2017 NCAA DII Cross Country Regional Rankings – Week 3

NEW ORLEANS – With just a few big meets on the docket this past weekend, there were minimal changes in the third batch of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II Regional Rankings.

The Central Region did see both of its top teams fall after strong outings from the new pacesetters. But other than the men’s and women’s rankings in the Central Region, only one other region, the men’s South Region, saw movement in the top-three.  

REGIONAL RANKINGS SUMMARY PDF
REGIONAL RANKINGS – 2017 WEEK BY WEEK
REGIONAL RANKINGS – ALL-TIME WEEK BY WEEK

For those who don’t know, the USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams’ strength with current season results (if applicable) in determining predicted team finishes at the NCAA Regional Championships.

COMPLETE RANKINGS: MEN | WOMEN

Atlantic Region

Shippensburg and Edinboro remained in first and second, respectively, in both the men’s and women’s rankings in the Atlantic Region this week. Indiana (Pa.) (men) and California (Pa.) (women) also held down the No. 3 ranking on each side, as well.

The biggest shake-up in the region came on the men’s side, where Concord moved up to fourth after being unranked so far this season. It’s the program’s highest regional ranking of all-time.

Central Region

As previously mentioned, the Central Region saw a shift in power, as Augustana (S.D.) (men) and Pittsburg State (women) moved to the top of the rankings. Augustana (S.D.) won the Roy Griak Invitational behind top-10 finishes from Alec Kray, Aaron Runge, Nick Larsen and Jesus Urtusuastegui.

The Gorillas were second at the Roy Griak Invitational, allowing them to vault to first from fifth. U-Mary’s women fell to second, while Missouri Southern owns the runner-up spot on the men’s side.

East Region

Stonehill’s women won the Codfish Bowl in Franklin Park, Massachusetts this past weekend, allowing them to hold onto the top ranking in the East Region. The American International men remained in first despite being idle.

Stonehill and Adelphi rounded out the top-three on the men’s side, with Southern New Hampshire and Southern Connecticut each moving up a spot to fourth and fifth, respectively. Assumption and Roberts Wesleyan stayed put in second and third, respectively, in the women’s rankings.

Midwest Region

The top-nine men’s teams from a week ago were idle, and therefore remained in their respective spots with Grand Valley State (first), Southern Indiana (second) and Lewis (third) leading the way. Cedarville was the only team to make any kind of movement on the men’s side, coming in at 10th after Michigan Tech struggled at the Roy Griak Invitational.

The women’s portion of the Midwest Region was much like the men’s, with the top-10 remaining intact after a relatively quiet week. GVSU, Hillsdale and Southern Indiana own the top-three spots.

South Region

Lee (Tenn.) was inactive last weekend, but both the men’s and women’s teams lead the South Region once again. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (men) and Saint Leo (women) also came in at second again after both squads competed at the Mountain Dew Invitational.

Alabama-Huntsville shook things up in the men’s rankings, jumping Florida Southern for third place after coming in second at the Trevecca Nazarene DII Showcase Invite. Tampa owned the third spot in the women’s rankings for the second-consecutive week.

South Central Region

The top-three squads in the both the men’s rankings (Adams State, Colorado Mines and CSU-Pueblo) and the women’s rankings (Adams State, Western State and Dallas Baptist) of the South Central Region went unchanged, but there were minor alterations in the women’s rankings below the three aforementioned programs.

UC-Colorado Springs jumped Colorado Mines for fourth place after dominating the Trevecca Nazarene DII Showcase Invite. The Mountain Lions seven runners all finished within the top-14, while Kayla Wooten won the event with a time of 18:09.4.

Southeast Region

Two unranked teams made their way into the men’s side of the Southeast Region in Wingate (sixth) and Mars Hill (seventh). However, they couldn’t crack the top-three, as Mount Olive (first), Queens (N.C.) (second) and Augusta (third) held firmly to their rankings.

The women’s portion of the Southeast Region went completely unscathed, with Queens (N.C.), Mount Olive and Anderson (S.C.) leading the pack.

West Region

Western Oregon’s men’s team made a five-spot jump into fifth place after finishing second at the SF State Invite, but the top-three in the West Region remained unchanged. Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Baptist went 1-2-3 in the region, respectively, with Cal Baptist winning the aforementioned meet at SF State.

Simon Fraser’s women solidified their top billing with a win at the Roy Griak Invitational, while Cal Baptist and Cal State San Marcos rounded out the top-three.

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