Ahead of Conference Championships, NCAA DII Teams Jockey For Rankings Position

NEW ORLEANS – With numerous conference championships this upcoming weekend and the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships just over three weeks away, the 2016 DII regular season is quickly drawing to a close.

While the top teams in the men’s National Team Rankings seem to be in a holding pattern ahead of the NCAA Championships in Bradenton, Florida, on May 26-28 – each of the top six teams held steady for the second week in a row – the women’s rankings continue to evolve as the season heads down the homestretch.

Saint Augustine’s remained No. 1 for both the men and the women, but each of the next eight teams behind the Falcon women (165.64 ranking points) swapped spots from a week ago.

The women of the GLIAC made a push toward the top as Grand Valley State (137.44) and Hillsdale (136.06) moved to No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. The Lakers and Chargers will square off this weekend at the conference meet starting Wednesday, along with No. 10 Findlay (93.18).

Displaced by the GLIAC rivals were No. 4 Johnson C. Smith (135.55) and No. 5 Pittsburg State (113.50).

Defending outdoor national champion Central Missouri (108.39) checked in at No. 6, just behind their MIAA rivals from Pittsburg. Those two – along with reigning indoor national champion No. 9 Lincoln (Mo.) (93.38) – will duel at their conference meet starting Friday.

Rounding out the top-10 were No. 7 West Texas A&M (102.61) and No. 8 Texas A&M-Kingsville (99.59) – who will also square off this weekend at the Lone Star Conference Championships starting Thursday.

The SAU men expanded their lead atop the men’s rankings at 239.69 points – up 10 from last time – from their performances at the Penn Relays, while No. 2 Grand Valley slipped equally to 181.87 points.

GVSU will square off with indoor national champion No. 4 Tiffin (124.11) at the GLIAC Championships starting Wednesday, as well as with No. 10 Ashland (92.79).

Texas A&M-Kingsville (142.37) held steady at No. 3, as did No. 5 Adams State (120.72) and No. 6 Chico State (102.12).

Making the first move of the men’s top 10 was No. 7 Central Missouri (98.40), up three spots from last week. That move was matched by No. 9 Azusa Pacific (94.14) after winning the PacWest Championships this weekend.

No. 8 Shippensburg (98.24) dropped one spot, while Ashland gained one to round out the top-10.

No team of either gender moved up farther than the No. 12 Tarleton State men – up 14 positions from last time – though the No. 13 Southern Indiana men (up 13) and the No. 23 Hillsdale men (up 10) came close.

Tied for the biggest move by a women’s team were No. 19 Seattle Pacific and No. 23 Ashland, both of which jumped up four spots.

The National Team Computer Rankings are complied by a mathematical formula based on national descending order lists. 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.