Division I Cross Country National Coaches Polls Remain Calm – But Not For Much Longer

NEW ORLEANS – Four weekends of preparation and posturing are in the books, and the table is set for the heart of the NCAA Division I Cross Country season to get underway.

The top ten teams remained static in both the men’s and women’s editions of the week two National Coaches Polls released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). This is the final edition ahead of the September 26 date marking the beginning of the "countable season," during which results will count toward at-large consideration into the NCAA Championships.

National Poll PDFs: Week 2 Top 30 Summary | Week-by-Week 2014 | Week-by-Week All Time
Regional Rankings: Week 2 Summary
Division I XC Rankings and Polls Central

NCAA DIVISION I NATIONAL COACHES POLL TOP 5 – MEN 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Colorado Northern Arizona Oregon Oklahoma State Stanford View Complete Men’s National Coaches Poll   NCAA DIVISION I NATIONAL COACHES POLL TOP 5 – WOMEN 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Michigan Oregon Michigan State Stanford Georgetown View Complete Women’s National Coaches Poll

Overall, only a third of the 60 ranked teams between men and women checked in at a different position from a week ago – and only the No. 20 Michigan men and No. 22 Vanderbilt women moved as many as two in the positive direction.

Reigning national men’s champion and unanimous No. 1 Colorado remained atop the men’s poll, followed by No. 2 Northern Arizona, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Oklahoma Stateand No. 5 Stanford. Each of their top squads were idle this past weekend.

Oregon is the top-five team in the midst of the hottest action this upcoming weekend at Friday’s Boston College Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown, up against a field that includes No. 8 Syracuse and No. 16 Providence.

No. 1 Michigan remained atop the women’s poll after a strong 2014 inter-squad debut win at the Big Ten Preview over No. 16 Wisconsin. In a tight race for the second spot, current No. 2 Oregon is just one point ahead of No. 3 Michigan State. The Spartans won Oregon’s Bill Dellinger Invitational earlier this season, but the Ducks did not run their top squad.

No. 4 Stanford and No. 5 Georgetown held steady to round out the top five.

Michigan headlines the field at Boston College against two of the past three national champions in 2011 winner Georgetown and defending champ No. 18 Providence, along with No. 15 Syracuse, No. 16 Boston Collegeand No. 25 Dartmouth.

Mitten State rival Michigan State headlines the weekend’s other big meet in Saturday’s Minnesota Roy Griak Invitational. No. 9 Iowa State is the top challenger, along with No. 11 Butler, No. 22 Vanderbilt, No. 28 Minnesota and No. 30 North Carolina.

New to the polls this week were a pair of No. 30 teams in the Penn State men and the North Carolinawomen.

The NCAA Championships will be held Saturday, November 22, in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course.

For a full breakdown of the upcoming weekend’s action, check back later this week for the USTFCCCA Warm-Up Lap.