2017 NCAA DIII Men’s Outdoor Team Rankings – Week 6

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

NEW ORLEANS – For the 5th time this season and the first time since Week 3, UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings.

The Eagles took over the top spot from Rowan in the most recent rankings that were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

This is the first time this season that the top-5 has looked like this: UW-La Crosse is No. 1 followed by the Profs, UW-Whitewater, SUNY Cortland and North Central (Ill.).

The Eagles jumped Rowan thanks to the efforts of Luke Rohloff and Ian Ewers this past weekend at the WIAC Outdoor Championships. Rohloff recorded the 4th fastest mark in NCAA DIII this season in the 110 hurdles (14.26), while Ewers notched a time of 9:09.82 in the 3000 steeplechase, which currently stands as the 6th fastest in NCAA DIII this season.

Not to be outdone, the Profs continue to put pressure on the Eagles – as is evident by their narrow deficit (1.78 points) – after Harrison Escoffery and Jeffrey Jon Tucker starred at the NJAC Outdoor Championships. Escoffery and Tucker both cleared 2.10m (6-10¾) in the high jump and sit in a tie for 3rd on the NCAA DIII Descending Order List.

SUNY Cortland crept deeper inside the top-5 after a strong performance at the SUNYAC Outdoor Championships. Storm Malone clocked a windy 14.24 (3.8w) in the 110 hurdles and is now 3rd on the NCAA DIII Descending Order List, joining teammates Jack Flood (1st, decathlon) and Connor Christopherson (3rd, decathlon) in that regard.

Benedictine (Ill.) sits 6th and notched its best outdoor ranking in program history. It was Matt Fleming who propelled the Eagles after he recorded the 2nd fastest 200 during the NCAA DIII season so far (21.26).

Another program hitting a high-water mark this week is Tufts. The Jumbos come in ranked at No. 7, topping their previous best of 10th set which they reached twice – once in 2010 and once again this season in Week 4. Tufts already had Luke O’Connor ranked No. 1 in the steeplechase but it was Stefan Duvivier who moved up to 2nd in the high jump (2.11m/6-11).

That program history train keeps rolling for George Fox as it comes in ranked at No. 14 this week. The Bruins hit a previous high of 17th earlier this season but destroyed that this week after Jacoby Wolfe is now ranked in a tie for 3rd in the high jump (2.10m/6-10¾).

Two huge movers outside of the top-25 this week were Hamline and Stevenson. The former went from No. 55 to No. 26 and just missed the top-25, while the latter went from No. 85 to No. 27 after Devonte Williams recorded the 2nd best mark over 100 meters this season (10.43w).

Many of these athletes and teams will take part in the 2017 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships set to be held from May 25-27 in Geneva, Ohio. Be sure to check back next week as we bring you the penultimate rankings of the 2017 outdoor season.