Four Teams Move Into Prime Position In NCAA DIII XC Regional Rankings

By Tyler Mayforth, USTFCCCA

October 18, 2016

NEW ORLEANS — Inter-regional battles — like those that transpired in New Jersey, Ohio and Washington — dotted the landscape in NCAA Division III Cross Country this past weekend. And in turn, those affected the most recent Regional Rankings when they were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Four new teams moved into position to nab an automatic bid to the 2016 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on November 19, which go to the top-2 teams at each regional championship, while another took over a top spot in the men’s rankings.
QUICK LINKS: Regional Rankings Summary PDF | Men’s Rankings | Women’s Rankings | Rankings Central
We’ll start with the women from Nebraska Wesleyan, who were the biggest movers in the rankings this week going from 9th to 2nd in the Central Region. The Prairie Wolves surprised everybody at the Tori Neubauer Invitational as they finished runner-up behind host UW-La Crosse and beat the “B” team from DI Minnesota. NWU put its entire scoring lineup inside the top-25 and was led by Jamie Larsen (9th overall).
Staying in the women’s rankings, Ithaca jumped from No. 4 to No. 2 in the Atlantic Region with SUNY Oneonta right on its heels at No. 3. The Bombers were runner-ups at the Rowan Border Battle and Taryn Cordani, their standout sophomore, was runner-up to Amy Regan.
Also in the women’s rankings, Colorado College went from No. 3 to No. 2 in the West Region. The Tigers recently rolled to a team title at the Lewis & Clark Invitational, where they put five in the top-10 of a 42-person race.
Over in the men’s rankings, Emory leapfrogged Christopher Newport to become the top dog in the South/Southeast Region. The Eagles took part in the Rowan Border Battle and took 7th — 20 points shy of 6th in a loaded field — while CNU hosted its own smaller invitational and won handily.
Elsewhere in the men’s rankings, Ohio Northern moved up to No. 2 in the Great Lakes Region behind Calvin. The Polar Bears fared well against a stacked field at the Kollege Sports Invitational hosted by UW-Oshkosh. ONU placed 5th out of 37 teams.
These are the penultimate Regional Rankings of the 2016 season. There won’t be any next week and the final ones will come after the big conference championship weekend.
After that it’s time to figure out who goes to NCAAs when the NCAA DIII Regional Championships are held around the nation on November 12.
Be sure to find out how the National Coaches’ Polls changed when they’re announced tomorrow on a LIVE edition of "Cross Country U" at noon ET on USTFCCCA.org.

USTFCCCA NCAA Division III
Men’s Cross Country Regional Team Rankings
2016 Week #6 — October 18
national poll release: October 19
next regional release: November 1

ATLANTIC Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	SUNY Geneseo	Geneseo, N.Y.	SUNYAC	1
2	RPI	Troy, N.Y.	Liberty League	2
3	NYU	New York, N.Y.	UAA	4
4	St. Lawrence	Canton, N.Y.	Liberty League	3
5	Rowan	Glassboro, N.J.	NJAC	8
6	SUNY Oneonta	Oneonta, N.Y.	SUNYAC	5
7	Vassar	Poughkeepsie, N.Y.	Liberty League	NR
8	TCNJ	Ewing, N.J.	NJAC	6
9	Ithaca	Ithaca, N.Y.	Empire 8	7
10	RIT	Henrietta, N.Y.	Liberty League	NR
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: SUNY Geneseo, 2014: St. Lawrence, 2013: SUNY Cortland, 2012: NYU, 2011: St. Lawrence


CENTRAL Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Loras	Dubuque, Iowa	IIAC	1
2	St. Olaf	Northfield, Minn.	MIAC	2
3	Wartburg	Waverly, Iowa	IIAC	3
4	Nebraska Wesleyan	Lincoln, Neb.	IIAC	5
5	Gustavus Adolphus	St. Peter, Minn.	MIAC	4
6	Luther	Decorah, Iowa	IIAC	6
7	Saint John’s (Minn.)	Collegeville, Minn.	MIAC	7
8	Central (Iowa)	Pella, Iowa	IIAC	10
9	Grinnell	Grinnell, Iowa	Midwest Conference	8
10	St. Thomas (Minn.)	Saint Paul, Minn.	MIAC	9
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: St. Olaf, 2014: St. Olaf, 2013: St. Olaf, 2012: St. Olaf, 2011: Nebraska Wesleyan


