2017 NAIA Outdoor Team Rankings – Week 5

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

NEW ORLEANS – We’ve hit crunch time in the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season.

One look at the calendar shows the 2017 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are exactly 22 days away. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?

Well, it’s time to check the newest 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

There was a bit of movement in both the men’s and women’s top-10, but not at the top as the Indiana Tech men and the Wayland Baptist (Texas) women are still No. 1.

The Warriors actually strengthened their lead by 31.76 points, yet it was British Columbia making the biggest improvement to its point total from Week 4 to Week 5. The Thunderbirds added 86.54 points to it total and jumped from No. 4 to No. 2.

British Columbia used its strong mid-distance corps and race walkers to make up that ground as Rhys Kramer (800), Lukas Jarron (1500), Alger Liang (5000-meter race walk) and Colis Cheng (5000-meter race walk) are all in the top-5 of their respective events.

Elsewhere in the men’s rankings, Carroll (Mont.) jumped 21 spots from No. 31 to No. 10 after a huge weekend. The Halos saw David Barnett and Chance Hyatt reach No. 2 on the NAIA Descending Order List in the javelin throw and 1500, respectively. Chris Emter also chipped in with a top-5 mark in the shot put.

The women’s top-10 had the same top-3 teams in Wayland Baptist (Texas), Indiana Tech and Concordia (Neb.), but the No. 4 and No. 5 teams are different. Southern-New Orleans (La.) is up to No. 4 after coming in at No. 7 last week and Hastings (Neb.) moved up one spot to No. 5 after state-foe Doane (Neb.) fell out of the top-5.

The Knights added 29.97 points to their total thanks to a great effort by Shadae Hylton in the 400. Hilton moved up to No. 1 on the NAIA Descending Order List with her time of 53.50. That No. 1 rank pairs well with Kimona Smikle’s top mark in the 400 hurdles (59.35).

The biggest move in the women’s rankings based on point total was Aquinas (Mich.) adding 53.3 points to its total and moving up 7 spots from No. 23 to No. 16. Adri Sigafoose is now the 3rd ranked woman at 800 meters after her time of 2:10.34 this past weekend.

Be sure to check back on USTFCCCA.org throughout the month as we lead up to the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama, from May 25-27.