Academy of Art Women, Adams State Men Enter DII Championships at No. 1

NEW ORLEANS – The Academy of Art women and the Adams State men are the favorites heading into the Division II NCAA Indoor Championships based on the final U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Team Computer Rankings released Monday – based exclusively on confirmed entries into the championship meet.

The 2013 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships will be held in Birmingham, Ala., March 7-9. This week’s edition of the rankings is the last of the 2013 indoor season.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS INFO: National Championships Central
Accepted Entries: Men | Women
Entries Leaders: Entries by Team | Entries by Conference

National Rannking PDFs: Top 25 | Full Rankings By Team | Event-by-Event | TFRRS Top 10 NCAA Qual. Bests
Week-by-Week PDFs: By Rank | By Team | All-Time
All-Division Collegiate Bests: Full PDF | Best Marks by Football Players

Top Five – Men

Adams State (205.51 team points) remains at No. 1 for the second straight week heading into the NCAA Championships. The Grizzlies will be represented in Birmingham, Ala., by 17 total entries, the second-most among all men’s DII teams. As has been their strength all season, the Grizzlies’ middle-distance and distance events will be their strength at NCAAs with six and five entries, respectively – by far the most in DII. A national championship would be the first since 2010.

Just behind Adams State is Ashland with 200.23 team points. Like the Grizzlies, the Eagles will take 17 entries to the NCAA Championships, a majority of which will come in the sprints and throws with five apiece. Ashland’s best finish at the NCAA Championships was a runner-up showing in 2011.

Despite bringing the largest number of entries to the championships with 18, the Saint Augustine’s Falcons (184.11) are No. 3 ahead of the weekend. With nine entries in the sprints and six in the jumps, the Falcons will field the most entries in both disciplines in Birmingham. They will be going for their first team title since 2009.

Defending champion Grand Canyon is ranked No. 4 heading into the championships with 115.46 team points. The Antelopes will carry 13 entries to the championships, including a DII-leading six in the jumps and five in the sprints.

Grand Valley State (114.63) completes the top five. The Lakers will be the fourth-best represented team on the men’s side with 14 entries, including a DII-best six throwers and five jumpers. GVSU has never won a men’s team title.

Top Five – Women

The No. 1 ranking for Academy of Art is its first in program history at the DII level, even more impressive considering 2012-13 is its first full season in the division. The Urban Knights – up two spots from last week with 195.37 team points – will bring 15 entries to the Championships, including standout Vashti Thomas, who qualified in five individual events (60, 200, 60h, long jump, triple jump) and could run the 4×400 relay.

Lincoln (Mo.) falls a spot to No 2 with 192.22 team points. The Blue Tigers will be the second-best-represented team at the championships with 20 entries, behind only defending champion Grand Valley’s 23. Lincoln’s 11 entries in the sprints events are the most among all women’s teams at the meet. A championship would be the first for the program since winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.

The Lakers of Grand Valley State enter the meet with 176.19 team points at No. 3, their lowest rank in program history. GVSU will hope the "strength in numbers" doctrine plays out to their advantage with a DII-best 23 entries to the meet, most of any men’s or women’s program. With at least two entries in six of the seven disciplines represented at the championship meet (sprints/hurdles, mid-distance, distance, relays, jumps, throws; no entries in combined events), the Lakers are the best-rounded team in the field, and will look to parlay that trait into a third consecutive national title.

Adams State (133.07) comes into the weekend ranked No. 4 in the country with 17 entries into the championships, third most among women’s teams. The Grizzlies’ strength lies in their distance events with a division-best eight entries. A national title would be the first since 2008.

Grand Canyon (124.64) rounds out the top five with 14 entries. The Antelopes will bring six entries in the jumps events, tied for the division lead with Sioux Falls. Grand Canyon is going for its first women’s team crown.