2016 Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Postseason (Nov. 23)
NCU No. 2, CI No. 6, SOU No. 7, OIT No. 8
By Spencer Scheve, Communications and Sports Information Intern
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – British Columbia ends the season earning the No. 1 ranking claiming, with 90 points, in the NAIA Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Wednesday. The Thunderbirds won their fourth national championship on Saturday Nov. 19 at North Farms Cross Country Course in Elsah, Ill.
Top 25 highlights (historical information dates back to 1999):
• The Thunderbirds claim their first No. 1 ranking in the Top 25 since Sept. 30, 2015. British Columbia’s 2016 championship leaves them tied for second all-time with Puget Sound (Wash.) at four. The all-time leader is former-member Simon Fraser (B.C.) at ten.
• British Columbia snaps Northwest Christian’s streak of 12-consecutive polls in the No. 1 spot.
• Northwest Christian (Ore.), 2016 National Championships runner-up, comes in at No. 2 with 135 points.
• Rounding out the top five are No. 3 Biola (Calif.) with 166 points, No. 4 Aquinas (Mich.) with 180 and No. 5 Oklahoma City earning 206 points.
• There are two newcomers to this week’s edition: Benedictine (Kan.) and MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.).
• Benedictine returns the Top 25 as No. 23. The last time the Ravens were ranked was Oct. 26.
• MidAmerica Nazarene is ranked for the first time since Nov. 5, 2007, when the Pioneers were ranked No. 17.
• Thirteen of the 21 conference/Association of Independent Institutions are represented.
• The Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) leads all leagues with four teams represented – No. 2 Northwest Christian, No. 6 College of Idaho, No. 7 Southern Oregon and No. 8 Oregon Tech.
• Following the CCC is the Golden State Athletic Conference and the Great Plains Athletic Conference with three teams each.
• Simon Fraser has the most all-time No. 1 rankings with 40. Northwest (Wash.) leads all active NAIA schools with 17 No. 1 mentions.
• Only three teams have gone the entire season ranked No. 1 – British Columbia (2013), former NAIA-member Simon Fraser (2005, 2006 and 2007) and Northwest (2003).
• Thirty-one teams have been ranked this season.
• Two teams have held the No. 1 ranking in 2015 – British Columbia (one week) and Northwest Christian (six weeks).
• For results of the 2016 Women’s Cross Country National Championships, click here.
Individual | Team.
Poll Methodology:
• The postseason poll was determined by using the team results at the 2016 NAIA Cross Country National Championships.
• For the complete Top 25 calendar, click
here.
2016 Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Postseason (Nov. 23)
| RANK |
LAST |
SCHOOL |
FINAL POINTS* |
| 1 |
3 |
British Columbia |
90 |
| 2 |
1 |
Northwest Christian (Ore.) |
135 |
| 3 |
2 |
Biola (Calif.) |
166 |
| 4 |
5 |
Aquinas (Mich.) |
180 |
| 5 |
4 |
Oklahoma City |
206 |
| 6 |
7 |
College of Idaho |
273 |
| 7 |
12 |
Southern Oregon |
299 |
| 8 |
10 |
Oregon Tech |
315 |
| 9 |
11 |
Shawnee State Ohio |
367 |
| 10 |
6 |
The Master’s (Calif.) |
369 |
| 11 |
21 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
379 |
| 12 |
20 |
Wayland Baptist (Texas) |
387 |
| 13 |
24 |
Hastings (Neb.) |
400 |
| 14 |
14 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
402 |
| 15 |
9 |
Milligan (Tenn.) |
413 |
| 16 |
8 |
SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) |
429 |
| 17 |
18 |
St. Xavier (Ill.) |
455 |
| 18 |
17 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
482 |
| 19 |
13 |
Taylor (Ind.) |
486 |
| 20 |
15 |
Westmont (Calif.) |
489 |
| 21 |
16 |
St. Francis (Ill.) |
490 |
| 22 |
23 |
SCAD Savannah (Ga.) |
505 |
| 23 |
NR |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
518 |
| 24 |
NR |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
543 |
| 25 |
22 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
544 |
Others receiving votes: Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 585; Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 676; Saint Mary (Kan.) 703; Dickinson State (N.D.) 797; Friends (Kan.) 848; Blue Mountain (Miss.) 864; 32 Rio Grande (Ohio) 878; Missouri Baptist 998; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 1017; Park (Mo.) 1039; Xavier (La.) 1112
*points determined by the team results from the 2016 NAIA Cross Country National Championship.