Current season, competition or edition: 2025 NCAA Division II men's cross country championships | |
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| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Sport | Cross country |
| Founded | 1958; 67 years ago (1958) |
| Division | Division II |
| Country |  United States Canada |
| Most recent champion | Team:Wingate (2nd) |
| Most titles | Team:Adams State (13) |
| Official website | NCAA.com |
TheNCAA Division II men's cross country championships (previously theNCAA College Division cross country championships, from 1958 to 1973) are contested at an annual meet organized by theNCAA to determine the team and individual national champions of men's collegiatecross country running among itsDivision II members in theUnited States andCanada. It has been held every fall, usually in November, since breaking off from theNCAA University Division Men's Cross Country Championships in 1958.[1]
Initially created for cross country programs from smaller universities and colleges, a third championship, theNCAA Division III men's cross country championships, split away in 1973 when the NCAA created its current three-division structure.
Adams State have been the most successful program, with 13 national titles.
The defending national teams champions areWingate, who won their second national title in 2025.
Adams State'sKidus Begashaw is the reigning individual champion.
The field for the championship race has ranged in size from a low of 11 teams in 1959 to a high of 59 teams in 1972. From 1983 to 1999 the field was fixed at 17 teams. Beginning in 2000, the national championship race has included 24 teams. Teams compete in one of eight regional championships to qualify. In addition to the 24 teams, 16 individual runners qualify for the national championship.[2]
The race distance from 1958 to 1967 was 4 miles (6.4 km). From 1968 to 1975 the race distance was 5 miles (8.0 km). Since 1976 the race distance has been 10,000 meters (6.2 mi)[3]
The event record for the 10,000 meter distance is 28:04.00, set byShane Healy ofAdams State Grizzlies in 1994.
| NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Championship (NCAA College Division Men's Cross Country Championship, 1958–1973) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Site (Host Team) | Championship Results | Individual Championship | ||||||
| Champion | Points | Runner-up | Points | Winner (Team) | Time | ||||
| 1958 Details | Wheaton, IL (Wheaton) | Northern Illinois | 90 | South Dakota State | 93 | Paul Whiteley (Emporia State) | 20:45.0† | ||
| 1959 Details | South Dakota State | 67 | Emporia State | 75 | 23:01.6 | ||||
| 1960 Details | Central State (OH) | 72 | Mankato State | 109 | John Mulholland (Loras) | 20:28.3† | |||
| 1961 Details | Southern Illinois | 33 | South Dakota State | 82 | 20:06.0† | ||||
| 1962 Details | Central State (OH)(2) | 77 | Northern Illinois | 96 | Leslie Hegedus (Central State–OH) | 19:59.1† | |||
| 1963 Details | Emporia State | 44 | Akron | 174 | John Camien (Emporia State) | 19:16.9 | |||
| 1964 Details | Kentucky State | 95 | Northeast Missouri State | 105 | Ed Schneider (Northeast Missouri State) | 19:43.9 | |||
| 1965 Details | San Diego State | 55 | Eastern Michigan | 164 | Gene Takle (Luther) | 19:38.9 | |||
| 1966 Details | San Diego State(2) | 58 | Western Illinois | 184 | Bob Fitts (Cortland State) | 19:40.6 | |||
| 1967 Details | San Diego State(3) | 66 | Cal Poly Pomona | 133 | Arjan Gelling (North Dakota) | 19:33.5 | |||
| The race distance changes from4 miles to5 miles | |||||||||
| 1968 Details | Wheaton, IL (Wheaton) | Eastern Illinois | 99 | Mankato State | 130 | Dave Robbins (Portland State) | 25:14.00† | ||
| 1969 Details | Eastern Illinois(2) | 84 | Eastern Michigan | 146 | Ron Stonitsch (C.W. Post) | 24:53.00† | |||
