2025 NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Preseason ::: USTFCCCA

But final 12 months BYU wasn’t among the many two applications that tied for No. 1 within the preseason ballot nor even a 3rd that earned first-place votes. Instead, BYU began No. 6 and ended up taking house the nationwide championship trophy in November.

How will this 12 months’s preseason ballot do? We’ll see – previous to final 12 months it efficiently predicted the precise winner twice, however that was after a stretch from 2014-21 when it didn’t (there was no preseason ballot in 2020).

No. 1 BYU returns 4 from final 12 months’s national-championship seven, together with scorers Riley Chamberlain (31^st) and Taylor Rohatinsky (43^rd). Chamberlain has twice anchored BYU to NCAA Indoor distance medley titles and this summer time lowered her 1500 finest to 4:02.03. The Cougars have a significant new addition in freshman Jane Hedengren, whose highschool report setting included nationwide bests final spring of 4:04.68 (1500), 4:23.50 (mile), 8:40.03 (3000), 9:17.75 (2-mile) and 14:57.93 (5000). Also returning to the roster is Jenna Hutchins, who led off final 12 months’s DMR group and positioned sixth within the 2023 NCAA 10,000 with a PR 32:44.05.

Oregon’s No. 2 preseason rating is its highest since 2017. The Ducks – searching for their first nationwide title since 2016 – had been fifth final 12 months and return 4 runners (three scorers), led by Silan Ayyildiz (13^th) and Anika Thompson (32^nd). That duo has spectacular observe credentials as effectively – Ayyildiz was fourth within the NCAA Indoor mile and Outdoor 1500 final 12 months, whereas Thompson received the Euro U23 10,000 title this summer time (32:31.47). Their group is bolstered by Diana Cherotich, who clocked 31:45.22 within the 10,000 this spring and was fifth within the World U20 Cross Country Championships within the spring of 2024, in addition to Juliet Cherubet (11^th final 12 months and fifth within the 2024 NCAA 5000 in 15:25.41 whereas at Texas Tech) and Bahiya El Arfaoui (4:05.20 within the 1500 whereas at Eastern Kentucky).

No. 3 NC State had received three straight nationwide titles earlier than a disheartening eighth-place end final 12 months. The Wolfpack returns its total top-7 that included two top-10 people in Grace Hartman (fifth) and Hannah Gapes (eighth). Hartman was runner-up within the NCAA 10,000 in June (31:20.60 to change into No. 4 collegian all-time), and Angelina Napoleon (96^th) equally confirmed important enchancment within the observe season, topped by USATF runner-up honors within the steeplechase and clocking 9:10.72 (No. 4 on the all-time, all-dates collegiate checklist). Several large new names be part of the roster, together with Sadie Engelhardt, the 2024 Track & Field News observe & area High School Athlete of the Year with a 1500 finest 4:08.86.

New Mexico is No. 4 after ending seventh final 12 months. The Lobos are led by Pamela Kosgei, final 12 months’s runner-up as a freshman and the NCAA Outdoor 5000 and 10,000 champion and transferring to No. 2 or No. 3 collegiately all-time in these occasions plus the steeplechase. There had been three different non-seniors on final 12 months’s group, together with freshman Mercy Kirarei (35^th).

No. 5 West Virginia was runner-up final 12 months for its highest end in program historical past. Joy Naukot (17^th) is one in all 4 returners; her freshman 12 months included a 3rd place in June within the 10,000 on the NCAA Outdoor, clocking a PR 31:34.34 to change into No. 6 collegiately all-time. Joining the harrier group for the primary time might be freshman Naomi Kemboi, who ran 15:39.17 within the 5000 this spring.

Here are the remainder of the top-10 groups: No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Providence, No. 8 Washington, No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 Northern Arizona. The Crimson Tide return 2024 particular person champion Doris Lemngole, amongst others.

Mark your calendars for
Saturday, November 22, as a result of that’s when the 2025 NCAA DI Cross Country
Championships might be held on the Gans Creek Cross Country
Course in Columbia, Missouri.