The 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships mark an exciting milestone in collegiate cross country history with an expanded field size of 32 teams per gender, the first increase since 1998, competing for the national titles on Saturday, November 22, at the prestigious Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri.
This expansion brings the total number of runners from 255 to 262 per gender, providing additional student-athletes with the opportunity to compete at the pinnacle of collegiate cross country.
The 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships field has been finalized following regional racing and the NCAA selection show.
This 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships guide gives you the full team lists for both men’s and women’s races, explains how teams qualify, highlights the leading contenders and dark horses, and offers SEO-ready copy you can use on your blog or site.
2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships Teams and Rankings
- Championship date & host: Saturday, November 22, 2025, at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, Columbia, Missouri.
- Field size: 32 teams in each race (men’s and women’s) plus individual qualifiers from regionals — the standard NCAA format.
- Selection timeline: Regionals produced automatic qualifiers; the NCAA subcommittee named the at-large teams and individuals after regional racing (selections announced mid-November 2025).
The 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships selection follows the long-standing format: the top two teams from each of nine regions automatically qualify (18 automatic team berths).
The NCAA subcommittee then selects 14 at-large teams to fill the 32-team field. For individuals, the top finishers not on qualifying teams advance automatically, with a small number of additional at-large individual selections to reach the final individual field. This year’s selections were finalized after the November regional meets.
2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships – Men’s Teams
| Syracuse | Princeton | Wake Forest | Notre Dame |
| Oklahoma State | Tulane | New Mexico | Oregon |
| Alabama; Iona | Georgetown | Eastern Kentucky | Butler |
| Iowa State | Arkansas | BYU | California Baptist (CBU) |
| Ole Miss | Virginia | Northern Arizona (NAU) | Colorado |
| Washington State | Wisconsin | Michigan State | Georgia |
| Michigan | Harvard | Virginia Tech | North Carolina |
| Air Force | Louisville | Oklahoma |
Automatic Qualifying Men’s Teams (18 Regional Winners)
The following teams earned automatic bids by finishing as the top team or runner-up at their respective regional championships-
| Region | Automatic Qualifiers |
|---|---|
| Great Lakes | Notre Dame, Cincinnati |
| Mountain | New Mexico, Colorado |
| Northeast | Syracuse, Harvard |
| South | Alabama, Georgia |
| South Central | Arkansas, Tulane |
| Southeast | Virginia, Wake Forest |
| West | Oregon, Washington State |
| Midwest | Oklahoma State, Iowa State |
| Mid-Atlantic | Butler, Eastern Kentucky |
Men’s Elite Programs Competing
Top-Ranked Men’s Teams for 2025 Championship:
| Ranking | Team | Notable Information |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BYU (Brigham Young University) | Defending champions with strong returning core |
| 2 | Oklahoma State | Consistent national powerhouse |
| 3 | Northern Arizona | Multiple-time national champions |
| 4 | Iowa State | Emerging contender with strong depth |
| 5 | New Mexico | Mountain Region Champions (swept both titles in 2025) |
| 6 | Stanford | Historic powerhouse program |
| 7 | Virginia | Southeast Regional Champions |
| 8 | Georgetown | Perennial elite competitor |
| 9 | Harvard | Ivy League representation |
| 10 | Villanova | Consistent championship performer |
Other Notable Qualifying Men’s Teams: California Baptist, Eastern Kentucky, Iona, Princeton, Syracuse, and Wake Forest.
2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships – Women’s Teams and Rankings
| Boston College | West Virginia | NC State | Notre Dame |
| Oklahoma State | Texas A&M | New Mexico | Stanford |
| Florida | Providence | Georgetown | South Carolina |
| Wisconsin | Northwestern | LSU | BYU |
| Oregon | Tennessee | Iowa State | Penn State |
| Villanova | Missouri | Alabama | Northern Arizona |
| Colorado | Utah | North Carolina | Virginia |
| Boise State | Washington State | Washington | Wake Forest |
Automatic Qualifying Women’s Teams (18 Regional Winners)
Women’s teams earning automatic bids through regional championships:
| Region | Automatic Qualifiers |
|---|---|
| Great Lakes | Notre Dame, Michigan State |
| Mountain | BYU, New Mexico |
| Northeast | Boston College, Syracuse |
| South | Florida, Alabama |
| South Central | LSU, Tulane |
| Southeast | NC State, North Carolina |
| West | Oregon, Stanford |
| Midwest | Oklahoma State, Northwestern |
Women’s Elite Programs Competing
Top-Ranked Women’s Teams for 2025 Championship:
| Ranking | Team | Notable Information |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NC State | Two-time defending national champions (2022, 2023) |
| 2 | BYU | 2024 national champions, led by freshman Jane Hedengren |
| 3 | New Mexico | Mountain Region Champions (swept titles for first time since 2010) |
| 4 | Oklahoma State | Midwest Regional Champions |
| 5 | Notre Dame | Great Lakes Regional Champions with a dominant 22-point victory |
| 6 | Northern Arizona | Multiple-time national champions |
| 7 | Florida | South Regional Champions |
| 8 | Oregon | West Regional Champions |
| 9 | Georgetown | Historic program, consistent elite performer |
| 10 | West Virginia | Strong competitor |
Other Qualifying Women’s Teams: Boston College, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Stanford, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Washington, and Yale.
