The Northwest Missouri State University men's cross-country team is ranked No. 9 in the nation in the USTFCCCA national coaches' poll ahead of the 2025 NCAA National Championships.
 
The Bearcats secured No. 1 in the final USTFCCCA Central Region Rankings after securing first at the NCAA Central Region Championships.
 
The Bearcats have had a successful season after securing back-to-back MIAA championships, and most recently earned the regional crown. Senior Aziz Mohammed led the way with a personal-best time of 29:53.48, finishing first overall, and earned the second-fastest 10K in program history. Senior Drew Atkins also set a new personal best at 30:04.49, finishing second for the Bearcats. Atkins's time is the fourth-best in school history. 
 
Rounding out the top five for the 'Cats were Maxime Touron (31:20.62), Grayson Tapp (31:22.31), and Barnabe Gabillet (31:35.53), finishing 19th, 20th, and 29th. Touron, Tapp, and Gabillet all set new-personal bests.
 
With the Bearcat men's first place finish at the NCAA Central Region Championship, the team earned one of three automatic team berths for the 2025 NCAA Div. II Cross Country Championships. Along with the men will be sophomore Olivia Bakker who earned an at-large bid to compete as an individual in the women's race. The 2025 NCAA Div. II Cross Country Championships is set for Nov. 22 in Kenosha, Wis.
 
USTFCCCA Men's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll (Nov. 12)
1. Wingate
2. Adams State
3. Colorado School of Mines
4. Grand Valley State
5. Lee (Tenn.)
6. Western Colorado
7. Saginaw Valley State
8. Colorado Christian
9. Northwest Missouri State
10. West Texas A&M
11. Chico State
12. Western Washington
13. Washburn
14. UC-Colorado Springs
15. Cal Poly Pomona
16. Florida Southern
17. East Central (Okla.)
18. Lewis
19. Pittsburg State
20. Alaska Anchorage
21. Anderson (S.C.)
22. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
23. Northwest Nazarene
24. MSU Denver
25. Alabama-Huntsville
26. Tiffin
27. Shippensburg
27. Augustana (S.D.)
29. Charleston (W.Va.)
30. Fort Lewis
 
USTFCCCA Men's Cross Country Final Central Region Rankings (Nov. 8)
1. Northwest Missouri State
2. Washburn  
3. East Central (Okla.)  
4. Pittsburg State  
5. Augustana (S.D.)  
6. Nebraska-Kearney  
7. Oklahoma Baptist  
8. Missouri Southern  
9. Harding  
10. Fort Hays State  
11. Rogers State  
12. MSU Moorhead  
13. Central Missouri  
14. Missouri Western  
15. Minnesota State  
16. Ouachita Baptist  
17. Winona State  
18. Minnesota Crookston  
19. U-Mary  
20. Sioux Falls  
21. Northwestern Oklahoma State  
22. Concordia-St. Paul  
23. Emporia State  
24. Newman  
25. Minnesota Duluth  
26. Wayne State (Neb.)  
27. Southern Arkansas  
28. Northern State  
29. Arkansas-Fort Smith  
30. Minot State