GREAT LAKES Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Calvin	Grand Rapids, Mich.	Michigan Intercollegiate	1
2	Ohio Northern	Ada, Ohio	OAC	3
3	Mount Union	Alliance, Ohio	OAC	2
4	Wabash	Crawfordsville, Ind.	NCAC	4
5	Allegheny (Pa.)	Meadville, Pa.	NCAC	5
6	DePauw	Greencastle, Ind.	NCAC	10
7	John Carroll	University Heights, Ohio	OAC	6
8	Case Western Reserve	Cleveland, Ohio	UAA	7
9	Albion	Albion, Mich.	Michigan Intercollegiate	8
10	Ohio Wesleyan	Delaware, Ohio	NCAC	NR
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Wabash, 2014: Wabash, 2013: Wabash, 2012: Calvin, 2011: Calvin


MIDEAST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Carnegie Mellon	Pittsburgh, Pa.	UAA	1
2	Haverford	Haverford, Pa.	Centennial	2
3	Johns Hopkins	Baltimore, Md.	Centennial	3
4	Dickinson	Carlisle, Pa.	Centennial	4
5	Widener	Chester, Pa.	Middle Atlantic	5
6	York (Pa.)	York, Pa.	CAC	6
7	Salisbury	Salisbury, Md.	CAC	7
8	Messiah	Grantham, Pa.	Middle Atlantic	8
9	Saint Vincent	Latrobe, Pa.	PAC	9
10	Muhlenberg	Allentown, Pa.	Centennial	10
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Haverford, 2014: Carnegie Mellon, 2013: Johns Hopkins, 2012: Haverford, 2011: Haverford


MIDWEST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	North Central (Ill.)	Naperville, Ill.	CCIW	1
2	UW-Eau Claire	Eau Claire, Wis.	WIAC	2
3	UW-La Crosse	La Crosse, Wis.	WIAC	3
4	Washington (Mo.)	St. Louis, Mo.	UAA	4
5	Augustana (Ill.)	Rock Island, Ill.	CCIW	5
6	Chicago	Chicago, Ill.	UAA	6
7	UW-Platteville	Platteville, Wis.	WIAC	7
8	UW-Oshkosh	Oshkosh, Wis.	WIAC	8
9	UW-Stevens Point	Stevens Point, Wis.	WIAC	9
10	Aurora	Aurora, Ill.	NACC	NR
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: UW-Eau Claire, 2014: North Central (Ill.), 2013: North Central (Ill.), 2012: North Central (Ill.), 2011: North Central (Ill.)


NEW ENGLAND Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Williams	Williamstown, Mass.	NESCAC	1
2	MIT	Cambridge, Mass.	NEWMAC	2
3	Amherst	Amherst, Mass.	NESCAC	3
4	Colby	Waterville, Maine	NESCAC	4
5	Middlebury	Middlebury, Vt.	NESCAC	5
6	Connecticut College	New London, Conn.	NESCAC	8
7	Bates	Lewiston, Maine	NESCAC	7
8	Tufts	Medford, Mass.	NESCAC	6
9	Brandeis	Waltham, Mass.	UAA	NR
10	Bowdoin	Brunswick, Maine	NESCAC	9
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Williams, 2014: Colby, 2013: Williams, 2012: Middlebury, 2011: Williams


SOUTH/SOUTHEAST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Emory	Atlanta, Ga.	UAA	2
2	Christopher Newport	Newport News, Va.	CAC	1
3	Washington and Lee	Lexington, Va.	ODAC	3
4	Rhodes	Memphis, Tenn.	SAA	5
5	Lynchburg	Lynchburg, Va.	ODAC	4
6	Univ. of the South	Sewanee, Tenn.	SAA	10
7	Trinity (Texas)	San Antonio, Texas	SCAC	6
8	Mary Washington	Fredericksburg, Va.	CAC	9
9	Roanoke	Salem, Va.	ODAC	NR
10	Bridgewater (Va.)	Bridgewater, Va.	ODAC	8
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Emory, 2014: Emory, 2013: Bridgewater (Va.), 2012: Lynchburg, 2011: Lynchburg


