NCU Ranked No. 1 In NAIA Cross Country Poll For Fourth Week in a Row
NCU No. 1, OIT No. 7, CI No. 9, SOU No. 15
By Nikki Sherrill, Communications & Sports Information Intern
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the second-straight week, Northwest Christian (Ore.) has received all first-place votes and 560 total points in the NAIA Women’s Cross Country Top 25 Coaches’ Poll. This is the fourth-straight week this season the Beacons have been ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation, the national office announced Wednesday. The next regular season edition will be released Wednesday, Oct. 26.
Top 25 highlights (historical information dates back to 1999):
• The defending national champions are once again the top team in the country, coming in at No. 1 for the 10th-straight poll. After starting the year in the top position, Northwest Christian (Ore.) is looking to become only the fourth team to go the entire season ranked No. 1.
• Northwest Christian continues its dominance, having been ranked now 30-straight polls in the top 10, with the last time it fell out being Sept. 18, 2013 as it dropped to No. 11.
• The top five remained the same with only minimal shake up as Biola (Calif.) remained at No. 2, British Columbia moved up to No. 3, Aquinas (Mich.) fell one spot to No. 4 and The Master’s (Calif.) slid back to No. 5.
• No. 10 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) jumped eight spots, giving it the biggest positive movement in this edition. Hastings (Neb.) moved up seven spots to No. 17, and Morningside (Iowa) comes in at No. 16 after making a five-spot slide forward.
• Eleven programs moved backwards in the poll but remain in the Top 25 this week.
• No. 20 Indiana Tech is the lone newcomer this week, as the Warriors make their way back to the rankings for the first time since August 26, 2015 when they earned a No. 23 preseason ranking.
• Twelve of the 21 conference/Association of Independent Institutions are represented, with no new conferences showing representation in this week’s poll.
• This week, the Cascade Collegiate Conference leads all conferences with five teams represented in the Top 25, led by No. 1 Northwest Christian. The Golden State Athletic Conference, Great Plains Athletic Conference and Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference each bring three programs to the rankings.
• Former NAIA-member Simon Fraser (B.C.) has the most all-time No. 1 rankings with 40. Northwest (Wash.) leads all active NAIA schools with 18 No. 1 mentions.
• Only three teams have previously gone the entire season ranked No. 1 – British Columbia (2013), Simon Fraser (2005, 2006 and 2007) and Northwest (2003).
• No. 10 Lewis-Clark State makes its 148th-consecutive appearance in the Top 25, the longest active streak in the NAIA dating back to Sept. 21, 2001.
• For the complete poll schedule, click here.
Poll Methodology:
• The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions.
• The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low ratings) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appears on.
• Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered “receiving votes”
• The frequency of polls occur bi-weekly for the 2016 season.
• For the complete Top 25 calendar, click here.
2016 Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 3 (Oct. 12)
| RANK |
LAST |
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) |
FINAL POINTS |
| 1 |
1 |
Northwest Christian (Ore.) (20) |
560 |
| 2 |
2 |
Biola (Calif.) |
542 |
| 3 |
5 |
British Columbia |
510 |
| 4 |
3 |
Aquinas (Mich.) |
505 |
| 5 |
4 |
The Master's (Calif.) |
489 |
| 6 |
8 |
Oklahoma City |
468 |
| 7 |
6 |
Oregon Tech |
460 |
| 8 |
10 |
Milligan (Tenn.) |
394 |
| 9 |
11 |
College of Idaho |
387 |
| 10 |
18 |
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
372 |
| 11 |
14 |
Shawnee State (Ohio) |
370 |
| 12 |
7 |
Taylor (Ind.) |
369 |
| 13 |
16 |
SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) |
341 |
| 14 |
9 |
Westmont (Calif.) |
338 |
| 15 |
13 |
Southern Oregon |
315 |
| 16 |
21 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
304 |
| T17 |
17 |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
264 |
| T17 |
24 |
Hastings (Neb.) |
264 |
| 19 |
12 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
227 |
| 20 |
RV |
Indiana Tech |
202 |
| T21 |
15 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
194 |
| T21 |
20 |
Olivet Nazarene (IIl.) |
194 |
| 23 |
19 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
154 |
| 24 |
22 |
St. Francis (Ill.) |
144 |
| 25 |
25 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
117 |
Dropped from the Top 25: SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (No. 23)
Others receiving votes: SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 109; Tennessee Wesleyan 91; Madonna (Mich.) 51; Friends (Kan.) 40; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 31; Doane (Neb.) 29; Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 27; Arizona Christian 15; Southeastern (Fla.) 13; Siena Heights (Mich.) 10; Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 7; William Jessup (Calif.) 7; Dalton State (Ga.) 4; Saint Mary (Kan.) 3.