Reigning Champion Wartburg Women Reclaim Top Spot in Division III Outdoor T&F Rankings

NEW ORLEANS – Both defending outdoor team champions in Division III are now back atop the week three Division III National Team Computer Rankings released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The two-time defending champion Wartburg women overtook preseason favorite UW-La Crosse for the top spot, while the defending men’s champion UW-La Crosse men retained a firm handle on their top position.

Occupying the top spot is nothing new for Wartburg, which has now been No. 1 in 18 of the past 22 rankings dating back to the beginning of its national title 2012 season.

This most recent surge to the top was driven largely by Libby Schubert’s second-ranked performance (including preseason marks) at 200 meters in 24.30w (+3.3 m/s).

This is the final week that preseason marks from 2013 will be included in the rankings calculation.

Her time boosted the Knights’ team rankings score by nearly 14 points to 177.70, while UW-La Crosse suffered a nearly 21-point drop to fall to No. 2 at 146.46.

Women’s Top Five 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Wartburg 177.70 pts UW-La Crosse 146.46 pts UW-Oshkosh 140.63 pts Johns Hopkins 126.27 pts Rowan 119.45 pts View Complete Women’s Rankings

Two-time defending indoor champion No. 3 UW-Oshkosh (140.63) and two-time defending cross country champion No. 4 Johns Hopkins (126.27) remain in close pursuit, as does No. 5 Rowan (119.45).

The UW-La Crosse men (246.33) held steady at No. 1 for the sixth consecutive edition of the rankings and the eighth time in the past nine dating back to 2013.

Men’s Top Five 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) UW-La Crosse 246.33 pts UW-Eau Claire 151.10 pts UW-Oshkosh 140.99 pts UW-Whitewater 113.48 pts Mount Union 98.40 pts View Complete Men’s Rankings

After swapping spots just last week, No. 2 UW-Eau Claire (151.10) and No. 3 UW-Oshkosh (140.99) once again traded spots after squaring off at UW-Platteville this past weekend. Thurgood Dennis impressed once again with a DIII-leading 100 meters performance in 10.28, but it was fourth-ranked – including preseason marks – Matt Scott at 5000 meters who boosted the Blugolds’ score with his 14:18.63.

No. 4 UW-Whitewater (113.48) held course, while Mount Union (98.40) stepped up one spot to round out the top five.

The No. 25 Baldwin Wallace men improved 39 positions for the biggest jump of the week, while National Athlete of the Week Andrew Carey led his No. 13 Johns Hopkins men to a 21-spot increase.

No. 23 St. Lawrence was the most significant mover on the women’s side after an 18-position jump from last week.

The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national team race. Rankings points do not equate with NCAA Championships team points. A full description of the rankings can be found here.