Conference Championships Shake Up NCAA DIII Men’s ITF Rankings

NOTE: Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for rankings. Please check your membership status HERE.

NEW ORLEANS — The usual suspects in NCAA Division III Men’s Indoor Track & Field are out to play with a little more than two weeks left until the 2017 NCAA DIII Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 10-11.

By “usual suspects,” we mean North Central (Ill.) and the fraternity of Wisconsin-based programs.

Once again the Cardinals are the top-ranked team most recent National Team Computer Rankings, which released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) and actually improved their standing. North Central (Ill.) pushed its point total up 6.35 points to 120.83 from Week 4 to 5.

Behind the Cardinals is former No. 1 UW-La Crosse. The Eagles, who fell to No. 4 after losing their footing atop the rankings, are one of 5 Wisconsin-based programs in the top-10. UW-La Crosse is joined by No. 5 UW-Whitewater, No. 6 UW-Stevens Point, No. 7 UW-Platteville and No. 8 UW-Oshkosh.

Let’s get back to the Eagles, however, as they jumped three spots and gained 28.33 points. UW-La Crosse received tremendous efforts from Ross Denman and Nathan Berg this past weekend. Denman moved up to No. 2 in the nation when it comes to the 200 and Berg is now No. 6 in the weight throw.

UW-Platteville vaulted five spots from No. 12 to No. 7 thanks to — what else? — one of its pole vaulters. Matthew Dwyer is ranked 5th in the nation in the pole vault at 5.00m (16-4¾) and is one of two top-5 athletes for the Pioneers. It shouldn’t take long to figure out the other, as Ian LaMere is No. 1 at both 3000 and 5000.

Elsewhere, St. Olaf continued its rise as it comes in at No. 18 this week. The Oles were 42nd last week but were helped by milers Sean Bjork and Jacob Eggers. Bjork is now ranked 4th in the nation, while Eggers is 11th. St. Olaf already had the top-ranked miler in the nation in Joe Coffey (4:08.02).

RPI jumped 32 spots from No. 56 to No. 24 from Week 4 to Week 5. The Engineers can thank a pair of distance runners for getting it done in the 3000 and moving up the NCAA DIII Descending Order List in that event (Benjamin Fazio – 3rd, Grant O’Connor, 9th).

Rounding out the top-25 is Bethel (Minn.). Its 4×400 relay team got the baton around in 3:18.21 and is ranked 3rd in the nation and propelled the leap.

With NCAA Division III’s final qualifying date set for March 4, a lot can happen between now and then so keep it locked on USTFCCCA.org to see what changes in the rankings.