GVSU Women Earn Unanimous Preseason No. 1 Rank in NCAA DII Cross Country

GVSU Women Earn Unanimous Preseason No. 1 Rank in NCAA DII Cross Country

NEW ORLEANS – For three consecutive years and four of the past five, the Grand Valley State women have been the class of NCAA Division II women’s cross country.

That trend is expected to continue into 2015, as the Lakers were voted the unanimous No. 1 team in the preseason National Coaches’ Poll released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). This marks the 18th consecutive poll topped by head coach Jerry Baltes’ Lakers.

All eight first-place votes ended up in Allendale, Michigan, as GVSU will look to look to become the first women’s team to win four consecutive national titles since Adams State reeled off seven-in-a-row from 2003 through 2009.

National Coaches’ Poll PDFs: Top 25 Summary | Week-by-Week 2015 | Week-by-Week All-Time

Regional Rankings PDFs: Regional Rankings Summary | Rankings Recap

Division II XC Polls/Rankings Central

MEN’S PRESEASON POLL

NCAA Division II National Coaches’ Poll Top 5 – Women

1)Grand Valley State 2)Hillsdale 3)Adams State 4)Minnesota Duluth 5)Augustana (S.D.)
GVSU Hillsdale Adams State Minnesota Duluth Augustana (S.D.)
View Complete Women’s National Coaches’ Poll

Rounding out the top five in the poll were No. 2 Hillsdale, No. 3 Adams State, No. 4 Minnesota Duluth and No. 5 Augustana (S.D.).

The Lakers swept the top three individual finishes at the 2014 NCAA Championships – a feat never before accomplished by an NCAA DII women’s team champion – and returns two-thirds of that dynamic trio. Reigning national champion Kendra Foley returns for her junior season, while three-time top-10 finisher Jessica Janecke is back for one final campaign after last year’s third-place effort.

Overall, the Lakers return three of their five scorers from a year ago. Jordan Chester (34th) and Amy Cruetz (37th) are both returning All-Americans, while Kelly Haubert just missed that top-40 standard in 53rd as the Lakers’ seventh and final runner.

If GVSU is to make it four consecutive national titles and five of the past six in Joplin, Missouri, this November, it’ll have to hold off a very familiar foe: GLIAC rival No. 2 Hillsdale.

The Chargers return nearly everyone – all five scorers and six of seven total – from last year’s runner-up squad, including Foley’s greatest challenger in Emily Oren. The senior won four national titles on the track in 2015, blazing to all-time performances in nearly every event she contested. Time will tell if that momentum carries over from the track to the trails.

It wasn’t 12th-place Oren who led the Chargers at NCAAs last fall, however. That would be seventh-place Kristina Galat, the national indoor runner-up at both 3000 and 5000 meters. Galat and Oren are two of the four All-Americans back for Hillsdale, alongside Emily’s younger sister Molly Oren (23rd) and Hannah McIntyre (24th).

GVSU and Hillsdale will see each other at the GLIAC Championships in October, joined by three more top-25 teams. The GLIAC’s five is tied with the RMAC for the most by a conference.

Hillsdale is followed closely in the polls by the two teams it narrowly edged for runner-up honors a year ago in Adams State and Minnesota Duluth. Hillsdale posted 115 points to UMD’s 118 and Adams State’s 125.

Adams State returns a pair of top-10 returners in Jenna Thurman (8th) and Maura O’Brien (9th) and another All-American in Rachel Kresl (29th).

Minnesota Duluth is back with three All-Americans, including top-20 finisher Emilee Trost (18th).

No. 5 Augustana returns a pair of All-Americans in Leah Seivert (10th) and Annie Kruse (36th).

Completing the top 10 were No. 6 Western State, No. 7 Chico State, No. 8 Simon Fraser, No. 9 Northern Michigan, and No. 10 Alaska Anchorage.

Western State (16th in 2014) and Chico (13th) join the top-10 after double-digit finishes in 2014, while Northern Michigan is among the top 10 after missing NCAAs a year ago from a cutthroat Midwest Region that featured seven top-25 teams but was only permitted four to NCAAs based on qualifying criteria. This is NMU’s first single-digit rank since 2005.

