CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The NC State women and Wake Forest men have been selected as the 2025 Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country preseason favorites, following a vote of the league’s 18 head coaches.
NC State claimed the top spot in the ACC women’s cross country preseason poll, totaling 308 points with 12 first-place votes. The Wolfpack finished seven points ahead of 2024 ACC cross country champion Notre Dame, who earned 301 points and the remaining six first-place votes. Stanford rounded out the top three of the preseason poll, earning 289 points.
North Carolina was picked fourth in the preseason poll after totaling 267 points, just ahead of fifth-place Virginia, who logged 254 points. Boston College earned sixth place in the projections with 212 points, while Florida State totaled 207 points for a seventh-place prediction. Wake Forest was picked eighth with 192 total points, while Clemson and Syracuse rounded out the top 10, with 176 and 174 points, respectively.
Louisville was slotted in 11th place for the preseason poll, earning 152 total points. Duke was picked 12th, totaling 122 points, while Virginia Tech earned 108 points, finishing 13th in the poll. Georgia Tech was picked 14th, while SMU was ranked 15th, garnering 99 and 85 points, respectively. California earned the 16
th-place finish in the poll with 61 points, while Pitt finished 17th with 44 points, and Miami closed the poll at 18th, logging 26 points.
Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
1 - NC State (12), 308
2 - Notre Dame (6), 301
3 - Stanford, 289
4 - North Carolina, 267
5 - Virginia, 254
6 - Boston College, 212
7 - Florida State, 207
8 - Wake Forest, 192
9 - Clemson, 176
10 - Syracuse, 174
11 - Louisville, 152
12 - Duke, 122
13 - Virginia Tech, 108
14 - Georgia Tech, 99
15 - SMU, 85
16 - California, 61
17 - Pitt, 44
18 - Miami, 26
Reigning ACC men’s cross country champion Wake Forest earned 15 of the 17 possible first-place votes and the top spot in the ACC preseason coaches’ poll. Virginia narrowly edged past Stanford for the second spot in the poll, totaling 258 points and one first-place vote. The Cardinal finished two points behind the Cavaliers, totaling 256.
North Carolina and Notre Dame tied for fourth place in the preseason poll, each gathering 226 points. The Fighting Irish also garnered one first-place vote. Syracuse finished in sixth place with 211 points, while Virginia Tech earned 176 points and a seventh-place projection. NC State finished with 161 points, ahead of Florida State and Duke, who tied for ninth place with 131 points each.
California finished 11th in the poll with 126 points, while Louisville’s 100 points were good for 12th. Georgia Tech followed Louisville with 94 points, while Boston College and Pitt tied for 14th-place with 74 points. Clemson finished 16th with 45 points, while Miami rounded out the preseason poll, earning 22 points.
Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
1 - Wake Forest (15), 285
2 – Virginia (1), 258
3 - Stanford, 256
T-4 - North Carolina, 226
T-4 - Notre Dame (1), 226
6 - Syracuse, 211
7 - Virginia Tech, 176
8 - NC State, 161
T-9 - Florida State, 131
T-9 - Duke, 131
11 - California, 126
12 - Louisville, 100
13- Georgia Tech, 94
T-14 - Boston College, 74
T-14 - Pitt, 74
16 - Clemson, 45
17 - Miami, 22