Women's Cross Country remains at top of rankings; men slide to No. 4

Sunday September 21,  2025 - 10:00 a.m. | Dylan DeVlieger

Women's Cross Country

The Thunderbird women, the reigning NJCAA DII national champions, remain the No. 1 team in the country for the fourth consecutive week. Led by standout sophomore Olivia Baker, who set the school 6k record at 21:22.1 at the Cougar Challenge.Mesa's depth and consistency have solidified their position. H

Mesa is joined in the top spot by rival ACCAC/Region I program, Paradise Valley.

Men's Cross Country

On the men's side, Mesa dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 following the CSUSM Cougar Challenge. The T-Birds finished seventh as a team in the 8k race, tallying 197 points. Top performances included Cal Schnepf (54th – 26:22.1), Alex Lopez (63rd – 26:32.0), and Josef Iker (67th – 26:41.1).

ACCAC/Region I rival Paradise Valley claims the No. 2 spot in the country.

Both the men & women will return to action on Saturday as they compete in the David Murray Invite in Tucson, AZ.