The Midwest is once again shaping up to be challenging with seven top-25 teams and an eighth receiving votes all vying for just six NCAA bids.

Northern Michigan is just one of six women’s teams projected among the top-25 that did not qualify to the NCAA Championships a year ago. That list includes No. 12 Southern Indiana, No. 13 Southwest Baptist, No. 14 Cal Baptist, No. 16 Lewis, and No. 20 CSU-Pueblo.

Southwest Baptist ties is program-best rank, and is just shy of its 12th-place 2013 NCAA Championships finish – the lone appearance in program history.

This is the first appearance in the polls for CSU-Pueblo.

The NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will be held Saturday, November 21, in Joplin, Missouri.

USTFCCCA NCAA Division II

Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll

2015 Preseason — September 2

next release: September 16
Rank Institution (FPV) Points Region Conference Head Coach (Yr*)
Last
Week
1 Grand Valley State (8) 200 Midwest GLIAC Jerry Baltes (17th)
1
2 Hillsdale 190 Midwest GLIAC Andrew Towne (5th)
2
3 Adams State 186 South Central RMAC Damon Martin (28th)
4
4 Minnesota Duluth 168 Central NSIC Joanna Warmington (5th)
3
5 Augustana (S.D.) 155 Central NSIC Tracy Hellman (15th)
5
6 Western State 151 South Central RMAC Jennifer Michel (9th)
16
7 Chico State 150 West CCAA Gary Towne (20th)
13
8 Simon Fraser 142 West GNAC Brit Townsend (16th)
7
9 Northern Michigan 127 Midwest GLIAC Jenny Ryan (9th)
NR
10 Alaska Anchorage 124 West GNAC Michael Friess (26th)
8
11 Colorado Mesa 108 South Central RMAC Matt Canterbury (4th)
22
12 Southern Indiana 96 Midwest GLVC Mike Hillyard (19th)
NR
13 Southwest Baptist 94 Central MIAA Corey McElhaney (8th)
NR
14 Cal Baptist 86 West PacWest Ben Gall (4th)
NR
15 Edinboro 81 Atlantic PSAC Rick Hammer (3rd)
15
16 Lewis 77 Midwest GLVC James Kearney (2nd)
NR
17 Winona State 60 Central NSIC Brett Ayers (3rd)
17
18 Stonehill 58 East Northeast-10 Karen Boen (18th)
19
19 Malone 55 Midwest GLIAC Jack Hazen (25th)
11
20 CSU-Pueblo 53 South Central RMAC Matt Morris (3rd)
NR
21 Bloomsburg 52 Atlantic PSAC Bernie Empie (7th)
14
22 Central Washington 37 West GNAC Kevin Adkisson (3rd)
18
23 Roberts Wesleyan 31 East East Coast Jennifer/Andrew Dorr (5th)
9
24 UC-Colorado Springs 29 South Central RMAC Corey Kubatzky (1st)
20
25 Wayne State (Mich.) 17 Midwest GLIAC Rondell Ruff (1st)
6
Also Receiving Votes: Colorado Mines 14, Western Washington 12, U-Mary 12, Montevallo 8, UC San Diego 8, Shippensburg 7, Saginaw Valley State 6, Metro State 3, Tampa 3
(* year as head coach of that team in women’s cross country, officially NCAA-recognized coach listed)

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USTFCCCA NCAA Division I
's Outdoor Track & Field National Rankings

