Arkansas Men Closing in on Top Spot in DI Rankings; Kansas Women Extend Lead

NEW ORLEANS – While the Texas A&M men’s hold on the No. 1 spot in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I National Team Computer Rankings loosened, the Kansas women were able to cushion their position atop the first regular-season rankings released Tuesday.

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Texas A&M, with a team score of 328.17, can hear the footsteps of indoor champ Arkansas growing louder, as the Razorbacks are just 13 points back at 315.84. Meanwhile, the Kansas women opened up a gap between themselves and four-time-defending indoor champ Oregon, 329.93 to 290.98.

Preseason national team rankings are calculated using data from previous seasons as a base of evaluation. Marks gained in the early part of this season will supersede previous-year marks if they are superior. Read more about the process here. The "event rankings" referenced in this article include this season’s marks in addition to returners’ marks from 2012.

Arkansas gains on No. 1 Aggies

The Aggie men held steady at 328.17 points, while indoor champ Arkansas moved up to just 13 team points behind at 315.84. Defending outdoor champ Florida and Oregon also both made advances toward the top of the rankings with big weekends. With times and marks from 2012 outdoor still in the rankings formula, Texas A&M student-athletes recorded few marks that were able to supplant their existing marks from a year ago.

Arkansas got a boost from a pair of distance runners at Stanford to boost themselves into a position to potentially dethrone Texas A&M from the top spot. Kemoy Campbell won the 5000 in Palo Alto in 13:32.82 – the fastest time of the 2013 outdoor season and No. 4 in the event rankings when 2012 returning times are included – while Solomon Haile ran a 28:56.92 10,000, good for 11th in the event rankings.

With the top outdoor long jump of the season and the No. 3 mark in the event rankings, indoor champ Marquis Dendy provided a big boost for the Florida Gators at the No. 3 spot, jumping 23.07 net points to a team total of 243.52.

Distance runner Parker Stinson and thrower Greg Skipper were the driving forces behind Oregon climbing two spots and 22.54 net points to No. 4 with 220.54 team points. Stinson recorded the fastest 10,000m time of the year in winning the Stanford Invitational race in 28:34.71, good for No. 3 in the event rankings; while Skipper improved to No. 5 in the hammer throw this season with a mark of 216-5 (65.96m), which is No. 9 in the event rankings.

Displaced by Oregon, Texas dropped one spot to No. 5 with 216.89 team points.

No. 1 Kansas extends lead atop women’s rankings

A pair of pole vaulters was the impetus behind the Jayhawk women (329.93 team points) extending their lead atop the national rankings by 22.64 net points, as junior Natalia Bartnovskaya and senior Christen Guenther both recorded clearances of 14-1¾ (4.31m) at the Texas Relays en route to a tie at the No. 6 spot in the event rankings.

Oregon remains at No. 2 with 290.98 team points after a net drop of 4.06 points. Senior Jordan Hasay made her anticipated debut at 10,000 meters at Stanford, finishing third behind a pair of Olympians in 32:46.68, good for the 2013 collegiate lead and the No. 4 spot in the event rankings including returners’ times from 2012.

No. 3 Texas A&M was the big mover on the women’s side, moving up three spots on a 67.66 net point gain to a team total of 280.45. The Aggies were boosted by a number of strong performances at the Texas Relays, including freshman triple jumper LaQue Moen-Davis’ runner-up showing (44-2¾w/13.48m) and three top-five finishers at 100 meters in Ashley Collier (2nd, 11.15w), Ashton Purvis (3rd, 11.20w) and Jennifer Madu (5th, 11.26w) – who combined for the fastest 4×100 team in the nation this season at 42.56. Sophomore heptathletes Jena Hemann and Annie Kunz also added valuable points in the rankings.

Florida also moved up three spots to No. 4, adding 40.26 net points for a team total of 249.51. The Gators gained significant ground behind a pair of javelin throwers in freshman Marija Vucenovic (172-1/52.47m), who is No. 2 in 2013 and No. 4 in the event rankings, and junior Fawn Miller (169-9/51.74m), who is  No. 5 in 2013 and No. 8 in the event rankings. The 4×400 relay team also made big gains with a nation-leading 3:27.61.

Displaced by both Texas A&M and Florida, Arizona slid two spots to No. 5 with 240.57 team points after a 21.65 net point loss.

Biggest Jump (Men): 5 – Baylor
Biggest Jump (Women): 10 – Oklahoma