at the SEC Championships.

Mountain Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 New Mexico, No. 2 Colorado

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Northern Arizona, No. 4 BYU, No. 5 Air Force

Notes: Add another Mountain West title to the trophy case at New Mexico. Led by Habtom Samuel’s record run, the Lobos showcased their depth to win the conference title with 26 points, 46 fewer than runner-up Boise State and third-place Air Force. Colorado took third at the Big 12 Championships without Isiah Givens or Lukas Haug, but topped fourth-place BYU. Northern Arizona continues to see the maturation of Colin Sahlman, who won the individual title at the Big Sky Championships and led the Lumberjacks to a fifth consecutive team crown.

Northeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Syracuse, No. 2 Harvard

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Iona, No. 4 Cornell, No. 5 Yale

Notes: Business as usual in the Northeast Region, as Syracuse and Harvard sit No. 1 and No. 2 once again. The Orange were a close second to Virginia at the ACC Championships, while the Crimson were a distant second to Princeton at the Ivy League Championships. Iona made quick work of the MAAC Championships, where it went 1-10. Cornell edged Yale for third place at the Ivy League Championships, the first time the Big Red beat the Bulldogs this season.

South Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Georgia

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Middle Tennessee, No. 4 Tennessee, No. 5 Ole Miss

Notes: Alabama and Georgia went 1-2 at the SEC Championships and saw their ranking reflect that result. The Crimson Tide packed well with a 27-second spread between their first and fifth runners, while the Bulldogs held on for second ahead of Oklahoma and Arkansas (Tennessee and Ole Miss were farther down the standings in ninth and tenth, respectively). Over at the Conference USA Championships, Middle Tennessee rolled to another league crown.

South Central Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Arkansas, No. 2 Tulane

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Stephen F. Austin, No. 5 Texas

Notes: The rumors of Arkansas’ demise were greatly exaggerated. The Razorbacks charge up the rankings to No. 1 following their fourth place showing at the SEC Championships, where they beat No. 22 Missouri. Former No. 1 Tulane took runner-up honors at the American Conference Championships behind an upset-minded Tulsa. Texas A&M and Texas were sixth and seventh at the SEC Championships, while SFA dominated the Southland.

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Virginia, No. 2 Wake Forest

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Virginia Tech, No. 4 North Carolina, No. 5 Eastern Kentucky

Notes: The top-four teams all raced at the ACC Championships and finished in that order at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville, Kentucky. Virginia held off Syracuse for the conference title, 61-65, while Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina finished third, fifth, and sixth place, respectively. Eastern Kentucky rolled to the Atlantic Sun Conference crown with 17 points.

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Washington State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 California Baptist, No. 4 Boise State, No. 5 Stanford

Notes: Dominant performances by the top-three teams highlighted Conference Championships Weekend for the West Region. Oregon steamrolled the field at the Big Ten Championships, as did Washington State at the WCC Championships, and California Baptist in the WAC. Boise State finished second to New Mexico at the Mountain West Championships, while Stanford was a distant seventh at the ACC Championships with only two runners in the top 40.