Preseason - March 19th

RANK TEAM & INFOPTS-1
FINAL

VIEW ALL RANKINGS BEYOND THE TOP 25



Week-by-Week Ranking

Only showing those with a season-best ranking in the top 25.
TeamWeek #1Week #2Week #3Week #4Week #5Week #6Week #7Week #8Week #9Week #10FINAL
Florida1013356333441
Arkansas193111211112
Stanford84101415151717161573
LSU25595668754
Arizona State182432292913132120115
Texas Tech74422122226
Georgia46329101216164337
Alabama457744445598
Washington30282811111010111089
BYU272268989111410
Harvard420183121232227242611
Virginia69132327303023212711
Texas10118912121091213
Houston1314192730313124272814
Florida State1439402614111114141315
Wisconsin64701217141515231715
Nebraska2761410151466617
Arizona1244252124252529281817
Baylor2018202022292728262319
Minnesota111122223222322222420
Miami (Fla.)6754233535363735353521
Tennessee63683355781022
Oklahoma5156625045353620171622
Texas A&M536394442495538342022
South Alabama3658483738414341383725
South Florida5450464850454765615625
Southern California6216151819191912121527
Oklahoma State52433228282926252127
Penn State7422164551515050474727
Montana State89896943433433493330
Akron10768656862606464665730
Louisville18615171616181817162532
North Carolina9914111113240404434313132
Mississippi State1625272831272837333432
California334211920202030293632
Kentucky813223333343531302936
Iowa15121013138918193037
Ohio State4023293436383845433837
UCLA1121262532333240404437
Missouri64515686899910180815237
UTEP119152151901061151211221195537
Syracuse6657545166656782827737
Cincinnati127177105102112767987939337
South Carolina2130353834373947445344
Wake Forest49849214848464953486844
Gonzaga9091109103107109103918044
Clemson19811777713131947
Kansas10317241718212119182247
Michigan State7773763941424543414047
Drake1201131254749505452505047
Notre Dame178899130129899075747147
Fairleigh Dickinson10410711459646572717447
Liberty838798959911011911911410347
Alabama State60921021121081169811110310547
Northern Arizona2533343037323336375855
Southeastern Louisiana6872725556555674736955
Navy538690918183931011027555
Eastern Kentucky10817317410476727479788155
North Carolina A&T1143736677387871301289055
Princeton921341265458544142394360
Ole Miss3426303626242632364161
Oregon109154112146150737683804261
Villanova311288065808286105995961
UTSA2838445370888959586061
Iowa State4343534347475354526161
Cal Poly1131301407887918586856561
Butler981581608391949188867961
Auburn3229332425262425323268
Southern Utah1901651541061171311451141158468
New Mexico118788488104113120636239
Tulsa555042393940394245
Duke24414141444851615646
Kennesaw State851016658616166676848
NC State3898104142147160164898949
Stephen F. Austin140654746555658556051
Rice42454557575748444654
North Dakota State22466072717477818362
Virginia Tech58353740464446486363
ULM828770646668605764
Middle Tennessee12117118511511084103585566
Portland635963828184909267
Northern Iowa111116123131100115929070
Air Force168818394745961696572
Georgetown21462525252665473
Arkansas State70959775727073767576
Indiana5042421009710159515178
Colorado State205624964677175858482
Rhode Island14712513113112413578847983
Saint Louis76838610714313914613612685
Connecticut75140958998114123948786
Michigan106979673949892565387
Wichita State8180737778798010610788
San Jose State128138147929297102989689
TCU23475149535860626491
Delaware State17219720117217817517392
Monmouth15285838595969794
Rutgers1009110811386929911210895
Purdue8710013514315416217113213096
Illinois4711711587859010010711097
Youngstown State17177788179758810410598
North Texas16612014314914812914211010499
Georgia Tech377582991019397109109100
Little Rock59107114110118132138125121101
Arkansas-Pine Bluff102131127124126154157156151101
Texas State3331385663697195101104
Wyoming205155162178189190134133106
Kansas State136118749695102112116122107
Charlotte396769746968727776108
Jackson State4159578488109111133131109
USC Upstate180114124132146137109
Furman169145144150148146111
Southeast Missouri657975767780817167112
Cornell9494111123112116117111113
Weber State135129119137125137135134114
Louisiana Tech141858898111122147143141115
Long Beach State94864103115121131124123116
Northeastern489393108119119129149136117
Campbell72102106105116961054945118
Albany1761451568093106117121113119
Eastern Washington78144195155168183186162162120
Maryland137163172154133149155155155121
Louisiana44103119135134143161167149122
Hampton1747067716563636869123
UNC-Wilmington97126138166158164135140140124
