Adams State’s Men, Western State’s Women Picked No. 1 to Begin DII Cross Country Season

Adams State’s Men, Western State’s Women Picked No. 1 to Begin DII Cross Country Season

NEW ORLEANS – On Wednesday, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its national team preseason rankings for the 2011 NCAA Division II cross country season. The men’s team of Adams State College was picked as the season’s first No. 1 team as the Grizzlies will be defending a three-peat of NCAA crowns. Western State was picked as the top-ranked team to begin the DII cross country season on the women’s side while defending champ Grand Valley State was chosen at No. 2.

PDF: National Rankings Summary

Cross Country Rankings Central | Preseason Regional Rankings
2010 NCAA Championships (final results): MEN | WOMEN

Adams State has won the past three NCAA cross country titles and took last year’s event, 57-102, over nearest challenger current-No. 2 Western State. At last year’s snowy championships, Adams State placed five of their runners in the race’s top 25. Of that group, Craig Hugger and Keegan Calmes are expected to return along with Edwin Cruz and Nathaniel Sellers who were ASU’s six and seven, placing in the race’s top 35.

The preseason top six in the men’s rankings follow the exact order of finish from the 2010 NCAA Cross Country Championships as Grand Valley State stands at No. 3, followed by No.4 Colorado Mines, No. 5 Chico State, and No. 6 Augustana (S.D.).

The RMAC placed six men’s teams in the national top 25 to lead all conferences. Along with having three of the nation’s top four ranked teams, the RMAC has No. 17 Metro State, No. 21 New Mexico Highlands, and No. 23 Neb.-Kearney ranked in the preseason. The GLVC, GNAC, and PSAC follow with three teams in the top 25 apiece.

On the women’s side, Western State will begin the season as No. 1 following their runner-up team showing a year ago. The Mountaineers were second to current-No. 2 Grand Valley State at last year’s national championships, but return third-place finisher Lauren Kleppin and top-15 finisher Sara Lyle.

GVSU won their first NCAA cross country crown last season, stopping a seven-year win streak by Adams State. The Lakers graduated two top-ten national finishers, but return four that finished in the national top 35 a year ago. Chico State is ranked No. 3 while Adams State is at No. 4 and Alaska Anchorage takes the No. 5 post.

The PSAC with four women’s teams ranked, including No. 8 Shippensburg, No. 14 Edinboro, No. 19 Millersville, and No. 22 East Stroudsburg, leads all leagues in the category. The NSIC and GLIAC follow with three.

The NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, November 19, in Spokane, Wash. NCAA Regional Championships will be held two weeks prior on the weekend of November 5.

 

USTFCCCA NCAA Division II

Men’s Cross Country National Team Rankings

2011 Preseason, August 24

next ranking: September 21
Rank Institution Region Conference Location
2010 FINAL
1 Adams State Central RMAC Alamosa, Colo.
1
2 Western State Central RMAC Gunnison, Colo.
2
3 Grand Valley State Midwest GLIAC Allendale, Mich.
3
4 Colorado Mines Central RMAC Golden, Colo.
4
5 Chico State West CCAA Chico, Calif.
5
6 Augustana (S.D.) Central NSIC Sioux Falls, S.D.
6
7 Southern Indiana Midwest GLVC Evansville, Ind.
10
8 Lock Haven Atlantic PSAC Lock Haven, Pa.
11
9 Edinboro Atlantic PSAC Edinboro, Pa.
DNQ
10 Shippensburg Atlantic PSAC Shippensburg, Pa.
7
11 UMass Lowell East Northeast-10 Lowell, Mass.
13
12 Alaska Anchorage West GNAC Anchorage, Alaska
8
13 Queens (N.C.) Southeast Conf. Carolinas Charlotte, N.C.
12
14 Central Missouri South Central MIAA Warrensburg, Mo.
16
15 Metro State Central RMAC Denver, Colo.
17
16 Bellarmine Midwest GLVC Louisville, Ky.
22
17 East Central (Okla.) South Central Great American Ada, Okla.
DNQ
18 Ashland Midwest GLIAC Ashland, Ohio
DNQ
19 Western Washington West GNAC Bellingham, Wash.
9
20 Stonehill East Northeast-10 Easton, Mass.
21
21 New Mexico Highlands Central RMAC Las Vegas, N.M.
DNQ
22 Western Oregon West GNAC Monmouth, Ore.
20
23 Neb.-Kearney Central RMAC Kearney, Neb.
DNQ
24 Cal Poly Pomona West CCAA Pomona, Calif.
DNQ
25 UW Parkside Midwest GLVC Kenosha, Wis.
DNQ
teams ranked by T.J. Garlatz, Alaska Anchorage

 

