2024 NJCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 1
NEW ORLEANS – With the exception of No. 1, all of the top-10 teams are in new positions in the Week 1 edition of the 2024 NJCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, which was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
National Coaches’ Polls are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division I — Women's Cross Country
This Week's National Top Five
1
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Salt Lake (Utah) CC
2
Southern Idaho
Southern Idaho
3
Iowa Central CC
Iowa Central CC
4
Iowa Western CC
Iowa Western CC
5
Crowder (Mo.)
Crowder (Mo.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
No. 1 remained unanimous as defending champion Salt Lake (Utah) CC again earned all 10 first-place votes. The Bruins have been led in both of their meets thus far by freshman Angelina Lione, the top JUCO finisher at the Utah Valley Invitational and last week’s BYU Autumn Classic.
Up two spots to No. 2 is Southern Idaho, which won national titles in in 2021 and 2022. The Golden Eagles have finished as the second JUCO program behind Salt Lake at both the Utah Valley Invitational and BYU Autumn Classic, and adding a third place in their own Dr. Thad Scholes Invitational. CSI has been led twice by freshman Laurie Davidson and once by Rozzlyn Cazier, who returns from a sixth-place showing in last year’s NJCAA DI Cross Country Championships.
Also up two spots is No. 3 Iowa Central CC, now at their highest since being No. 1 in Week 5 of 2021. The Tritons haven’t raced since being the top JUCO program at the Augie Twilight and Iowa’s Hawkeye Invitational, led by freshmen Marie Garret and Yiddiya Bifa, respectively, in those contests.
Next is Iowa Western CC at No. 4, down one spot. The Reivers have yet to field a full team, with defending individual champion Silvia Gradizzi yet to compete. Leading the team thus far is Barbara Neiva, who was seventh in last year’s NJCAA DI Cross Country Championships.
Joining the top-5 for the first time in program history is Crowder (Mo.) at No. 5. The Roughriders were impressive in their only contest thus far, the Southwest Baptist Bearcat Invitational, finishing second with Mercy Kibuigut (sixth individually) edging teammate Videlma Jebet (eighth) to lead an all-freshman top-7.
Rounding out the top-10: No. 6 New Mexico JC, No. 7 Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, No. 8 El Paso (Texas) CC, No. 9 Cloud County (Kan.) CC and No. 10 Butler City (Kan.) CC. El Paso is the biggest mover in the top-10, climbing five positions.
The season culminates on Saturday, November 9, when the 2024 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships will be held at Pole Green Park near Richmond, Virginia.