Providence356158616867697372125
Florida International170191202179193179126
Iona61139144157164173171127
Miami (Ohio)88116113121140142148145144128
Penn80151149668478829195129
North Florida957168141180183187172130
Pittsburgh89121122145156159167150143131
Washington State914963971058696126125132
Indiana State152157161158168168175181166132
Brown176170183185187179132
Samford163182198147144148165166164135
Southern Miss577679127142145154184178136
Texas Southern173140141138137
Howard69119117525453575759
Northwestern State264052606062627070
Davidson129149136166167155707877
East Carolina1771851911731621791849788
Utah Valley936055597577839394
California Baptist861221188210210510410098
Eastern Illinois21410610112012012313399100
Utah State192123124144969594102106
Grand Canyon529610010190104108115112
Colorado696193109103106108116
Idaho State73114166118117
Santa Clara108103118113117122120118
South Dakota144181179136146138151123120
North Dakota82109109128139118125127124
Yale162183187188155156126128127
Army West Point122148159122122126124131129
Eastern Michigan296671117127128143147132
Columbia165200139182149151127137135
New Orleans158160179190164176139144139
UMass Lowell149188195173153130139142
VCU135115133140136134141142145
South Dakota State169145129128137149154147
Boston University188170179153135133144169148
Memphis130180183188193147162152150
Cal State Fullerton104127141134132130118138151
UTRGV90124123137141140152159153
Bradley105161163138153157163161154
Southern Illinois131168167179160160169158156
DePaul111142150133130127157162157
Kent State200186139138136159183158
Idaho181137134159171146156165159
Loyola-Chicago145150148168178175177173160
Incarnate Word1395381157166150107153161
CSUN142146155150151164168170163
Troy153179137151152152160162164
High Point167162178152159158166168167
UMBC133167171163165169174171168
UC Santa Barbara5599121163176185128160169
Montana201184187186172172176174169
Abilene Christian112153175183193178174
Boise State132133132175
Norfolk State187173186176
Dartmouth94105120161170170181180177
George Mason16185126121120136175179
Bethune-Cookman159147168169183185187179
Coppin State198164179183179193179
Western Illinois177180184
UNC Asheville208185181182181184185
Mount St. Mary's185129146162177190190186
Illinois State211177179189192187
Texas A&M-Commerce1101161251414246
Portland State747779107111113113
Oakland131127124100108110128
UT Arlington125136130160163162170151
Milwaukee114156
Tarleton State96153165173171
UC San Diego115157156161167172175
Prairie View A&M148166177175181178178178
Coastal Carolina156197181189171181182
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi184133
Lamar175153
St. Thomas (Minn.)170173172185
Northern Colorado142157175187190190
Florida A&M117156173183188188
Rider153189193191190
South Carolina State200194
Lipscomb110164165172191195
Houston Christian124174189195
Central Connecticut State164186190191196
La Salle116159182187
Fresno State79110142
Gardner-Webb71112169
Southern150196170
Stony Brook123175184
Tennessee State199191
William & Mary193
VMI195
Saint Francis (Pa.)160190198
St. Francis Brooklyn192200
ETSU126172
UC Riverside134176
Wofford143178
McNeese State151187
Pepperdine153193
Western Carolina157194
New Hampshire194
Manhattan201199
N.C. Central197202
Kansas City56
Charleston Southern138
Tulane146
Buffalo178
Belmont179
Toledo182
Grambling State183
Alabama A&M189
Maine191
Lehigh192
Saint Joseph's192
Wagner195
Ohio196
UC Irvine203
Central Arkansas204
Alcorn State205
Valparaiso208
Siena208
Queens (N.C.)211
Loyola Marymount213
Oral Roberts214

USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Cross Country

2015 Rankings & Polls Calendar
Weeks Regional RankingsNational Coaches' Poll KEY DATES
PreseasonMon 8/31
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 9/1
MEN | WOMEN
Week 1Mon 9/14
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 9/15
MEN | WOMEN
Week 2Mon 9/21
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 9/22
MEN | WOMEN
Week 3Mon 9/28
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 9/29
MEN | WOMEN
Week 4Mon 10/5
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 10/6
MEN | WOMEN
Week 5Mon 10/19
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 10/20
MEN | WOMEN
Week 6Mon 11/2
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 11/3
MEN | WOMEN
Week 7Mon 11/16
MEN | WOMEN
FINAL ResultsFri 11/13
MEN | WOMEN
Sat 11/21
MEN | WOMEN