2017 NCAA DIII Cross Country Women’s National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1

NEW ORLEANS – Big jumps highlighted the NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll in Week 1.

In the most recent poll released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, 10 teams soared more than four spots from their preseason billing.

NCAA Division III National Coaches Poll Top 5 – Women 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Johns Hopkins Washington (Mo.) MIT Williams SUNY Geneseo

Johns Hopkins is still No. 1 and it marks the fourth time in the past five years that Bobby Van Allen’s team has been ranked first in the preseason and Week 1. The Blue Jays have also been ranked No. 1 33 times in the history of the National Coaches’ Poll.

Washington (Mo.) continues to make sure Johns Hopkins isn’t the unanimous No. 1 as it has captured two first-place votes. The Bears must be mindful of third-ranked MIT, though, as the Engineers have closed the distance between No. 2 and No. 3.

Williams worked its way back into the top-5 after a two-spot jump from No. 6 to No. 4 and it leapfrogged fifth-ranked SUNY Geneseo in the process.

Coming in at No. 6 this week is Chicago, up seven spots from the preseason. The Maroons recently took second behind NCAA Division II Northern Michigan at an invitational hosted by UW-Parkside and were led by Khia Kurtenbach. Chicago matches its second best ranking in program history with its best billing occurring back in 2014 (No. 4).

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Hope both jumped four spots from the preseason, but Dickinson doubled them up and soared eight from No. 24 to No. 16. The Red Devils upended NCAA Division II foes at the Galen Piper Invitational and won with a total of 44 points.

Further down in the poll, you will see five new faces: No. 26 St. Norbert, No. 30 Kenyon, No. 31 Rochester (N.Y.), No. 33 Rhodes and No. 35 Linfield. This is the first time Kenyon has been ranked since Week 2 of 2013 and the first time Linfield has been in the top-35 since 2011.

A lot will change with the National Coaches’ Poll between now and November 18 when the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships are held in Elsah, Illinios.