2025 NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 4

NEW ORLEANS – Talk about changes!

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA DI Men’s Cross Country Regional Rankings for the 2025 season, as released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Regional Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams’ strength with current season results (if applicable) in determining a rank-order of squad potential. Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible to receive a ranking. Teams with provisional status within the region may be ranked.

Regional Championships Friday set for November 14. That’s when we’ll learn which two teams from each region will automatically qualify for the upcoming 2025 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 22, in Columbia, Missouri.

Great Lakes Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Butler

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 5 Michigan

Notes: How they finished at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational is how they’re ranked. Michigan State fared best out of the region, taking seventh in a loaded field and soared from No. 4 to a program-record No. 1 in the process. Butler was right behind the Spartans in eighth, followed by Wisconsin in ninth, Notre Dame in tenth, and Michigan in 15th. Only 29 points separated Michigan State from Notre Dame.

Mid-Atlantic Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Princeton, No. 2 Georgetown

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Navy, No. 5 Villanova

Notes: There were no changes to the top-five teams, but Princeton solidified its No. 1 billing by winning its home meet this past weekend over Oklahoma, Boise State, and Penn State.

Midwest Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Iowa State, No. 2 Oklahoma State

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Missouri, No. 4 Loyola-Chicago, No. 5 Oklahoma

Notes: Missouri and Loyola-Chicago went head-to-head at the Pre-National Invitational and finished second and third, respectively, separated by 28 points. Oklahoma impressed at the Princeton Fall Classic, taking second behind the host. Top-ranked Iowa State rested six of its top-seven runners while competing at the Nuttycombe Invitational, while Oklahoma State ran controlled at the Weis-Crockett Invitational and beat Oral Roberts.

Mountain Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 New Mexico, No. 2 Colorado

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Northern Arizona, No. 4 BYU, No. 5 Air Force

Notes: The top-four teams squared off at the Nuttycombe Invitational and took four of the top-five spots in the team standings. New Mexico ran roughshod over the competition and looked like a bonafide national title contender. Colorado took runner-up honors behind the Lobos, 53 points clear of Northern Arizona in fourth (Syracuse was third). BYU ended up fifth, 15 points behind the Lumberjacks. The Cougars were one of three teams in the race with multiple athletes who finished in the top 30, but their fourth and fifth were 75th and 83rd.

Northeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Syracuse, No. 2 Harvard

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Iona, No. 4 Cornell, No. 5 Boston University

Notes: Syracuse continues to headline the Northeast Region, especially so after a strong effort at the Nuttycombe Invitational, where it placed third behind New Mexico and Colorado. Harvard finished farther back in 13th place, but showed promise as it debuted two top runners with its presumed frontrunner Shane Brosnan still waiting in the wings.

South Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Georgia

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Ole Miss, No. 4 Lipscomb, No. 5 Middle Tennessee

Notes: Georgia vaulted up the rankings following its surprise victory at the Pre-National Invitational. The Bulldogs, who equal their best ranking in program history, had four finishers in the top 30 and dispatched both Missouri and Ole Miss, who were ranked in the most recent National Coaches’ Poll.

South Central Region

Projected AQs: No.1 Tulane, No. 2 Texas A&M

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Stephen F. Austin, No. 5 Arkansas

Notes: Texas A&M continues to stack strong performances and that’s why it tied its best ranking in program history. The Aggies were last ranked second back in 2012. Texas A&M most recently beat Middle Tennessee State rather soundly at the Arturo Barrios Invitational. Prior to that, the Aggies took third at the Paul Short Run behind Georgetown and Utah State. Texas finished fourth at the Pre-National Invitational, four places and 87 points clear of Arkansas.

Southeast Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Virginia, No. 2 Wake Forest

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 Virginia Tech, No. 4 North Carolina, No. 5 Louisville

Notes: The top-three teams in the region put on a racing masterclass this past weekend at the Panorama Farms Invitational. Virginia, without star Gary Martin, emerged victorious and had a meager 36-second spread between its top-five runners. Virginia Tech edged Wake Forest for runner-up honors, but the Demon Deacons held out JoJo Jourdon and Joe O’Brien.

West Region

Projected AQs: No. 1 Washington State, No. 2 Oregon

Also in the Hunt: No. 3 California Baptist, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 Gonzaga

Notes: Washington State, California Baptist, Stanford, and Gonzaga all competed this past weekend at the Nuttycombe Invitational and finished in that order. The Cougars were fifth thanks to the strong frontrunning of Solomon Kipchoge and Evans Kurui, while the Lancers took 11th and were boosted by the return of Valentine Soca. Leo Young led the 16th-place Cardinal, which only had him among the top-90 finishers.