WEST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Pomona-Pitzer	Claremont, Calif.	SCIAC	1
2	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps	Claremont, Calif.	SCIAC	2
3	Whittier	Whittier, Calif.	SCIAC	4
4	Occidental	Los Angeles, Calif.	SCIAC	7
5	Willamette	Salem, Ore.	Northwest Conference	3
6	Colorado College	Colorado Springs, Colo.	SCAC	NR
7	Lewis & Clark	Portland, Ore.	Northwest Conference	5
8	Whitman	Walla Walla, Wash.	Northwest Conference	NR
9	Whitworth	Spokane, Wash.	Northwest Conference	9
10	George Fox	Newberg, Ore.	Northwest Conference	6
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 2014: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 2013: Pomona-Pitzer, 2012: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 2011: Occidental/Colorado College,

USTFCCCA NCAA Division III
Women’s Cross Country Regional Team Rankings
2016 Week #6 — October 18
national poll release: October 19
next regional release: November 1

ATLANTIC Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	SUNY Geneseo	Geneseo, N.Y.	SUNYAC	1
2	Ithaca	Ithaca, N.Y.	Empire 8	4
3	SUNY Oneonta	Oneonta, N.Y.	SUNYAC	5
4	RPI	Troy, N.Y.	Liberty League	2
5	Stevens	Hoboken, N.J.	Empire 8	6
6	St. Lawrence	Canton, N.Y.	Liberty League	3
7	TCNJ	Ewing, N.J.	NJAC	8
8	RIT	Henrietta, N.Y.	Liberty League	10
9	Rochester (N.Y.)	Rochester, N.Y.	UAA	NR
10	SUNY Plattsburgh	Plattsburgh, N.Y.	SUNYAC	9
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: SUNY Geneseo, 2014: St. Lawrence, 2013: NYU, 2012: St. Lawrence, 2011: St. Lawrence


CENTRAL Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Carleton	Northfield, Minn.	MIAC	1
2	Nebraska Wesleyan	Lincoln, Neb.	IIAC	9
3	St. Thomas (Minn.)	Saint Paul, Minn.	MIAC	3
4	St. Olaf	Northfield, Minn.	MIAC	2
5	Wartburg	Waverly, Iowa	IIAC	4
6	Loras	Dubuque, Iowa	IIAC	5
7	Macalester	Saint Paul, Minn.	MIAC	7
8	Cornell College	Mount Vernon, Iowa	Midwest Conference	6
9	St. Catherine (Minn.)	Saint Paul, Minn.	MIAC	10
10	Grinnell	Grinnell, Iowa	Midwest Conference	NR
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: St. Thomas (Minn.), 2014: Carleton, 2013: Wartburg, 2012: Wartburg, 2011: Wartburg


GREAT LAKES Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Calvin	Grand Rapids, Mich.	Michigan Intercollegiate	1
2	Hope	Holland, Mich.	Michigan Intercollegiate	2
3	Otterbein	Westerville, Ohio	OAC	4
4	Allegheny (Pa.)	Meadville, Pa.	NCAC	3
5	Oberlin	Oberlin, Ohio	NCAC	5
6	DePauw	Greencastle, Ind.	NCAC	6
7	John Carroll	University Heights, Ohio	OAC	7
8	Kenyon	Gambier, Ohio	NCAC	10
9	Case Western Reserve	Cleveland, Ohio	UAA	NR
10	Manchester	North Manchester, Ind.	HCAC	9
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Hope, 2014: Calvin, 2013: Calvin, 2012: Hope, 2011: Calvin


