Hear Them Roar: Kentucky No. 1 in NCAA DI Women’s Rankings

NEW ORLEANS — One week after the National Team Computer Rankings in NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track & Field underwent a major overhaul, the computers decided to up the ante once again.

NCAA Division I National Team Rankings Top 5 – Women 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Kentucky Arkansas Oregon Texas Southern California 345.20 pts 318.98 pts 249.66 pts 242.24 pts 238.80 pts View Complete Women’s National Team Computer Rankings

Twenty-three teams shifted spots in the most recent rankings released Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), including three teams in the top-5.

We might as well start at the top, where Kentucky leapfrogged Arkansas and took over the coveted No. 1 ranking. This is the first time in program history that the Wildcats have been ranked No. 1 by the national computers.

What allowed the Wildcats to jump the Razorbacks, who fell to No. 2 this week? Try six performances that are now ranked in the top-5 nationally.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (100 hurdles) and Sha’Keela Saunders (long jump) both moved up to second in their respective events. Destiny Carter (100 meters) and Kiah Seymour (400 hurdles) are both respectively ranked third, while Kianna Gray (100 meters) and Jacklyn Howell (100 hurdles) took ownership of fourth nationally.

Arkansas didn’t let up this past weekend either, as both Dominique Scott and Taylor Ellis-Watson surged up the national charts. Scott is now ranked No. 1 at 10000 meters and Ellis-Watson resides behind Texas’ Courtney Okolo at 400 meters.

Look at it from a scoring perspective and you’ll see Kentucky gained 61.17 points over the past week compared to 23.13 for Arkansas. That gives the Wildcats 345.20 points and the Razorbacks 318.98. Both are the only teams with more than 300 points, though.

Sitting in a distant third is Oregon (249.66), Texas remained in fourth (242.24) and moving up two spots from last week to round out the top-5 is Southern California (238.80). The Ducks and Longhorns were the only two teams that didn’t move up or down in the rankings.

Stanford jumped three spots from No. 11 to No. 8, giving the Cardinal its best ranking in program history. That tops the previous best of ninth, set in Week 5 of 2014.

Another familiar name from the cross country season is that of New Mexico and the Lady Lobos made some moves. New Mexico — thanks to Sophie Connor (4th, 1500), Courtney Frerichs (1st, Steeple), Calli Thackery (4th, 5000) and Alice Wright (5th, 10000) — soared from 22nd last week to 14th this week.

Also reaching new heights is that of Washington. The Huskies stepped over 18 teams on their way to being ranked No. 25 this week. This is Washington’s first time back in the top-25 since Week 4 of 2014 (21st).

This past weekend was a big one in collegiate track & field as there were four loaded meets in which teams could compete — Drake Relays, Penn Relays, LSU Invitational and the Payton Jordan Invitational.

Come June 8-11, there will only be one meet in which DI athletes can compete and that’s at the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The meet will be held once again at legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.