2025 NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Taylor (Ind.) remained a near-unanimous No. 1 and a new program joined the top-5 for first time this year in the Week 4 edition of the NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Thursday by the NAIA National Office.
NAIA — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Taylor (Ind.)
Taylor (Ind.)
2
Milligan (Tenn.)
Milligan (Tenn.)
3
Cumberlands (Ky.)
Cumberlands (Ky.)
3
The Master's (Calif.)
The Master's (Calif.)
5
College of Idaho
College of Idaho
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
No. 1 Taylor (Ind.)
The Trojans await the postseason as a nearly unanimous No. 1, winning their last two meets at the Ray Bullock Invitational and the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge. At the Great Lakes, Taylor ran away with the event, by 45 points, claiming three of the top 10 positions in the meet. The postseason begins Nov. 7 for the Trojans, at the Crossroads League Championships in Marion, Ind.
No. 2 Milligan (Tenn.)
Milligan stayed second in the second-to-last rating of the season after winning the NAIA Appalachian Challenge on Oct. 24, led by the final NAIA Runner of the Week for the 2025 season, Ellen-Mary Kearney, who won the race in a school record 16:58. Four Buffs finished in the top 10, as Milligan won by 47 points. Up next, the AAC Championships, Nov. 7 in Knoxville, Tenn.
No. 3 (tie) Cumberlands (Ky.)
The Patriots ended the NAIA Appalachian Challenge one spot back of Milligan, in second, led by Lea Kunstmann, who finished third in 17:23. Cumberlands awaits the Mid-South Championships, Friday, Nov. 7, in Bowling Green, Ky.
No. 3 (tie) The Master’s (Calif.)
The Mustangs earned a third-place tie in the second-to-last rating of the season, moving up after finishing as the top NAIA team in the Highlander hosted by UC-Riverside. Suzie Johnson earned an 11th-place finish in the event, in 20:52, and the GSAC Championships are next for The Master’s, Nov. 7 in Glendale, Ariz.
No. 5 College of Idaho
The Yotes won the Blazing Tiger Classic in Nebraska, showcasing depth by packing four runners into the top 10 and one more in the top 20, winning the event by 30 points. The Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships are next for College of Idaho, Nov. 7, in Salem, Ore.
Completing the top-10 are No. 6 Cornerstone (Mich.), No. 7 Dordt (Iowa), No. 8 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), No. 9 Grace (Ind.) and No. 10 Saint Mary (Kan.).
