Full USTFCCCA National Poll Release
HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College men's cross country team will begin the 2023 season with the No. 18 national ranking according to the Division III National Coaches Poll, the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced in its annual preseason poll release on Wednesday.
In addition to the No. 18 national ranking, Haverford is also the top-ranked squad in the debut of the 2023 Metro Region rankings. Haverford is the two-time reigning champion of that newly-formed region, picking up the inaugural title in 2021 and then racing to the crown a season ago at DeSales, punching an automatic ticket to the NCAA Championships for the 29th consecutive season by virtue of the regional title.
Haverford returns three of its top harriers from an 13th place showing at last year's NCAA Championships in Lansing, Mich., the best finish for the Fords since the 2018 team reached the national podium with a fourth-place finish.
Haverford has placed in the top 20 at the national meet in 27 of 29 consecutive showings. Peter LaRochelle, Nathaniel Leighninger, and Miles Colescott all return from last season's group of seven runners at the national meet, reconvening with unfinished business as the Fords look to climb back onto the national podium yet again.
North Central (Ill.), Pomona-Pitzer, SUNY Geneseo, MIT, and Wisconsin-La Crosse are slotted first through fifth in the initial weekly poll. Reigning Centennial Conference Champions Johns Hopkins were picked 10th overall. Haverford is the only team in the Metro Region to garner a national ranking.
The Metro Region rankings see Haverford on top ahead of Moravian, Swarthmore, Rowan, and TCNJ to round out the top five. Conference foe Ursinus checks in eighth.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 18 – that's when the 2023 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Dickinson in Newville, Pa.