Malone Men Join Division II XC Top 10 in Final Regular Season National Coaches’ Polls

NEW ORLEANS – Though much of the final regular-season NCAA Division II Cross Country National Coaches’ Polls were quiet, there was at least one team pioneering into uncharted top-10 territory.

Malone‘s men made the headlining move of the polls released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), jumping up eight spots to No. 10 – its first-ever Division II top-10 mark – following a near-upset of No. 5 Southern Indiana at the Midwest Regional Preview.

The next National Coaches’ Polls will be released November 12 following most of the conference championships.

National Coaches Poll PDFs: Top 25 Summary | Week-by-Week 2014 | Week-by-Week All-Time
Regional Rankings PDF: Regional Summary | Regional Week-by-Week

Division II XC Polls/Rankings Central

NCAA Division II National Coaches’ Poll Top 5 – Men 1) 2) 3) 4) t5) Adams St. GVSU Chico St. Colorado Mines Southern Indiana Western State View Complete Men’s National Coaches’ Poll NCAA Division II National Coaches’ Poll Top 5 – Women 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) GVSU Adams St. Minnesota Duluth Western St. Chico St. View Complete Women’s National Coaches’ Poll

The Pioneers – In just their second season of NCAA Division II competition after an NAIA tenure with national titles as recently as 2007 through 2009 – put three runners in the top six to narrowly lose to USI, 33-36.

Malone’s women also impressed, improving three spots to a season-high No. 13 with its runner-up showing to No. 6 Hillsdale.

Taking the biggest leap in the women’s poll, however, was No. 5 Wayne State (Mich.). After falling into the 20s from No. 10 earlier this month, the Warriors posted a perfect score at Lake Superior State this past weekend to ignite a potential re-ascension.

Outside of the addition of the Malone men (and the consequent fall of Mount Olive to No. 11), both the men’s and women’s top 10 teams were nearly unchanged.

The lone other move was Western State’s men moving into a tie at No. 5 with Southern Indiana. Two-time defending champ No. 1 Adams State, No. 2 Grand Valley State, No. 3 Chico State and No. 4 Colorado Mines all remained put ahead of them.

No. 7 Alaska Anchorage, No. 8 Lock Haven, No. 9 Augustana and Malone rounded out the men’s top 10.

From two-time defending national champ No. 1 Grand Valley State all the way through No. 11 UC-Colorado Springs, the top of the women’s poll was unchanged. GVSU, No. 2 Adams State, No. 3 Minnesota Duluth, No. 4 Western State, No. 5 Chico State, No. 6 Hillsdale, No. 7 Augustana (S.D.), No. 8 Simon Fraser, No. 9 UC San Diego and No. 10 Northern Michigan all remained steady.

The only new team to either poll were the Lewis women in a tie at No. 25 with U-Mary.

The Division II National Championships will be held Saturday, December 6, in Louisville, Kentucky.