NEW ORLEANS -- A day after receiving their highest regional ranking ever, the Gonzaga women's cross country team entered the national poll for the first time in program history. The Zags were ranked No. 30 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coaches' Poll, which was released Tuesday.

It's a historic time for the GU women's cross country team. They won the West Coast Conference team title Saturday. They cracked the top five in the West Region ranking Monday. And, now are among the nation's elite in the national poll.

"Obviously this is a huge honor for us to rise to that level," GU women's Head Coach Patty Ley said. "We've put in a lot of work and hopefully we can live up to that in the next couple of weeks. It just gives a little more confidence and a little more drive. It's a great place to be right now."

Saturday, for the first time in 20 years, and only the second time in program history, the Gonzaga women won the WCC team title. The Zags' claimed the 2015 crown, led by a first place individual finish from Shelby Mills. She became only the second GU runner to ever win a WCC cross country title.

Gonzaga finished tied with BYU with 59 points, but the Bulldogs won the tiebreaker. The Cougars entered the race ranked 14th in the nation. BYU moved to No. 24 in the latest national poll. The Zags were picked fourth in the conference's preseason poll, while BYU was the favorite.

Gonzaga has a week off before the NCAA West Regionals on Nov. 13. The races return to the Jefferson Golf Course in Seattle, Wash., where the Zag women placed sixth at the Washington Invitational earlier this season.

Women's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll

2015 Week #6 -- November 3 (pre-regional)

Others Receiving Votes: Columbia 20, Wisconsin 18, Lipscomb 8, Purdue 6, West Virginia 5, Boston College 2, SMU 2