2025 NCAA DI Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll – Week 3

NEW ORLEANS – Top teams hold steady in Week 3.

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll, released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The poll is conducted by taking votes from a group of 11 coaches, including one coach from each of Division I’s nine regions and two from the NCAA Cross Country Executive Committee.

BYU remains on top as the unanimous favorite for the fourth consecutive poll. The Cougars have yet to see a first-place vote go against them. BYU didn’t race this week after a winning effort at the Cowboy Jamboree two weeks ago, beating then-No. 5 New Mexico and No. 9 Oklahoma State. The Cougars to action on Oct. 17 in Wisconsin where they will compete at the Nuttycombe Invitational.

NC State is entrenched in the second spot this week following its performance at Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational this past weekend. In Chicago, the Wolfpack claimed the team title with 34 points and a 19:47 average for 6k. Hannah Gapes and Bethany Michalak led the way with a 1-2 finish, running 19:19 and 19:34, respectively. In addition, NC State placed four in the top ten, with a 1-5 spread of just 42 seconds. It will be a battle of first versus second at Nuttycombe, as the top-ranked BYU Cougars will have to hold off a hot Wolfpack squad. 

Florida held steady at third, after its surge in the rankings last week. The Gators did not race this week, as they took home the Gan Greek Classic title when they last competed. Hopes of seeing a No. 1 vs No. 2 vs. No. 3 battle in Wisconsin won’t come to fruition, as Florida will head to the Pre-National Invitational in Columbia, Missouri, instead.

Oregon and New Mexico round out the rest of the top five this week, with both squads opting not to compete. Notre Dame moves up three spots this week into seventh, following its impressive performance at home at the Joe Piane Invitational where it averaged 16:06 for 5k with only a 20 second spread from 1-5. Mary Bonner Dalton, the Fighting Irish sophomore, led the way running a 15:53 for the individual title enroute to a 29 point team performance. 

The five through ten spots are as follows: No. 6 Northern Arizona, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 8 Oklahoma State, No. 9 West Virginia, and No. 10 Colorado. New to the poll is No. 19 Villanova, No. 20 Gonzaga, and No. 26 South Carolina. 

Keep an eye on Oct. 17 and 18, as sparks will fly between Nuttycombe and Pre-Nationals, which are sure to shake up the rankings.