USTFCCCA NCAA Division II

Women’s Cross Country National Team Rankings

2011 Preseason, August 24

next ranking: September 21
Rank Institution Region Conference Location
2010 FINAL
1 Western State Central RMAC Gunnison, Colo.
2
2 Grand Valley State Midwest GLIAC Allendale, Mich.
1
3 Chico State West CCAA Chico, Calif.
5
4 Adams State Central RMAC Alamosa, Colo.
3
5 Alaska Anchorage West GNAC Anchorage, Alaska
6
6 Augustana (S.D.) Central NSIC Sioux Falls, S.D.
7
7 Ferris State Midwest GLIAC Big Rapids, Mich.
8
8 Shippensburg Atlantic PSAC Shippensburg, Pa.
4
9 Queens (N.C.) Southeast Conf. Carolinas Charlotte, N.C.
9
10 Minnesota Duluth Central NSIC Duluth, Minn.
DNQ
11 U-Mary Central NSIC Bismarck, N.D.
11
12 Midwestern State South Central Lone Star Wichita Falls, Texas
17
13 Tampa South Sunshine Tampa, Florida
15
14 Edinboro Atlantic PSAC Edinboro, Pa.
DNQ
15 Hillsdale Midwest GLIAC Hillsdale, Mich.
14
16 Stonehill East Northeast-10 Easton, Mass.
18
17 Missouri Southern South Central MIAA Joplin, Mo.
16
18 Truman State South Central MIAA Kirksville, Mo.
DNQ
19 Millersville Atlantic PSAC Millersville, Pa.
DNQ
20 Harding South Central Great American Searcy, Ark.
DNQ
21 Bellarmine Midwest GLVC Louisville, Ky.
DNQ
22 East Stroudsburg Atlantic PSAC East Stroudsburg, Pa.
DNQ
23 Western Washington West GNAC Bellingham, Wash.
10
24 Cal Poly Pomona West CCAA Pomona, Calif.
19
25 Nova Southeastern South Sunshine Davie, Fla.
DNQ
teams ranked by Ray Hoffman, Kutztown

Athletic.net
Presenting sponsor of USTFCCCA Polls and Rankings

USTFCCCA NCAA Division I
's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll

Preseason - October 30th

RANK TEAM & INFOPTS-1
FINAL


Week-by-Week Ranking

TeamPreseasonWeek #1Week #2Week #3Week #4
Iowa State11111
Oklahoma State33222
New Mexico22333
Virginia66444
Colorado1313555
Syracuse121211116
Northern Arizona141414137
BYU44668
Alabama1111888
Oregon910121410
Washington State2218232111
Wake Forest109101012
Michigan State3027171613
Butler1515131214
Wisconsin557715
Notre Dame889916
California Baptist1516151517
Tulane2523181718
Princeton1920222019
GeorgiaRVRV20
Harvard2425292821
MissouriRV201922
Air Force2324252323
North Carolina181916RV23
MichiganRVRVRVRV25
Ole Miss2725272426
Stanford67211827
Virginia TechRVRV27
Oklahoma29RVRVRV29
Georgetown2830282430
Tulsa26293027RV
Loyola-Chicago30RV
GonzagaRVRVRV
TexasRV
Texas A&MRV
Arkansas20211922
Eastern Kentucky17172626
Boise StateRVRVRV29
VillanovaRVRVRVRV
WyomingRVRVRV
LouisvilleRV
Middle TennesseeRV
Utah StateRV
MinnesotaRV
Washington212224
Furman3028RV
LipscombRV
PortlandRVRV
TennesseeRVRV
IonaRV
Weber StateRV
CharlotteRV

USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Cross Country

2011 Rankings & Polls Calendar
Weeks Regional RankingsNational Coaches' Poll KEY DATES
PreseasonMon 8/29
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 8/30
MEN | WOMEN
Week 1Mon 9/12
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 9/13
MEN | WOMEN
Week 2Mon 9/19
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 9/20
MEN | WOMEN
Week 3Mon 9/26
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 9/27
MEN | WOMEN
Week 4Mon 10/3
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 10/4
MEN | WOMEN
Week 5Mon 10/10
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 10/11
MEN | WOMEN
Week 6Tue 10/18
MEN | WOMEN
Wed 10/19
MEN | WOMEN
Week 7Mon 10/24
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 10/25
MEN | WOMEN
Week 8Mon 10/31
MEN | WOMEN
Tue 11/1
MEN | WOMEN
Week 9Mon 11/7
WOMEN
Tue 11/8
MEN | WOMEN
Week 10Tue 11/15
MEN | WOMEN
FINAL Results
(official final ranking)
Sat 11/12
MEN | WOMEN
Mon 11/21
MEN | WOMEN