2020 NCAA DI Women's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll – Week 6

NEW ORLEANS – Race day is getting closer!
We are less than two weeks out from the rescheduled 2020 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on March 15 at the Oklahoma State Cross Country Course. The action in Stillwater, Oklahoma will be televised on ESPNU and through the ESPN App in a joint effort between the USTFCCCA and ESPN.
We will have a special NCAA Division I Women’s National Coaches’ Poll on Friday, March 5 – a day in which 11 conference championships are scheduled.
Let’s see what has happened since the last National Coaches’ Poll release on February 17.
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Arkansas and BYU remain at No. 1 and No, 2, respectively, and were the only teams in the top-5 that didn’t change. No. 3 New Mexico improved a spot to bump No. 4 NC State down, while Stanford moved to No. 5 to round out our top teams in Week 6.
BYU cemented its spot at No. 2 after winning the team title at the West Coast Conference Championships with 28 points. The Cougars placed four runners in the top-7, and their fifth in 11th, as BYU rolled to its third straight team title. Aubrey Frentheway and Anna Camp finished in second and third, respectively.
New Mexico returned to the grass circuit in their first race of the cross country season, claiming a team victory at the Battle Born Collegiate Challenge over second place Stanford, 60-85.
The Lobos’ saw two women place in the top-10 in Las Vegas: Adva Cohen was the first to cross in sixth place, while Gracelyn Larkin served as the Lobo’s second runner in tenth. The rest of the pack wasn’t far behind, as New Mexico had its remaining scoring contingent finish 12-15-17 to seal the win.
The Cardinal had a 1-2 punch at Battle Born in Ella Donaghu and Zofia Dudek, with Donaghu earning the individual win in 19:44.1. Dudek crossed the finish in 19:49.0.
No. 9 Northern Arizona was the biggest mover in the top-10 thanks to a 7 spot improvement. The Lumberjacks finished third in the team standings at Battle Born with 100 points. Taryn O’Neill paced Northern Arizona with her third place finish in 19:55.6.
Two teams each improved by 4 spots in the National Coaches’ Poll following what transpired at the WCC Cross Country Championships. No. 24 Portland finished runner-up to BYU with 49 points, while No. 26 San Francisco was in third with 68 points.
Portland had three runners to finish in the top-10, including the individual champion. Anna Pataki took home top honors as she covered the 6k course in 19:56.0.
San Francisco placed two women in the top-10 to lead their scoring contingent. MacKenzie Yanek and Eve Jensen paced the Dons with their fourth and ninth place finishes, respectively.
No. 30 Wisconsin was the lone new addition to the top-30 in Week 6.