Conference Championships Shake Up the Division II Regional Rankings

NEW ORLEANS – Five new teams have assumed the mantle of being the top ranked squad in their respective regions in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II Regional Rankings following a very eventful conference championship weekend.

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Western State (No. 2 nationally) took down defending national champion Adams State (No. 1) at the RMAC Championships and now in the South Central Region rankings to headline three new men’s teams atop their regions, while Minnesota Duluth’s women (No. 15) and Mansfield (receiving votes) took down top-10 national teams to take the top spots in their regions.

These moves will likely have a significant impact on the National Coaches Polls, which will be released Wednesday morning.

Led by National Athlete of the Week and RMAC Champion Vegard Olstad, Western State’s men took control of the  South Central Region for the first time this season. The Mountaineers accounted for seven of the top 10 finishers for a team score of 26 to Adams State’s 45. Adams State dropped to second in the region.

In the men’s Atlantic Region, Alex Monroe of Lock Haven won his third consecutive PSAC individual crown to lead the Bald Eagles (No. 12 nationally) to the team title over defending champion Edinboro (No. 9). Lock Haven moved to the top spot in the region as a result, while Edinboro fell to No. 2.

Rounding out the new top-ranked regional men’s  teams is Stonehill (receiving votes nationally) in the East Region. After falling to third last week from first in the region earlier this season, the Skyhawks won their third Northeast-10 title in a row to jump back to the top spot. Franklin Pierce (No. 19) finished runner-up to Stonehill and dropped from the No. 1 spot to  No. 2 as a result.

Minnesota Duluth’s women placed four runners in the top 10 at the NSIC Championships to earn the team title, led by Samantha Rivard and Hannah Olson in fourth and fifth, respectively. With a team score of 50, the Bulldogs were able to derail five-time defending champion Augustana (S.D.) (No. 4 nationally). The Vikings fell to No. 2 in the region as a result.

Mansfield’s women made the biggest leap of any team this week to No. 1, leaping four spots to the top of the Atlantic Region after taking down four teams ranked ahead of them in the National Coaches Poll. Led by third-place finisher Jessica Scordino and two other top-10 finishers, the Mountaineers took down Edinboro (No. 9 nationally), five-time defending champ Shippensburg (No. 13), Indiana (Pa.) (No. 18) and Seton Hill (No. 24), in that order — which also reflects the new regional ranking.

Elsewhere in the men’s rankings:

• Central Missouri (No. 15 nationally) moved to No. 2 in the Central Region after taking down Missouri Southern (No. 10) at the MIAA Championships.
• GRU Augusta moved two spots to No. 2 in the Southeast Region following a Beach Belt championship, displacing Columbus State from second to fourth in the region.
• Western Washington (No. 22 nationally) came just four points from upsetting Alaska Anchorage (No. 8), 32-35 at the GNAC Championships, and move just behind the Seawolves to third in the region.

More noteworthy moves in the women’s rankings:

• In the latest in a back-and-forth rivalry, Chico State (No. 7 nationally) moved from third to second in the West Region following a CCAA title, trading spots with Simon Fraser (No. 6). SFU finished runner-up to Alaska Anchorage at the GNAC Championships.
• Flagler claimed the Peach Belt title to move three spots to second in the Southeast Region. King moved up one spot to third following a Conference Carolinas title and Queens (N.C.) was up three to fourth after a SAC title.
• Saginaw Valley State jumped three spots to third in the Midwest Region after finishing runner-up to defending national champion Grand Valley State (No. 1 nationally) at the GLIAC Championships. The Cardinals finished ahead of Malone (No. 12), Hillsdale (No. 14) and Northern Michigan (No. 20).

NCAA Division II Regional Championships will be held November 9 & 10, and more information about host sites and dates for specific meets can be found at Regional Championships Central.