| 1970 Details | Eastern Michigan | 100 | Cal State Fullerton | 124 | Mark Covert (Cal State Fullerton) | 25:13.00 | |||
| 1971 Details | Cal State Fullerton | 147 | North Dakota State | 81 | Mike Slack (North Dakota State) | 24:19.00† | |||
| 1972 Details | North Dakota State | 84 | South Dakota State | 143 | 24:36.00 | ||||
| 1973 Details | South Dakota State(2) | 88 | Southwest Missouri State | 93 | Garry Bentley (South Dakota State) | 23:49.00† | |||
| 1974 Details | Springfield, MO (Southwest Missouri State) | Southwest Missouri State | 112 | South Dakota State | 130 | 23:33.80 | |||
| 1975 Details | Northridge, CA (Cal State Northridge) | UC Irvine | 59 | Cal State Northridge | 91 | Ralph Serna (UC Irvine) | 23:40.6 | ||
| The race distance changes from5 miles to10,000 meters | |||||||||
| 1976 Details | Springfield, MO (Southwest Missouri State) | UC Irvine(2) | 50 | Southwest Missouri State | 73 | Ralph Serna (UC Irvine) | 29:42.00† | ||
| 1977 Details | Chicago, IL (Illinois–Chicago) | Eastern Illinois(3) | 37 | South Dakota State | 151 | Michael Bollman (North Dakota State) | 30:08.70 | ||
| 1978 Details | Indiana, PA (Indiana of Pennsylvania) | Cal Poly | 42 | 165 | James Schankel (Cal Poly) | 30:34.00 | |||
| 1979 Details | Riverside, CA (UC Riverside) | Cal Poly(2) | 45 | Sacramento State | 108 | 29:43.00 | |||
| 1980 Details | Somers, WI (Wisconsin–Parkside) | Humboldt State | 115 | UNC Pembroke | 120 | Garry Henry (UNC Pembroke) | 29:32.00† | ||
| 1981 Details | Lowell, MA (Lowell) | Millersville | 97 | Edinboro | 99 | Mark Conover (Humboldt State) | 31:45.70 | ||
| 1982 Details | St. Cloud, MN (St. Cloud State) | Eastern Washington | 84 | South Dakota State | 123 | Greg Beardsley (Edinboro) | 36:49.80 | ||
| 1983 Details | Somers, WI (Wisconsin–Parkside) | Cal Poly Pomona | 86 | St. Cloud State | 100 | Brian Ferrari (California–PA) | 30:38.20 | ||
| 1984 Details | Clinton, MS (Mississippi College) | Southeast Missouri State | 87 | Edinboro | 129 | Michael Vanatta (Southeast Missouri State) | 29:55.00 | ||
| 1985 Details | East Stroudsburg, PA (East Stroudsburg) | South Dakota State(3) | 60 | 108 | Samson Obwocha (East Texas State) | 30:49.40 | |||
| 1986 Details | Riverside, CA (UC Riverside) | Edinboro | 56 | South Dakota State | 79 | 30:52.00 | |||
| 1987 Details | Evansville, IN (Southern Indiana) | Edinboro(2) | 95 | Mankato State | 113 | Charles Cheruiyot (Mount St. Mary's) | 30:42.00 | ||
| 1988 Details | Clinton, MS (Mississippi College) | Edinboro(3) & Mankato State | 77 | South Dakota State | Doug Hanson (North Dakota State) | 29:47.00 | |||
| 1989 Details | East Stroudsburg, PA (East Stroudsburg) | South Dakota State(4) | 97 | Edinboro | 102 | Rob Edson (Keene State) | 31:44.90 | ||
| 1990 Details | Arcata, CA (Humboldt State) | Edinboro(4) | 50 | Shippensburg | 125 | Doug Hanson (North Dakota State) | 29:18.80† | ||
| 1991 Details | Edwardsville, IL (SIU Edwardsville) | UMass Lowell | 48 | Nebraska–Kearney | 96 | Martin Lyons (Edinboro) | 31:29.00 | ||
| 1992 Details | Slippery Rock, PA (Slippery Rock) | Adams State | 15 | Western State | 56 | Phillip Castillo (Adams State) | 32:24.00 | ||
| 1993 Details | Riverside, CA (UC Riverside) | Adams State(2) | 25 | Edinboro | 103 | Shane Healy (Adams State) | 28:04.00 | ||
| 1994 Details | Kearney, NE (Nebraska–Kearney) | Adams State(3) | 55 | Western State | 73 | Charles Mulinga (Lewis) | 30:59.90 | ||
| 1995 Details | Spartanburg, SC (USC Upstate) | Western State | 69 | Central Missouri State | 98 | 30:20.12 | |||
| 1996 Details | Arcata, CA (Humboldt State) | South Dakota State(5) | 119 | Lewis | 142 | Alexandr Alexin (Central Missouri State) | 31:23.60 | ||
| 1997 Details | Somers, WI (Wisconsin–Parkside) | South Dakota | 78 | Central Missouri State | 83 | Elly Rono (Southern Indiana) | 31:13.90 | ||