MIDEAST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Johns Hopkins	Baltimore, Md.	Centennial	1
2	Dickinson	Carlisle, Pa.	Centennial	2
3	Elizabethtown	Elizabethtown, Pa.	Landmark	4
4	Haverford	Haverford, Pa.	Centennial	3
5	DeSales	Center Valley, Pa.	Middle Atlantic	5
6	Swarthmore	Swarthmore, Pa.	Centennial	6
7	Waynesburg	Waynesburg, Pa.	PAC	7
8	Moravian	Bethlehem, Pa.	Landmark	8
9	Misericordia	Dallas, Pa.	Middle Atlantic	9
10	Susquehanna	Selinsgrove, Pa.	Landmark	10
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Johns Hopkins, 2014: Johns Hopkins, 2013: Johns Hopkins, 2012: Johns Hopkins, 2011: Johns Hopkins


MIDWEST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Washington (Mo.)	St. Louis, Mo.	UAA	1
2	UW-La Crosse	La Crosse, Wis.	WIAC	2
3	Chicago	Chicago, Ill.	UAA	4
4	St. Norbert	De Pere, Wis.	Midwest Conference	6
5	UW-Eau Claire	Eau Claire, Wis.	WIAC	5
6	UW-Oshkosh	Oshkosh, Wis.	WIAC	3
7	Aurora	Aurora, Ill.	NACC	NR
8	Edgewood	Madison, Wis.	NACC	NR
9	UW-Stout	Menomonie, Wis.	WIAC	10
10	Wheaton (Ill.)	Wheaton, Ill.	CCIW	NR
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Washington (Mo.), 2014: Washington (Mo.), 2013: Chicago, 2012: UW-Eau Claire, 2011: Washington (Mo.)


NEW ENGLAND Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	MIT	Cambridge, Mass.	NEWMAC	1
2	Williams	Williamstown, Mass.	NESCAC	2
3	Tufts	Medford, Mass.	NESCAC	4
4	Middlebury	Middlebury, Vt.	NESCAC	3
5	Bates	Lewiston, Maine	NESCAC	6
6	Amherst	Amherst, Mass.	NESCAC	5
7	Brandeis	Waltham, Mass.	UAA	7
8	Wesleyan (Conn.)	Middletown, Conn.	NESCAC	8
9	Bowdoin	Brunswick, Maine	NESCAC	9
10	Wellesley	Wellesley, Mass.	NEWMAC	10
10	Univ. of New England	Biddeford, Maine	Commonwealth Coast	NR
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Williams, 2014: MIT, 2013: Williams, 2012: MIT, 2011: Middlebury

SOUTH/SOUTHEAST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Emory	Atlanta, Ga.	UAA	1
2	Rhodes	Memphis, Tenn.	SAA	2
3	Trinity (Texas)	San Antonio, Texas	SCAC	3
4	Christopher Newport	Newport News, Va.	CAC	4
5	Washington and Lee	Lexington, Va.	ODAC	5
6	Centre	Danville, Ky.	SAA	6
7	Berry	Rome, Ga.	SAA	7
8	Roanoke	Salem, Va.	ODAC	9
9	Birmingham-Southern	Birmingham, Ala.	SAA	NR
10	Eastern Mennonite	Harrisonburg, Va.	ODAC	8
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Emory, 2014: Emory, 2013: Trinity (Texas), 2012: Trinity (Texas), 2011: Emory


WEST Region
Rank	Institution	Location	Conference	Last Week
1	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps	Claremont, Calif.	SCIAC	1
2	Colorado College	Colorado Springs, Colo.	SCAC	3
3	Whitworth	Spokane, Wash.	Northwest Conference	2
4	Willamette	Salem, Ore.	Northwest Conference	4
5	Pomona-Pitzer	Claremont, Calif.	SCIAC	5
6	UC Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz, Calif.	Great South	6
7	Occidental	Los Angeles, Calif.	SCIAC	7
8	Redlands	Redlands, Calif.	SCIAC	8
9	Linfield	McMinnville, Ore.	Northwest Conference	NR
10	Whitman	Walla Walla, Wash.	Northwest Conference	NR
Regional Championship History — Last Five Champions: 2015: Willamette, 2014: Willamette, 2013: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 2012: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 2011: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps