The Dordt University men’s cross country team closed out the 2023 regular season with a top 10 ranking in the final edition of the NAIA Cross Country Coaches’ poll announced today by the national office.
Fresh off of winning the GPAC Championship last weekend, the Defenders ascended one spot to sixth in the Nov.7 coaches’ poll. Dordt has been ranked in the top 10 all season and totaled 462 points.
Notes:
this is the fifth and final poll of the regular season
the Defenders have been ranked in 39 consecutive polls, dating back to the 2018 season
this is the 13th straight poll the Defenders have earned a top 10 ranking
the Defenders have finished among the top three in every meet this season
Dordt won two meets, taking first at the Briar Cliff Invite and the GPAC Championship
Aidan Vorster won the GPAC Champion and was named the GPAC Men’s Runner of the Year
eight Defenders earned all-conference honors by placing in the top 15 at the conference championship
Aidan Vorster – 1st
Craig Becker – 2nd
Peter Shippy – 3rd
Isaac Davelaar – 8th
Luke Swanson – 9th
Tage Hulstein – 10th
Thaniel Schroeder – 12th
Ethan Summerhays – 14th
a Dordt runner has earned GPAC Runner of the Week four times this season
Peter Shippy – 2x
Aidan Vorster
Craig Becker
Dordt is one of two teams, along with Doane, from the GPAC in this week’s top 25
Doane is 16th, up one spot from the last poll
Indiana Wesleyan closed the regular season with the No.1 ranking, a spot the Wildcats held all season
Milligan is second and received the final two first place votes
The Master’s (Calif.) is third, followed by Saint Mary (Kan.) and Eastern Oregon
the Defenders will next compete in the NAIA National Championship on Friday, Nov.17 at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash.
The Dordt University women’s cross country team moved up two spots in the final edition of the NAIA Coaches’ poll released earlier today by the national office.
Ranked eighth in the previous poll, the Defenders moved up to sixth and just outside of a top five ranking. Dordt, who won the GPAC Championship last weekend, totaled 462 points in this week’s poll, 34 points out of fifth place The Master’s (Calif.).
this is the final edition of the regular season poll and sixth overall poll of the 2023 season
Dordt extends its streak of being ranked in the top 25 to 90 consecutive polls
this is the 56th time the Defenders have held a spot in the top 10 during their current streak
Dordt has finished among the top 10 in every meet this season
the Defenders won two meets, taking first at the Briar Cliff Invite and again at the GPAC Championship last weekend
Dordt won its fourth straight conference championship and ninth in the last 11 years
Jessica (Kampman) Walczyk won the individual championship for the second time
seven Dordt runners earned all-conference honors
Jessica (Kampman) Walczyk – 1st
Molly Mulder – 4th
Jessica Opfer – 6th
Lucy Borkowski – 8th
Taylor (Anema) Droog – 9th
Isabella Webb – 10th
Kristine Honomichl – 15th
Nate Wolf was named both the GPAC Coach of the Year for the women and men
the Defenders have a pair of runner-up finishes and were the top NAIA team at the Griak Invite
Dordt is one of two teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in the top 10
Concordia – 8th
Dordt is one four teams from the GPAC recognized in the poll (Doane, Hastings – received votes)
College of Idaho holds down the No.1 spot for the second straight week and earned 16 of the 20 possible first place votes
Milligan (Tenn.) held its spot at No.2 and is followed by Saint Mary (Kan.), Taylor and The Master’s (Calif.)
up next for the Defenders is the NAIA Championship on Nov.17 in Vancouver, Washington
