British Columbia Women Lead a Pack Closing in on the Top of the NAIA National Team Rankings

NEW ORLEANS – Defending women’s national team champion Indiana Tech may have maintained its spot atop the week three edition of the NAIA National Team Computer Rankings released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), but the pack is closing in fast.

Once the favorites by more than 200 team rankings points, the Warriors are now trailed by not just one or two but three teams within approximately 135 points in No. 2 British Columbia, No. 3 Oklahoma Baptist and No. 4 Doane (Neb.).

No. 1 Concordia (Ore.) maintained a slim lead over the next three teams in line on the men’s side.

Team rankings points do not equate to NAIA Championships team points scored at the national meet, but rather the number of student-athletes a team has near the top of the descending order list in their resepctive events and how highly they are ranked.

A full explanation of the points system used in the National Team Computer Rankings can be found here.

Qualification for the NAIA Championships will not be determined in any way by these rankings, which are not officially sanctioned or endorsed by the NAIA for the 2014 season. These rankings are supported by the NAIA from the standpoint of media and entertainment purposes only.

Women’s Top Five 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Indiana Tech 554.91 pts British Columbia 465.58 pts Oklahoma Baptist 453.85 pts Doane (Neb.) 420.07 pts Wayland Baptist 303.19 pts View Complete Women’s Rankings

The Indiana Tech women checked in with a team score of 554.91, down more than 37 points from a week ago.

British Columbia (465.58) took full advantage with a nearly 60-point improvement to move ahead of two-time defending indoor national champion Oklahoma Baptist (453.85) into the second position.

OBU, which registered a 23-point improvement of its own, nevertheless slid down a spot to No. 3.

Middle distance and distance events powered BC’s move to No. 2 behind a pair of top-ten performances from Rhiannon Evans at 1500 meters (No. 4) and 800 meters (No. 8), giving the Thunderbirds four different runners in the top eight in the latter. Amelie De Fenoyl boosted BC with the nation’s second-fastest run at 5000 meters.

Though Doane (Neb.) (420.07) remained stationary at No. 4, the Tigers improved by more than 96 points compared to last week to thrust themselves into the thick of the team race. Top-ranked heptathlete Erin Devries and third-ranked Karissa Blank, along with top-ranked long jumper Lauren Baird, drove the team score surge.

Rounding out the top five was stationary Wayland Baptist (Texas) (303.19).

Men’s Top Five 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Concordia (Ore.) 469.70 pts Wayland Baptist 454.41 pts Indiana Tech 435.95 pts Oklahoma Baptist 421.34 pts Concordia (Neb.) 273.76 pts View Complete Men’s Rankings

While the team race on the women’s side is just now starting to heat up, it has been burning bright on the men’s side since week one with each of the top four teams bunched up within 40 points of one another.

Concordia (Ore.) (469.70) held its top spot, while No. 2 Wayland Baptist (Texas) (454.41) remained well within striking distance.

Defending champion Indiana Tech (435.95) held firm at No. 3, as did Oklahoma Baptist (421.34) at No. 4.

Concordia (Neb.) (273.76) rounded out the top five after moving up one spot from a week ago.

The No. 23 Morningside (Iowa) women climbed the highest this week of any NAIA top-25 team with an 88-spot leap from last time, while the biggest gainer for the men was No. 20 Northwestern (Iowa) with a 64-position improvement.

Another significant move of note was No. 8 Dickinson State (N.D.), which joined the top 10 following a 28-slot gain.