For the first time in its 29-year history, Azusa Pacific women's cross country is the NAIA's top-ranked team.

The Cougars catapulted past previously No. 1-ranked Cedarville (Ohio) University in this week's NAIA Coaches Poll released Tuesday, tallying 585 points on the strength of 14 first-place votes.  Cedarville is a very close second with 578 points with 7 first-place votes. 

Led by the NAIA's top 2 runners -- defending national champion Jaime Canterbury and runner-up Jacky Kipwambok -- the Cougars are fashioning their finest season in program history.  They opened the campaign with the program's first-ever victory of the Aztec Invitational hosted by San Diego State and followed that 2 weeks later by a third-place showing at the prestigious Stanford Invitational.

This past weekend Azusa Pacific a convincing victory at the Vanguard Invitational in Costa Mesa, running away from No. 3-ranked Cal State San Marcos and No. 5 Concordia and No. 6 Biola.

Azusa Pacific has been a consistent Top 10-ranked team for the past decade but never before had the Cougars occupied the top spot in the nation.  In a rather unique opportunity in NAIA cross country, the No. 1- and 2-ranked teams will go head-to-head during the regular season when Azusa Pacific and Cedarville meet each other in the Aquinas Invitational in Grand Rapids, Mich., Oct. 25.

The Cougar men's cross country team is ranked No. 2 in the NAIA to match its highest ranking ever in program history.