2017 NAIA Outdoor Team Rankings – Week 4

NOTE: Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for rankings. Please check your membership status HERE.

NEW ORLEANS – Take one look at the calendar and you’ll notice we’re exactly one month from being entrenched right in the middle of the 2017 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which are set to be held May 25-27 in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

With the season entering the homestretch, it’s time to check out the most recent installment of the National Team Computer Rankings that were released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

QUICK LINKS: Men’s Rankings | Women’s Rankings

Indiana Tech’s men and Wayland Baptist (Texas)’s women still headline the rankings as they enter Week 4. The Warriors increased their point total by 44.34 points to 421.26, while the Pioneers added 19.91 to their total to give them a ranking-high 502.54.

There are three new additions to the respective top-5s with two belonging to Wiley (Texas). The Wildcats jumped back into the rankings at No. 2 on the men’s side and No. 4 on the women’s side.

For the Wiley (Texas) men, they have 13 performances ranked in the top-10 nationally with 6 leading the nation. The Wildcats are tops in the 100 (Oraine Palmer), 400 (Kimorie Shearman), 800 (Marbeq Edgar), 4×100 relay, 4×400 relay and the 4×800 relay.

On the women’s side, Wiley (Texas) owns an NAIA-leading mark in the 4×400 relay and a few top-5 marks elsewhere. The Wildcats are actually more than 3 seconds clear of the closest competitor in the 4×400.

Let’s jump back to the men’s rankings where Wayland Baptist (Texas) moved up one spot to No. 3, right behind Wiley (Texas). And because of Wiley (Texas)’s rise, British Columbia tumbled two spots to No. 4 and Doane (Neb.) remained in 5th.

The biggest movers in the men’s rankings were William Penn (Iowa), St. Ambrose (Iowa) and William Carey (Miss.), who all jumped eight or more spots from Week 3 to Week 4.

In the women’s rankings, Doane (Neb.) vaulted from No. 7 to No. 5 after a big weekend. The Tigers now call nine top-10 marks their own, which include four in the top-3 and one NAIA-leading mark in the guise of Kate Grint in the discus throw.

Elsewhere in the women’s rankings, Friends (Kan.) moved from No. 11 to No. 9 and St. Ambrose (Iowa) joined the top-15 at No. 15. The only other large jump belonged to Aquinas (Mich.), a team that went from No. 40 to No. 23 in Week 4.

Be sure to check back throughout the remainder of the regular season to see how the NAIA National Team Computer Rankings take shape before the national championships.

#REF!