| 1998 Details | Lawrence, KS (Kansas) | Adams State(4) | 68 | Western State | 74 | Yi Min Wu (Edinboro) | 31:06.60 | ||
| 1999 Details | Joplin, MO (Missouri Southern State) | Western State(2) | 27 | Adams State | 95 | Michael Aish (Western State) | 29:19.00 | ||
| 2000 Details | Pomona, CA (Cal Poly Pomona) | Western State(3) | 29 | Abilene Christian | 62 | Alfred Rugema (Abilene Christian) | 30:17.00 | ||
| 2001 Details | Slippery Rock, PA (Slippery Rock) | Western State(4) | 38 | 74 | Michael Aish (Western State) | 30:52.60 | |||
| 2002 Details | Ashland, OH (Cal Poly Pomona) | Western State(5) | 35 | 81 | Alfred Rugema (Abilene Christian) | 30:43.70 | |||
| 2003 Details | Cary, NC | Adams State(5) | 40 | 68 | Celedonio Rodriguez (Adams State) | 30:25.60 | |||
| 2004 Details | Evansville, IN (Southern Indiana) | Western State(6) | 39 | Adams State | 76 | Nicodemus Naimadu (Abilene Christian) | 31:38.10 | ||
| 2005 Details | Pomona, CA (Cal Poly Pomona) | Western State(7) | 51 | 108 | 30:13.80 | ||||
| 2006 Details | Pensacola, FL | Abilene Christian | 57 | 70 | 29:17.50 | ||||
| 2007 Details | Joplin, MO (Missouri Southern State) | Abilene Christian(2) | 59 | Adams State & Western State | 66 | 29:37.70 | |||
| 2008 Details | Slippery Rock, PA (Slippery Rock) | Adams State(6) | 67 | Western State | 88 | Scott Bauhs (Chico State) | 30:23.00 | ||
| 2009 Details | Evansville, IN (Southern Indiana) | Adams State(7) | 23 | 86 | Reuben Mwei (Adams State) | 30:27.80 | |||
| 2010 Details | Louisville, KY (Bellarmine) | Adams State(8) | 57 | 102 | Michael Crouch (Queens–NC) | 30:43.20 | |||
| 2011 Details | Spokane, WA | Western State(8) | 27 | Adams State | 69 | Ryan Haebe (Western State) | 30:45.10 | ||
| 2012 Details | Joplin, MO (Missouri Southern State) | Adams State(9) | 34 | Colorado Mines | 102 | Micah Chelimo (Alaska–Anchorage) | 28:56.60 | ||
| 2013 Details | Spokane, WA | Adams State(10) | 54 | Grand Valley State | 104 | Tabor Stevens (Adams State) | 29:50.10 | ||
| 2014 Details | Louisville, KY (Bellarmine) | Adams State(11) | 69 | Grand Valley State | 127 | 30:02.00 | |||
| 2015 Details | Joplin, MO (Missouri Southern State) | Colorado Mines | 100 | Adams State | 127 | Alfred Chelanga (Shorter) | 29:24.6 | ||
| 2016 Details | Tampa, FL (Saint Leo) | Adams State(12) | 54 | Grand Valley State | 79 | Vincent Kiprop (Missouri Southern) | 29:07.4 | ||
| 2017 Details | Evansville, IN (Southern Indiana) | Adams State(13) | 44 | Grand Valley State | 64 | James Ngandu (Tiffin) | 30:18.8 | ||
| 2018 Details | Pittsburgh, PA (Clarion) | Grand Valley State | 89 | Colorado Mines | 99 | Marcelo Laguera (CSU-Pueblo) | 31:46.4 | ||
| 2019 Details | Joplin, MO (Missouri Southern State) | Colorado Mines(2) | 57 | Adams State | 136 | Ezra Mutai (American Int'l) | 29:31.2 | ||
| 2020 Details | Evansville, IN (Southern Indiana) | Cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States | |||||||
| 2021[4][5][6][7] Details | Tampa, FL | Grand Valley State(2) | 43 | Adams State | 84 | Isaac Harding (Grand Valley State) | 29:58.3 | ||
| 2022 Details | Seattle, WA (Seattle Pacific) | Colorado Mines(3) | 43 | Wingate | 177 | Dillon Powell (Colorado Mines) | 29:28.0 | ||
| 2023 Details | Joplin, MO (Missouri Southern State) | Wingate | 70 | Colorado Mines | 79 | William Amponsah (West Texas A&M) | 29:04.3 | ||
| 2024 Details | Sacramento, CA | Colorado Mines(4) | 63 | Wingate | 66 | 29:40.8 | |||
| 2025 Details | Kenosha, WI (Wisconsin–Parkside) | Wingate(2) | 62 | Adams State | 71 | Kidus Begashaw (Adams State) | 29:38.8 | ||
| Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Adams State | 13 | 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 |
| Western Colorado (Western State) | 8 | 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2011 |
| Colorado School of Mines | 4 | 2015, 2019, 2022, 2024 |
| Edinboro | 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990 | |
