2026 Pre-Season NCS rankings

Here is my first attempt at ranking the top cross country teams in the North Coast Section for the upcoming 2026 season. You can find where all teams will be competing at this LINK. If you have information like talented freshmen joining teams, please feel free to comment below. If I missed any teams or you feel like some teams are under-ranked, please share your thoughts as well in the comment section.

Boys Division I

1) Dougherty Valley-3rd at 2025 NCS meet
2) Berkeley-5th at 2025 NCS meet

3) California-2nd at 2025 NCS meet
4) American-7th at 2025 NCS Division II race

5) Liberty-5th at 2025 NCS meet

Girls Division I

1) Dougherty Valley-Defending NCS champions
2) California-2nd at 2025 NCS meet
3) Berkeley-3rd at 2025 NCS meet

4) Castro Valley-4th at 2025 NCS meet

5) American-9th at 2025 NCS Division II race

Boys Division II

1) Dublin-Defending NCS Div I champions

2) Granada-Defending NCS Div II champions
3) Monte Vista-5th place at 2025 NCS meet

4) De La Salle-4th place at 2025 NCS meet

5) San Ramon Valley-9th place at 2025 NCS meet

Girls Division II

1) Monte Vista-Defending NCS Div III champions
2) Granada-4th place at 2025 NCS meet
3) San Ramon Valley-3rd place at 2025 NCS meet
4) Clayton Valley-5th place at 2025 NCS meet

5) Foothill-6th place at 2025 NCS meet

Boys Division III

1) Campolindo-Defending NCS and state Div III champions

2) Maria Carrillo-4th place at 2025 NCS meet

3) Redwood-Down from Division II. 3rd place at 2025 Div II race

4) Tamalpais-3rd place at 2025 NCS meet

5) Las Lomas-8th place at 2025 NCS meet

Girls Division III

1) Northgate-Defending NCS Div III champions and 6th place at state meet

2) Campolindo-2nd place at 2025 NCS Div III meet and 7th place at state meet

3) Las Lomas-3rd place at 2025 NCS meet

4) Redwood-2nd place at 2025 NCS Div II race

5) Maria Carrillo-5th place at 2025 NCS meet

Boys Division IV

1) St. Mary's College-Defending NCS Div IV champions

2) Bishop O'Dowd-2nd place at 2025 NCS meet

3) Archie Williams-Did not compete at 2025 NCS meet

4) Acalanes-3rd place at 2025 NCS meet

5) Miramonte-4th place at 2025 NCS meet

Girls Division IV

1) Miramonte-2nd place at NCS meet and 10th place at state meet

2) Archie Williams-Defending NCS Div IV champions and 2nd place at state meet

3) Piedmont-3rd place at NCS meet

4) Bishop O'Dowd-4th place at NCS meet

5) Albany-6th place at NCS meet

Boys Division V

1) University-Defending NCS and state Div V champions

2) Convent & Stuart Hall-2nd place NCS Div V and 6th place at state meet
3) Healdsburg-3rd place at NCS meet and 11th place at state meet

4) Sonoma Academy-11th place at NCS meet

5) Branson-6th place at NCS meet

Girls Division V

1) University-Defending NCS Div V champions and 3rd place at state meet
2) Sonoma Academy-3rd place at NCS meet and 5th place at state meet

3) Branson-6th place at 2025 state meet

4) Lick-Wilmdering-2nd place at NCS meet and state meet

5) Head-Royce-7th place at NCS meet