Championship Format and Structure
The championship format includes
- 18 automatic bids (two from each of nine regions)
- 14 at-large selections by the NCAA Division I Cross Country Subcommittee
- 32 maximum teams per gender
- 30 individual runners, including top-four finishers from each regional whose teams didn’t advance, plus additional at-large selections
Regional Results (November 14, 2025)
The nine regional championships determined 18 automatic bids
Men’s Regions:
- Great Lakes: Notre Dame (1st), Cincinnati (2nd) – Cincinnati’s Nickson Kogei won the individual title
- Mountain: New Mexico (1st), Colorado (2nd)
- Northeast: Syracuse (1st), Harvard (2nd)
- South: Alabama (1st), Georgia (2nd) – Florida’s Kelvin Cheruiyot won the South individual title (29:09.1)
- South Central: Arkansas (1st), Tulane (2nd)
- Southeast: Virginia (1st), Wake Forest (2nd)
- West: Oregon (1st), Washington State (2nd)
- Midwest: Oklahoma State (1st), Iowa State (2nd)
- Mid-Atlantic: Butler (1st), Eastern Kentucky (2nd)
Women’s Regions:
- Great Lakes: Notre Dame (1st, with dominant 22-point victory) – Amaya Aramini and Mary Bonner Dalton went 1-2 (19:38, 19:44)
- Mountain: BYU (1st), New Mexico (2nd) – New Mexico upset #1 BYU by 2 points
- Northeast: Boston College (1st), Syracuse (2nd)
- South: Florida (1st), Alabama (2nd)
- South Central: LSU (1st), Tulane (2nd)
- Southeast: NC State (1st), North Carolina (2nd)
- West: Oregon (1st), Stanford (2nd)
- Midwest: Oklahoma State (1st), Northwestern (2nd)
Notable Stories and Standout Performers
Men’s Individual Champions to Watch:
- Kelvin Cheruiyot (Florida) – South Regional champion (29:09.1)
- Nickson Kogei (Cincinnati) – Great Lakes Regional winner
- Graham Blanks (Harvard) – Previous national champion (2023-2024 back-to-back titles with 28:37.7 in 2024)
Women’s Individual Champions to Watch:
- Jane Hedengren (BYU, Freshman) – Early favorite for NCAA individual title; won Mountain Regional decisively
- Amaya Aramini (Notre Dame) – Great Lakes Regional champion (19:38)
- Mary Bonner Dalton (Notre Dame) – Regional runner-up (19:44)
Historical Context – First Expansion Since 1998
The 2025 expansion to 32 teams marks the first increase since 1998, when the field expanded from previous levels. Before this change, the championships had featured 31 teams per gender for 27 years.
The Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Oversight Committee made this decision after noting the significant growth in sponsorship, with men’s programs increasing from 293 to 321 and women’s programs rising from 304 to 353.
Championship Schedule and Dates
| Date | Event | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, November 22, 2025 | Women’s 6K | 10:20 a.m. |
| Saturday, November 22, 2025 | Men’s 10K | 11:10 a.m. |
- Broadcast: Live on ESPNU and ESPN+
Previous Champions
Men’s Champions
| Year | Champion | Points | Runner-Up | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | BYU | 124 | Iowa State | 137 |
| 2023 | Oklahoma State | 49 | Northern Arizona | 71 |
| 2022 | Northern Arizona | 83 | Oklahoma State | 83 |
| 2021 | BYU | 109 | Northern Arizona | 163 |
| 2019 | BYU | 109 | Northern Arizona | 163 |
Women’s Champions
| Year | Champion | Points | Runner-Up | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | BYU | 147 | West Virginia | 164 |
| 2023 | NC State | 123 | Northern Arizona | 124 |
| 2022 | NC State | 114 | New Mexico | 140 |
| 2021 | NC State | 84 | BYU | 122 |