Milligan Remains No. 2 in NAIA Poll with Montreat at No. 21; SCAD Receives Votes

1. Taylor (Ind.)

The Trojans grabbed all but one first-place vote this week after running away with last week's Ray Bullock Invitational. Taylor took the race by 43 points, as Jaynie Halterman continued her record-setting pace, winning by more than a minute in 20:38. Taylor also had a third and a fourth-place finish from Sam Patterson and Noel Bass. The Trojans close the regular season Oct. 25, at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge in Michigan.

2. Milligan (Tenn.)

Milligan's last meet was Oct. 3, at the Firetower Project, hosted by Appalachian State, where The Buffs finished third in a field of 12 - behind App State and William & Mary. Ellen-Mary Kearney was second in the race, with a time of 21:17. Milligan has two more regular-season races on the slate, including Saturday at the Roanoke Cross Country Invitational.

3. Cumberlands (Ky.)

Cumberlands maintained its highest ranking in school history at No. 3, led by Mid-South Runner of the Week Lea Kunstmann, who ran an 18:09 5K in the Patriots' last race, in Louisville. Cumberlands has one more regular-season event, the NAIA Appalachian Challenge, Oct. 24 in Knoxville, Tenn.

T-4. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)

The Eagles stayed in position at No. 4 after a win at the ACU Invite, in Glendale, where ERAU claimed the first four spots in the event. Sophia Noriega won the 6K race in 22:45, and the Eagles return to action Oct. 18 at the Highlander Invitational, hosted by UC Riverside.

T-4. Indiana Wesleyan

IWU earned a fourth-place tie with a strong finish at the Ray Bullock Invitational, finishing second behind top-ranked host Taylor. Elizabeth Barrett led the Wildcats, finishing seventh in 22:25, followed by an eighth-place performance from Sydney Liddle in 22:26. IWU has one more regular season event before the Crossroads Championships, Saturday, Oct. 25, at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge in Grand Rapids, Mich.

T-6. The Master's (Calif.)

The Master's remains sixth after winning the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Oct. 4, as Suzie Johnson took home the women's crown with a 21:32 mark. Alyssa Lovett added a top-15 finish in 22:12, and the Mustangs resume the 2025 slate with their final regular-season meet on Saturday (Oct. 18), at the Highlander Invitational in Riverside, Calif.

T-6. Dordt (Iowa)

The Defenders climbed three spots into a tie for sixth. Oct. 18, they split their squad in the Black and Gold divisions of the Holiday Inn Express Classic, winning the Black Division, while the front-line team took second in the Gold Division as the highest placing NAIA team. Dordt will travel to the Mount Marty Invitational in South Dakota, Thursday, Oct. 23 to close the regular season.

8. Cornerstone (Mich.)

Cornerstone continued its top 10 despite no meets since the last edition of the Top 25. The Golden Eagles' season resumes Saturday, Oct. 25, at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge in Grand Rapids, hosted by Aquinas.

9. College of Idaho

The Yotes had a pair of races since the last rating, a second-place finish at Willamette, with three runners heading to LC State. Ella Rubel led the squad at LC State with a 5K time of 19:37. The Yotes travel to Nebraska, next week, for the Blazing Tiger Classic at Mahoney State Park, in Ashland, Neb.

10. Grace (Ind.)

Grace made its move into the top 10 as the top seven women on the squad all placed within the top 25, finishing third behind Taylor and IWU. Grace returns to the schedule Oct. 25 at the Great Lakes Challenge, in Grand Rapids, Mich.