By USTFCCCA Communications, USTFCCCA
October 1, 2025  
NEW ORLEANS – There is a new No. 1 for the third time this year in the Week 2 edition of the 2025 NJCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Ranking, released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The 2025 NJCAA Division III Cross Country Championships are set to take place at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Saturday, November 8.
National Coaches’ Rankings are presented by AthleticNET.
NJCAA Division III — Women’s Cross Country
This Week’s National Top Five
1
Mineral Area (Mo.)
2
Kellogg (Mich.) CC
3
Joliet (Ill.) JC
4
DuPage (Ill.)
5
Jefferson (Mo.)
Cross Country Polls & Rankings
Not
only is No. 1 new, but each of top-4 teams has a new position.
Rising
to the top is defending champion Mineral
Area (Mo.). The Cardinals were runner-up at the Heartland Invitational, six
points behind NJCAA DII Lake Land (Ill.) as freshmen Clay Whittenburg and Emily
Marriott finished in the top-5. Third on their squad was Alison Skiles, who was
third individually in last year’s nationals.
Dropping
a notch to No. 2 is Kellogg (Mich.) CC.
The Bruins continue to impress, taking fourth place behind three NJCAA DII
ranked teams in the Michigan CCAA Western Conference Championships. Kellogg was
led by freshman Alicyn Gleesing, whose individual runner-up finish earned her
M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week honors.
Joliet (Ill.) JC
is No. 3, dropping one position. The Wolves haven’t raced since the Olivet
Nazarene Midwest Classic, where they were the only NJCAA DIII team. Gabby Zid
continues to lead the squad.
Also
falling one slot is No. 4 DuPage (Ill.).
Freshman Jessica Balmer continues to lead the Chaps, who were the top JUCO team
at the Gil Dodds Invitational.
Repeating
at No. 5 is preseason No. 1 Jefferson
(Mo.). The Vikings competed above their division at the Missouri Southern
Stampede, with Sophia Mullins earning her second M-F Athletics National Athlete
of the Week award.
Rounding
out the top-10 are No. 6 Georgia
Military, No. 7 FIT (N.Y.), No.
8 Hudson Valley (N.Y.) CC, No. 9 SUNY Erie and No. 10 Union County (N.J.).
