2017 NCAA DIII Men’s Outdoor Team Rankings – Week 1

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

NEW ORLEANS – For the second time this season and the 29th time in program history, UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings.

The most recent rankings were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) and the Eagles were one of four teams in the top-5 during the preseason that returned to the same spot in Week 1.

UW-La Crosse dropped 12.63 points from the preseason but still holds a healthy lead over North Central (Ill.), a team that moved up to No. 2 after being No. 3 in the preseason. The Eagles totaled 157.36 points to the Cardinals’ 123.77. UW-La Crosse and North Central (Ill.) shared the indoor team title, which kept the Cardinals’ hopes for a Triple Crown alive and well.

The story of the rankings this week is the rise of Aurora.

The 4th-ranked Spartans vaulted 15 spots between the preseason and Week 1, settling in right behind 3rd-ranked Rowan. Aurora surged 45.82 points during that span, large in part due to the efforts of junior thrower Ryan Njegovan. He unleashed several big throws this past weekend, including the top mark in NCAA DIII in the discus throw (57.63m/189-1) and the 5th best mark in the shot put (17.10m/56-1¼) according to the USTFCCCA Event Rankings.

It should be mentioned that the USTFCCCA National Team Computer Rankings are compiled by a mathematical formula based on the NCAA Division III Descending Order Lists and early in the season, marks from previous seasons are used which make up the USTFCCCA Event Rankings.

Another mover in this week’s rankings was Augustana (Ill.). The Vikings went from No. 16 to No. 13 and can thank Marckus Simmons for that. Simmons posted an NCAA DIII-leading mark of 60.98m (200-0) in the hammer throw.

Two other programs jumped multiple spots: Mount Union is now 18th after starting the outdoor season ranked 20th and Johns Hopkins is back in the top-25 after climbing three spots from No. 28 to No. 25.

Overall it was a pretty slow week in the NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings but business is about to pick up as the weather gets warmer. It will all culminate at the 2017 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships from May 25-27 in Geneva, Ohio.