Ashland Men Move to No. 1 in NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field

NEW ORLEANS – It took a couple weeks longer than their female teammates, but the Ashland men have joined the AU women atop the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings, which were announced Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Ashland took over the top spot in the men’s top 25 from GLIAC rival Grand Valley State, which dropped from the top spot to No. 3 behind another GLIAC opponent in No. 2 Findlay. This is the fourth week in a row a new men’s team has taken over the top spot.

The three, along with No. 9 Tiffin, will square off Saturday and Sunday at GVSU for the GLIAC Championship.

Rounding out the static top five were 2014 runner-up No. 4 Adams State and No. 5 Minnesota State. Two-time defending national champion Saint Augustine’s checked it at No. 6, two spots better than a week ago.

Each of the top six women’s teams remained constant from last week. Ashland remained No. 1, followed by No. 2 Central Missouri, No. 3 Grand Valley State, No. 4 New Mexico Highlands, No. 5 Hillsdale and No. 6 Simon Fraser.

Defending women’s national champion Adams State fell one spot to No. 13, while Academy of Art, which won the national title two seasons ago, climbed up five spots to No. 19. Defending outdoor national champion Lincoln (Mo.) also fell one spot to No. 8.

As exceptional marks from around the country continue to flow in as athletes hit their peaks, each of the top five teams in the men’s rankings saw their team rankings scores decline from the week before. GVSU was hit hardest, allowing Ashland and Findlay to slide past them at the top – though all three remain exceptionally close.

NCAA Division II National Coaches’ Poll Top 5 – Men 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Ashland Findlay Grand Valley St. Adams St. Minnesota St. View Complete Men’s National Coaches’ Poll   NCAA Division II National Coaches’ Poll Top 5 – Women 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Central Missouri Ashland Grand Valley St. N.M. Highlands. Hillsdale View Complete Women’s National Coaches’ Poll

Where’d most of those points go? To twp-time defending national champ Saint Augustine’s, which won the CIAA league title early last week after the publication of the rankings. The Falcons scored four top-10 marks at the meet, including a No. 3 rank at 200 meters for Daniel Jameison.

Making the biggest move of the week were the women of No. 14 Augustana (S.D.), who improved 24 spots from last time. Also making significant jumps in the women’s rankings were No. 22 Bellarmine up 18 spots and No. 25 Winston-Salem State up 17.

The biggest top-25 gainer for the men was No. 24 Azusa Pacific with a much more modest four-position improvement.

At the regional level, a slew of new women’s teams took over at No. 1. Lincoln (Mo.) in the Central Region. Adams State in the South Central, Wingate in the Southeast and Seattle Pacific in the West all ascended to the top of their respective regions – a feat matched among men’s teams by only Alaska Anchorage in the West.