Three AAC Teams Own NAIA Top 20 Positions
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Three Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) squads sit comfortably in the second regular-season release of the 2025 NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25.
The poll was released on Thursday.
Milligan leads the pack as it sits at No. 2 with 411 voting points. Montreat checks in at No. 13 with 267 voting points, while SCAD Atlanta holds down things at No. 17 with 196 voting points.
Top 10 Capsules
Full Top 25
Rating Methodology & Key
|
|
Led by two-time NAIA Runner of the Week and defending NAIA national champion Jaynie Halterman, the Trojans have remained No. 1 since the preseason rating, winning the IWU Twilight and finishing seventh at Florida State. Up next, Taylor hosts the Ray Bullock Invitational, in Upland, on Oct. 10. |
|
|
2. Milligan (Tenn.) The Buffs stayed at No. 2 after hosting and winning the Eli Cramer Invitationalon Friday (Sept. 26), and this Friday, Oct. 3, Milligan travels to the Firetower Project, hosted by Appalachian State. |
|
|
3. Cumberlands (Ky.) The Patriots haven't competed since last week's rating, resuming the season Saturday by taking part in the Greater Louisville Classic, hosted by the University of Louisville. |
|
|
4. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) Embry-Riddle made the largest jump within the top 10, from No. 7 to No. 4, due primarily to a win on Sept. 20 over The Master's (Calif.). Saturday, ERAU takes part in the ACU Firestorm Invitational in Glendale, Ariz. |
|
|
5. Indiana Wesleyan IWU held ground at No. 5 after a strong showing in Columbia, Mo., taking fourth in the Open section of the Gans Creek Classic, hosted by the University of Missouri. Off this week, the Wildcats are back to primarily NAIA competition on Oct. 10, traveling to Taylor's Ray Bullock Invitational. |
|
|
6. The Master's (Calif.) The Mustangs haven't competed since last week's rating, resuming the season on Saturday at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational in Claremont, Calif. |
|
|
7. Cornerstone (Mich.) The Golden Eagles are the only team new to this week's top 10 after a strong start to the season, finishing fifth at the Central Michigan Jeff Drenth Memorial, and fourth at Wayne State's Warrior Challenge. Cornerstone's marquee NAIA win early in the 2025 season came at the Lucian Rosa Invitational, in Parkside, Wis., where the Golden Eagles were the top NAIA team, three spots ahead of top 10 Marian (Ind.). |
|
8. College of Idaho The Yotes haven't competed since last week's rating, and they'll resume the season Saturday, in Salem, Ore., at the Willamette Charles Bowles Invite. |
|
|
9. Dordt (Iowa) The Defenders haven't competed since last week's rating, continuing 2025 Saturday in Sioux City, Iowa, at the Briar Cliff Invite at Adams Nature Preserve. |
|
|
10. Marian (Ind.) Marian slid four spots to No. 10 after Saturday's setback to Cornerstone, finishing 16th in Parkside, Wis. The Knights are back in action next Friday, Oct. 10, at Taylor's Ray Bullock Invite, in Upland, Ind. |
Receiving Votes: Dakota State (S.D.) 76, Morningside (Iowa) 72, Shawnee State (Ohio) 68, Mount Mercy (Iowa) 32, Carroll (Mont.) 24, Ave Maria (Fla.) 13, William Carey (Miss.) 10, College of Saint Mary (Neb.) 10, Concordia (Neb.) 3.
Dropped out of Top 25: Shawnee State (Ohio).
Ratings Methodology
- The rating is rated by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and unaffiliated groupings.
- The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each rater rates the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place, 28 for third-place and so on through the list.
- The highest and lowest ratings for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) are removed. The team's rating will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the team appears on.
- Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered "receiving votes".
Key: RV - Receiving Votes, NR - Not Ranked, ▲- Climbed, ▼- Dropped, ● - Steady