KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A new team sits atop the NAIA Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll as Dordt (Iowa) climbed from No. 2 to No. 1 with 549 points. The Defenders most recently ran a 1:47:32, 6k at the Augustana Invite where Joy Koole placed in the Top 10 with a personal best 8k time that landed her NAIA Runner of the Week on Oct. 29 (check out Runner of the Week story HERE).
The top five saw plenty of movement with no team remaining at the same rank as the last rating. College of Idaho moved up one position to No. 2 with 531 points after finishing third in the Williamette Invitational on Oct. 3. The Yotes were led by Kylee Quinton who placed 5th overall (for more on the Yotes race CLICK HERE),
Previous top-ranked Milligan (Tenn.) slipped to No. 3 despite remaining firmly among the nation’s elite programs. The team has not raced since before the previous rating.
Rounding out the Top 5 is Cornerstone (Mich.), advancing to No. 4 and Indiana Wesleyan dropping to No. 5.
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) was the only team in the Top 10 that held steady at No. 8. The Eagles also boast the most recent NAIA Runner of the Week in Sophia Noreiga who was honored on Oct. 7 for her performance at The Mustang Invitational (check out full Runner of the Week story HERE).
Benedictine (Kan.) posted one of the week’s biggest gains among the top 10, climbing three spots to No. 10 after finishing in 8th place at the University of Missouri Meet on Sept. 25 (for more on the Ravens race CLICK HERE).
Further down the rankings, Rio Grande (Ohio), Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), and Oklahoma City each improved their positions, checking in at Nos. 11, 12, and 13, respectively.
Doane (Neb.) made the largest jump into the poll, moving from the receiving votes category into a tie for No. 15 alongside Taylor (Ind.). The Doane Tigers moved up after finishing in 12th place at the Gans Creek Classic (for more on the Tigers race CLICK HERE).
| TREND | RANK | LAST TIME | INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▲ | 1 | 2 | Dordt (Iowa) [12] | 549 |
| ▲ | 2 | 3 | College of Idaho [1] | 531 |
| ▼ | 3 | 1 | Milligan (Tenn.) [6] | 528 |
| ▲ | 4 | 5 | Cornerstone (Mich.) | 508 |
| ▼ | 5 | 4 | Indiana Wesleyan | 480 |
| ▲ | 6 | 7 | St. Francis (Ill.) | 472 |
| ▼ | 7 | 6 | The Master’s (Calif.) | 445 |
| ● | 8 | T-8 | Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | 417 |
| ▼ | 9 | T-8 | Grace (Ind.) | 408 |
| ▲ | 10 | 13 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 401 |
| ▲ | 11 | 12 | Rio Grande (Ohio) | 368 |
| ▲ | 12 | 15 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 346 |
| ▲ | 13 | 16 | Oklahoma City | 338 |
| ● | 14 | 14 | Marian (Ind.) | 308 |
| ▲ | T-15 | RV | Doane (Neb.) | 290 |
| ▼ | T-15 | 11 | Taylor (Ind.) | 290 |
| ● | 17 | 17 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 250 |
| ▼ | 18 | 10 | Saint Mary (Kan.) | 233 |
| ▲ | 19 | 22 | Eastern Oregon | 228 |
| ▲ | 20 | 21 | Carroll (Mont.) | 201 |
| ▼ | 21 | 20 | IU East (Ind.) | 196 |
| ▼ | 22 | 19 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 173 |
| ▼ | 23 | 18 | Southern Oregon | 170 |
| ▲ | 24 | 25 | Mount Mercy (Iowa) | 151 |
| ▼ | 25 | 23 | Kansas Wesleyan | 127 |
Dropped from the Top 25: John Brown (Ark.)
Receiving Votes: John Brown (Ark.) 126, Saint Mary (Neb.) 102, Montreat (N.C.) 60, Governors State (Ill.) 26, Concordia (Neb.) 18, William Carey (Miss.) 15, Spring Arbor (Mich.) 14, Saint Francis (Ind.) 11, Missouri Baptist 9, Tennessee Southern 6, SCAD (Ga.) 4, Arizona Christian 3
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