NCAA DIII Women’s ITF Team Rankings Make 2017 Debut

NEW ORLEANS — One year can change a lot in the NCAA Division III Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings.

NCAA Division III National Team Rankings Top 5 – Women 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Washington (Mo.) UW-Eau Claire Williams MIT Ithaca 128.61 pts 128.50 pts 112.23 pts 110.84 pts 92.67 pts View Complete National Team Computer Rankings

No team remained in place from the top-25 of the final rankings of the 2016 season to the preseason rankings for 2017, which were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Scores were determined by using preseason event rankings that include the top marks of recent NCAA indoor track & field seasons by returning student-athletes and the top marks of the young 2017 campaign. Marks from the outdoor season are not included, nor are marks from incoming freshmen.

The closer an athlete is to the top of his or her event rankings, the more points he or she earns toward the team total. Points from all applicable athletes are added up to determine team scores.

The point system used in the rankings is not the same as the scoring system used for the NCAA Championships.

Defending champion Baldwin Wallace fell from No. 1 all the way to No. 83, which left room for a new top dog in the rankings. Washington (Mo.), a team that finished 3rd last year indoors, was more than willing to fill the void.

For the first time in program history, the Bears are ranked No. 1 under a roof. The previous best for Washington (Mo.) was 3rd, which it accomplished twice (2016, 2012).

According to the rankings, the Bears will go as far as Daisy Ogede and Aly Wayne carry them. Ogede is ranked 1st (200) and 2nd (60) in the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings and also has a hand in the top-ranked 4×400 relay. Wayne enters the season ranked 3rd when it comes to the 5000.

UW-Eau Claire is a close runner-up to Washington (Mo.) this week and it’s only by a hair (0.11 points, to be exact). The Blugolds jumped seven spots from the end of last year and will be led by top-ranked Sarah Glidden in the pentathlon. When broken down further, Glidden is also ranked 2nd (high jump) and 6th (60 hurdles) in the nation. UW-Eau Claire will also rely on Jessie Reneck in the 200 and its 4×400 relay.

Williams went from No. 28 at the end of last year to No. 3 in the preseason — its best billing since 2013 — and has a freshman to thank. Emma Egan uncorked an NCAA DIII-leading leap of 1.76m (5-9¼) in the high jump on December 3. That gives the Ephs a great 1-2 punch in that event since Helene Hall is currently ranked 4th in the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings.

MIT moved up one spot from the end of last year and will look toward Hannah Chen and Maryann Gong to lead the way. Chen is ranked No. 1 in the 400, while Gong is No. 1 in each of the three distance events (mile, 3000 and 5000).

Ithaca rounds out the top-5 and jumped seven spots from last year. The Bombers are strong in the field with top-ranked vaulter Katherine Pitman and second-ranked weight thrower Brandy Smith and will hope Taryn Cordani can build off a solid XC season with big marks in the mile, 3000 and 5000.

Two teams in the top-10 had huge jumps: No. 7 Johns Hopkins and No. 8 SUNY Oneonta. The Blue Jays surged 54 spots and took flight thanks to Felicia Koerner’s huge run in the 5000 on December 3 (moved her up to 2nd on the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings). The Red Dragons have a true double threat in the guise of Rachel Shine (No. 1 in the 800, No. 2 in the mile).

Expect the National Team Computer Rankings to change each time they’re released until the 2017 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. The meet will be held March 10-11 in Naperville, Illinois.