Azusa Pacific Tops 3rd NAIA Women's XC Poll
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the second straight week, Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) has been tabbed as the No. 1 team in the
NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Women's Cross Country poll, the NAIA announced Wednesday. The Cougars tallied 714 points and received 23-of-25 possible first-place votes. California State University-San Marcos is ranked second, followed by No. 3 Simon Fraser University (B.C.), No. 4 Biola University (Calif.) and No. 5 Cedarville University (Ohio).
There were nine changes to this week's poll, including newcomer No. 20 Friends (Kan.). The Golden State Athletic Conference still leads the way in representation with five teams earning national recognition in Azusa Pacific, Biola, No. 8 Concordia (Calif.), No. 14 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) and No. 21 Vanguard (Calif.). The Cascade Collegiate Conference has a trio of teams in the poll with No. 6 College of Idaho, No. 13 Concordia (Ore.) and No. 23 Eastern Oregon. Five conferences have two teams represented, while the remaining ranked teams are a part of seven different conferences.
California State-San Marcos was awarded two first-place votes and holds down the No. 2 spot on 692 points. Thirty-five points back at No. 3 is Simon Fraser with 657. The Clan has increased their edge on fourth-ranked Biola, who earned 642 points this week two break a two-week tie with now No. 5 Cedarville (637 points).
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences. The next poll will be released on Oct. 7.