Western State Tops Both National Rankings in DII Cross Country
NEW ORLEANS – On Wednesday, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its week six national team rankings for the 2011 NCAA Division II cross country season. Western State now holds the nation’s top spot in both men’s and women’s rankings, taking over the men’s top spot for the first time this year after defeating then-No. 1 Adams State at the RMAC Championships last week. Western State, Adams State, and Grand Valley State are in the top three of both men’s and women’s rankings.
PDF: National Rankings Summary | Week-by-Week
Conference Championships Central
Cross Country Rankings Central
2010 NCAA Championships (final results): MEN | WOMEN
AROUND THE POLLS
MEN
* Western State takes over the top spot for the first time since November 6, 2007. The Mountaineers unseated in-conference rival Adams State by besting the Grizzlies, 28-31 at the RMAC Championships in Denver this past weekend. It was the first conference title for WSC since 2004 and broke Adams State’s streak of six-straight league crowns. The Mountaineers were led by Tyler Pennel who also took the individual conference crown with a 11-second victory of 24:59 in the 8k race.
* New Mexico Highlands (No. 15) and Stonehill (No. 19) reached their highest spot this season in the rankings with this week’s release.
* The RMAC leads all leagues with five schools in the top 25, followed by the Northeast-10, PSAC, and RMAC with three each.
WOMEN
* Western State’s women remain the top team in the land after topping Adams State, 27-31, at the RMAC Championships. Individual champ Lauren Kleppin (21:12) led WSC to victory.
* Adams State moved up two spots to No. 3, a season’s high.
* No. 4 Augustana (S.D.) and No. 18 Southern Indiana have reached season highs as well. Augustana (S.D.) won the NSIC title over U-Mary while Southern Indiana captured the GLVC crown.
* New to the rankings for the first time this season are No. 21 Metro State, No. 24 UW-Parkside, and No. 25 Bentley.
* The GLVC, MIAA, PSAC, and RMAC each have three squads in the top 25 this week to lead all conferences.
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 |
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Men’s Cross Country National Team Rankings |
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2011 Week #6, October 26 |
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| next ranking: November 9 (pre-NCAA Championships) | |||||
| Rank | Institution | Region | Conference | Head Coach (Yr*) |
Last
Week |
| 1 | Western State | Central | RMAC | Jennifer Michel (5th) |
2
|
| 2 | Adams State | Central | RMAC | Damon Martin (17th) |
1
|
| 3 | Grand Valley State | Midwest | GLIAC | Jerry Baltes (13th) |
3
|
| 4 | Colorado Mines | Central | RMAC | Art Siemers (10th) |
4
|
| 5 | Chico State | West | CCAA | Gary Towne (16th) |
5
|
| 6 | Southern Indiana | Midwest | GLVC | Mike Hillyard (14th) |
6
|
| 7 | Augustana (S.D.) | Central | NSIC | Tracy Hellman (11th) |
8
|
| 8 | Edinboro | Atlantic | PSAC | Doug Watts (43rd) |
7
|
| 9 | Eastern New Mexico | South Central | Lone Star | Mike Harney (1st) |
9
|
| 10 | Central Missouri | South Central | MIAA | Kirk Pedersen (25th) |
10
|
| 11 | Alaska Anchorage | West | GNAC | Michael Friess (21st) |
11
|
| 12 | East Central (Okla.) | South Central | Great American | Steve Sawyer (3rd) |
