2025 NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 2

NEW ORLEANS – The Gans Creek Classic shakes up the rankings. 

Here is the newest edition of the 2025 NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country Regional Rankings, which were 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.

All of these teams have November 14, Regional Championships Friday, circled on their calendar as they hope to clinch one of the two automatic qualifier spots in their region. Those two qualifiers, along with at-large teams will take on the 2025 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 22, in Columbia, Missouri. 

Great Lakes Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Michigan State

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

Notes: No movement this week, but there was racing to be had over the past few weeks.

Notre Dame holds steady at the top spot after a dominating effort at the National Catholic Invitational. The Fighting Irish swept the top-13 spots, putting six runners at 16:50 or faster over the 5k course.

Michigan State cemented its No. 2 rankings with its performance at the Gans Creek Classic. The Spartans placed 13th in the Gold Race and beat regional rivals Michigan and Ohio State. Sophomore Rachel Forsyth continues to be the low stick for Michigan State, placing 28th overall, running 6k in just under 20 minutes.

Mid-Atlantic Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 West Virginia

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Georgetown, No. 4 Princeton, No. 5 Villanova

Notes: It has been a quiet week in the Mid-Atlantic as top-ranked Penn State and second-ranked West Virginia trained through September in advance of October. We’ll see the Nittany Lions at the Paul Short Run and the Mountaineers at the Louisville Classic.

Midwest Region

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

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Northwestern, No. 4 Missouri, No. 5 Minnesota

Notes: The Cowgirls stay at the top of the Midwest Region following a strong performance at the Cowboy Jamboree where they placed second just behind reigning national champions BYU. Isca Chelangat’s 19:59 over a difficult 6k course in Stillwater was enough to take the individual title and lead Oklahoma State to a top five average of 20:41. Maureen Rutoh and Billah Jepkirui in 5^th and 7^th respectively also ones to lookout for as the Cowgirls make a push in November. 

Iowa State moves up into the second spot this week as they returned to racing at Gans Creek after nearly a month off. The Cyclones had a strong showing in Columbia, Missouri, headlined by Mercyline Kirwa’s debut where she placed 3^rd overall, running 19:13, just 6 seconds out of the top spot on Friday. Behind her, Iowa State’s top five averaged 20:03, placing 7^th in the Gold Race, but were only five points out of fifth. With Mercy Kibet having yet to debut and sub-16 5k runner Bella Heikes not running, the Cyclones have more in the coffers. 

Mountain Region

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

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Northern Arizona, No. 4 Colorado, No. 5 Utah

Notes: Reigning national champions BYU stay atop the Mountain Region following their performance at the Cowboy Jamboree this weekend. The Cougars averaged 20:30 to come away with the team title over the Midwest’s best Oklahoma State and regional rivals New Mexico. With junior Jenna Hutchins and high school phenom Jane Hedengren yet to run this year, the outlook for the Cougars just keeps getting better. 

New Mexico remains in second after a third-place finish at the Cowboy Jamboree. Missing potential scorers Natalie Bitetti, Pamela Kosgei, and Judy Rono, the Lobos averaged 20:47 from their top five and were just eight points behind second-place Oklahoma State when it came time to tally scores. New Mexico has yet to show their full strength and fans will have to wait until later in the season to see a full-power Lobos squad. 

Northeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Providence, No. 2 Boston College

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Syracuse, No. 4 Harvard, No. 5 Connecticut

Notes: It was a slow week in the Northeast Region as top-ranked Providence and second-ranked Boston College didn’t race. Both the Friars and the Eagles will compete this weekend at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago.

South Region

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

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

Notes: Florida made quick work of the Gans Creek Classic, and in turn, the rest of its South Region opponents in the 6k race. The Gators were led by Judy Chepkoech, Tia Wilson, and Hilda Olemomoi as they went 7-8-9 to help set a top-five average of 19:40.

Alabama finished 19th, seven spots behind Tennessee, but the Crimson Ride await the return of their ace Doris Lemngole and key piece Brenda Tuwei. In the meantime, however, Caren Kipagat continues an impressive season with a 16th-place finish in a competitive field.

South Central Region

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

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 LSU

Notes: Tulane leaps over Arkansas in the regional poll this week as the Green Wave placed 14^th at Gans Creek in a strong field which contained a plethora of ranked squads. The New Orleans-based harriers averaged 20:37 for 6k and were headlined by the duo of Blezzin Kimutai and Dorcas Naibei, running 20:11 and 20:14 for 42^nd and 44^th respectively. 

Arkansas falls one spot this week, opting not to race since their opener at Missouri in late August. The Razorbacks are scheduled to compete in Fayetteville at the Chile Pepper Festival this upcoming weekend. 

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 NC State, No. 2 Virginia

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 North Carolina, No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 5 South Carolina

Notes: Top-ranked NC State opened their season at the adidas XC Challenge, where they placed first overall in a field that contained regional rivals North Carolina and South Carolina. The Wolfpack went 1-2-3 with a top-five average of 16:38 over the 5k course in Cary, NC. Reigning Southeast Region champion and All-American Grace Hartman has yet to race this season, but may debut this coming weekend as the Wolfpack split time between Chicago and Greenville NC. 

Virginia holds steady in second as they are coming off a fourth-place finish at Gans Creek where they averaged 20:09. Tatum David and Gillian Bushee were the standouts for the Cavaliers as they placed 15^th and 24^th, both dipping under 20 minutes for 6k. Virginia’s fourth place finish put them above Utah, Oregon, Iowa State, and regional rival Wake Forest. 

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Stanford

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Washington, No. 4 Washington State, No. 5 Gonzaga

Notes: Oregon remains at the top of the west after a sixth-place finish at Gans Creek. The Ducks, missing All-American Silan Ayyildiz and Mia Barnett, averaged 20:08, falling just two points shy of fifth place. Julie Cherubet was active for Oregon and blazed 19:20 over 6k enroute to a fifth overall finish. 

Stanford also competed at Gans Creek, but were missing from the Gold race which contained many of the nation’s top squads as they previewed the national championship course. The Cardinal, however, did easily take the Black race where it averaged 20:51, scoring 53 points. The result is even more impressive when factoring in that they held out Amy Bunnage, Sophia Kennedy, and Mena Scatchard, all of whom have an All-American honor to their name.