| Central State (OH) | 2 | 1960, 1962 |
| Grand Valley State | 2018, 2021 | |
| Wingate | 2023, 2025 | |
| Cal Poly Pomona | 1 | 1983 |
| Cal Poly Humboldt (Humboldt State) | 1980 | |
| Emporia State | 1963 | |
| Kentucky State | 1964 | |
| Millersville | 1981 | |
| Minnesota State (Mankato State) | 1988 |
| Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State | 5 | 1959, 1973, 1985, 1989, 1996 |
| Eastern Illinois | 3 | 1968, 1969, 1977 |
| San Diego State | 1965, 1966, 1967 | |
| Abilene Christian | 2 | 2006, 2007 |
| UC Irvine | 1975, 1976 | |
| Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 1978, 1979 | |
| Cal State Fullerton | 1 | 1971 |
| Eastern Michigan | 1970 | |
| Eastern Washington | 1982 | |
| UMass Lowell | 1991 | |
| Missouri State | 1974 | |
| North Dakota State | 1972 | |
| Northern Illinois | 1958 | |
| South Dakota | 1997 | |
| Southeast Missouri State | 1984 |
| Rank | Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adams State | 7 | 1992, 1993, 2003, 2009, 2013, 2014 |
| 2 | Abilene Christian | 6 | 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 |
| 3 | North Dakota State | 5 | 1971, 1972, 1977, 1988, 1990 |
| 4 | West Texas A&M | 3 | 1964, 2023, 2024 |
| Edinboro | 1982, 1991, 1998 | ||
| Emporia State | 1958, 1959, 1963 | ||
| Western Colorado (Western State) | 1999, 2001, 2011 | ||
| 5 | UC Irvine | 2 | 1975, 1976 |
| Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo | 1978, 1979 | ||
| Lewis | 1994, 1995 | ||
| Loras | 1960, 1961 | ||
| South Dakota State | 1973, 1974 | ||
| Texas A&M–Commerce (East Texas State) | 1985, 1986 | ||
| 6 | Alaska–Anchorage | 1 | 2012 |
| American International | 2019 | ||
| Chico State | 2008 | ||
| Cal State Fullerton | 1970 | ||
| California (PA) | 1983 | ||
| Central Missouri (Central Missouri State) | 1996 | ||
| Central State (OH) | 1962 | ||
| Colorado School of Mines | 2022 | ||
| CSU Pueblo | 2018 | ||
| Cortland | 1966 | ||
| Grand Valley State | 2021 | ||
| Cal Poly Humboldt (Humboldt State) | 1981 | ||
| Keene State | 1989 | ||
| LIU–Post (C.W. Post) | 1969 | ||
| Luther | 1965 | ||
| Missouri Southern | 2016 | ||
| Mount St. Mary's | 1987 | ||
| UNC Pembroke (Pembroke State) | 1980 | ||
| North Dakota | 1967 | ||
| Portland State | 1968 | ||
| Queens (NC) | 2010 | ||
| Shorter | 2015 | ||
| Southeast Missouri State | 1984 | ||
| Southern Indiana | 1997 | ||
| Tiffin | 2017 | ||
| Truman | 1964 |
| Rank | Runner | Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicodemus Naimadu | Abilene Christian | 4 | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 |
| 2 | Paul Whiteley | Emporia State | 2 | 1958, 1959 |
| John Mulholland | Loras | 1960, 1961 | ||
| Mike Slack | North Dakota State | 1971, 1972 | ||
| Garry Bentley | South Dakota State | 1973, 1974 | ||
| Ralph Serna | UC Irvine | 1975, 1976 | ||
| James Schankel | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 1978, 1979 | ||
| Samson Obwocha | Texas A&M–Commerce (East Texas State) | 1985, 1986 | ||
| Doug Hanson | North Dakota State | 1988, 1990 | ||
| Charles Mulinga | Lewis | 1994, 1995 | ||
| Michael Aish | Western Colorado (Western State) | 1999, 2001 | ||
| Alfred Rugema | Abilene Christian | 2000, 2002 | ||
| Tabor Stevens | Adams State | 2013, 2014 |
| NCAA | | |
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| Division I |
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| Division II |
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| Division III |
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| Single-division or National Collegiate sports and championships |
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| Litigation | ||
| Related topics | ||
Cross country running in the United States | ||
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| World events | ||
