NCAA DIII Rankings Still Shifting As Postseason Approaches

NEW ORLEANS — The tremors of last week’s earthquake that shook the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings to their core reverberated once again on Tuesday afternoon.

NCAA Division III National Team Rankings Top 5 – Men 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) North Central (Ill.) UW-Whitewater Occidental UW-La Crosse Monmouth (Ill.) 144.20 pts 113.47 pts 109.80 pts 96.90 pts 92.85 pts View Complete Men’s National Team Computer Rankings   NCAA Division III National Team Rankings Top 5 – Women 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Washington (Mo.) Nebraska Wesleyan Claremont-Mudd-Scripps UW-La Crosse UW-Oshkosh 168.49 pts 146.70 pts 143.26 pts 113.98 pts 105.33 pts View Complete Women’s National Team Computer Rankings

While the shockwaves didn’t turn the most recent rankings on their head like they did last week when top-ranked teams fell from their perches, movement was noticeable.

This much should be known off the bat: Out of the 10 teams that comprised the men’s and women’s top-5, eight stayed in place including the North Central (Ill.) men and Washington (Mo.) women who both took over their respective top spots last week.

The most movement in the top-5 happened in the men’s rankings, where last week’s No. 2 (UW-La Crosse) and No. 4 (UW-Whitewater) teams swapped spots. This is now the first time in the past three years that the Eagles haven’t been ranked in the top-3.

Elsewhere in the men’s rankings, UW-Platteville (No. 7 to No. 6), UW-Oshkosh (No. 12 to No. 7), UW-Eau Claire (No. 17 to No. 8) and SUNY Cortland (No. 11 to No. 9) all trended upward. That’s good news for the Blugolds as they’re looking to complete the fabled Triple Crown (cross country title, indoor title and outdoor title, all in the same academic year).

There were two double-digit jumpers in the men’s rankings: Central (Iowa) and Carleton. The former went from No. 27 to No. 12 (a 15-spot leap), while the latter came in at No. 25 — its best ranking in program history — following a stint at No. 60.

The top-6 of the women’s rankings remained the same as the Bears are followed, in order, by Nebraska Wesleyan, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh and MIT.

For the first time in program history, SUNY Oneonta made an appearance in the top-10. The Red Dragons jumped from No. 15 to No. 9 after a strong effort at the Penn Relays and Capital District Classic.

Counting SUNY Oneonta, there were seven women’s teams that shifted double-digit spots in the rankings. Those others include Stevens (No. 21 to No. 12), Ithaca (No. 19 to No. 16), Carleton (No. 26 to No. 17), Ohio Northern (No. 25 to No. 18), Whitworth (No. 24 to No. 21) and Ohio Wesleyan (No. 54 to No. 25).

Expect there to be even more changes to the rankings as the action heats up in the postseason. It all will culminate with the 2016 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships come May 26-28 in Waverly, Iowa.