12
|
| 13 | Queens (N.C.) | Southeast | Conf. Carolinas | Scott Simmons (4th) |
15
|
| 14 | Minnesota State | Central | NSIC | Mark Schuck (30th) |
13
|
| 15 | New Mexico Highlands | Central | RMAC | Bob DeVries (20th) |
20
|
| 16 | Metro State | Central | RMAC | John Supsic (2nd) |
14
|
| 17 | Bellarmine | Midwest | GLVC | Jim Vargo (12th) |
17
|
| 18 | Shippensburg | Atlantic | PSAC | Steve Spence (14th) |
18
|
| 19 | Stonehill | East | Northeast-10 | Karen Boen (14th) |
23
|
| 20 | Western Washington | West | GNAC | Pee Wee Halsell (25th) |
19
|
| 21 | Lock Haven | Atlantic | PSAC | Aaron Russell (14th) |
21
|
| 22 | Southern Connecticut | East | Northeast-10 | John Wallin (2nd) |
NR
|
| 23 | Western Oregon | West | GNAC | Mike Johnson (8th) |
22
|
| 24 | Ashland | Midwest | GLIAC | Trent Mack (2nd) |
24
|
| 25 | UMass Lowell | East | Northeast-10 | Gary Gardner (10th) |
16
|
| Dropped Out: No. 25 Missouri Southern | |||||
| teams ranked by T.J. Garlatz, Alaska Anchorage | |||||
| (* year as head coach of that team in men’s cross country, officially NCAA-recognized coach listed) | |||||
USTFCCCA NCAA Division II |
|||||
Women’s Cross Country National Team Rankings |
|||||
2011 Week #6, October 26 |
|||||
| next ranking: November 9 (pre-NCAA Championships) | |||||
| Rank | Institution | Region | Conference | Head Coach (Yr*) |
Last
Week |
| 1 | Western State | Central | RMAC | Jennifer Michel (5th) |
1
|
| 2 | Grand Valley State | Midwest | GLIAC | Jerry Baltes (13th) |
2
|
| 3 | Adams State | Central | RMAC | Damon Martin (24th) |
5
|
| 4 | Augustana (S.D.) | Central | NSIC | Tracy Hellman (11th) |
7
|
| 5 | Chico State | West | CCAA | Gary Towne (16th) |
4
|
| 6 | Ferris State | Midwest | GLIAC | Steve Picucci (4th) |
3
|
| 7 | Alaska Anchorage | West | GNAC | Michael Friess (21st) |
6
|
| 8 | U-Mary | Central | NSIC | Dennis Newell (6th) |
8
|
| 9 | Shippensburg | Atlantic | PSAC | Steve Spence (14th) |
9
|
| 10 | Edinboro | Atlantic | PSAC | Doug Watts (43rd) |
10
|
| 11 | Tampa | South | Sunshine | Jarrett Slaven (13th) |
11
|
| 12 | Midwestern State | South Central | Lone Star | Koby Styles (5th) |
12
|
| 13 | Harding | South Central | Great American | Steve Guymon (9th) |
13
|
| 14 | Stonehill | East | Northeast-10 | Karen Boen (14th) |
14
|
| 15 | Pittsburg State | South Central | MIAA | Russ Jewett (26th) |
15
|
| 16 | Western Washington | West | GNAC | Pee Wee Halsell (25th) |
16
|
| 17 | Queens (N.C.) | Southeast | Conf. Carolinas | Scott Simmons (4th) |
18
|
| 18 | Southern Indiana | Midwest | GLVC | Mike Hillyard (15th) |
19
|
| 19 | Missouri Southern | South Central | MIAA | Patty Vavra (16th) |
20
|
| 20 | Bellarmine | Midwest | GLVC | Kris Horton (7th) |
17
|
| 21 | Metro State | Central | RMAC | John Supsic (2nd) |
NR
|
| 22 | Lock Haven | Atlantic | PSAC | Aaron Russell (14th) |
23
|
| 23 | Truman State | South Central | MIAA | John Cochrane (32nd) |
22
|
| 24 | UW-Parkside | Midwest | GLVC | Micah VanDenend (2nd) |
NR
|
| 25 | Bentley | East | Northeast-10 | Kevin Curtin (1st) |
NR
|
| Dropped Out: No. 21 Mansfield, No. 24 East Stoudsburg, No. 25 Northwest Missouri | |||||
| teams ranked by Ray Hoffman, Kutztown | |||||
| (* year as head coach of that team in women’s cross country, officially NCAA-recognized coach listed) | |||||