By USTFCCCA Communications, USTFCCCA
October 1, 2025  
NEW ORLEANS – A big weekend left its mark on the newest edition of the NCAA DII Women’s National Coaches’ Poll, released on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Remember that all USTFCCCA polls and rankings are presented by AthleticNET.
Voters are now split on the national title favorite for the 2025 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships in Kenosha, Wisconsin – one of several shakeups in this week’s poll.
NCAA Division II — Women’s Cross Country
This Week’s National Top Five
1
Colo. School of Mines
2
West Texas A&M
3
Grand Valley State
4
Adams State
5
Wingate
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Colo. School of Mines stole the spotlight this past weekend with its performance at the Lucian Rosa Invitational. The Orediggers, who garnered five of eight first-place votes this week, steamrolled a strong field en route to a commanding 26-point win over former No. 1 Adams State. Eight other nationally ranked programs didn’t stand a chance, as Grace Strongman, Emily LaMena, and Margaux Basart went 1-2-3 to lead Colo. School of Mines in the Badger State. This is the first time in program history that the Orediggers have been ranked No. 1.
West Texas A&M received three first-place
votes from the electorate despite not racing since September 12. Nearly three
weeks ago, the Buffs won the Texas Tech Open over host NCAA DI Texas Tech and
several ranked NJCAA programs. WTAMU put four runners in the top ten, led by a
respective 2-3 finish by Sarah Koomson and Eliette Chaput.
Grand Valley State held first at No. 3 – just ahead
of the rival Grizzlies, now at their lowest ranking since they were fifth in
2011. The Lakers, who last competed at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational
on September 12, return to the course this weekend at the Joe Piane Notre Dame
Invitational. GVSU finished 14th at the same meet last year.
No. 5 Wingate, No. 6 Cedarville, No. 7 Western
Colorado, No. 8 UC-Colorado Springs, and No. 9 Lewis all remained
in their previous spots. Walsh improved one spot from No. 11 to No. 10.
Both the Mountaineers and the Mountain Lions stood tall this past weekend against
strong competition. Western Colorado took seventh at the Cowboy Jamboree, while
UCCS was close third at the Lucian Rosa Invitational behind Adams State.
Four other teams improved multiple spots since Week 2: No. 13 Stanislaus State, No. 16 Chico State, No. 24 Catawba, and No. 25 Colorado Mesa. Most notable might be the jump Northern Michigan made from receiving votes to No. 15. The Wildcats, led by Madi Szymanski in ninth place, clawed their way to a fourth-place finish at the Lucian Rosa Invitational.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 22, because that’s when the 2025 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships will be held at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
