Four Regions Have New Top-Ranked Teams in Newest Division II Regional Rankings

NEW ORLEANS – With regional championships drawing ever nearer — less than a month away — teams continue jockeying for position within Tuesday’s U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II Regional Rankings, including four new No. 1 teams.

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Franklin Pierce (East Region) and Florida Southern (South) are now atop their respective regions in the men’s rankings, while the women’s rankings featured new No. 1s in Tampa back on top of the South and Wingate (Southeast).

Franklin Pierce — the first team outside of the National Coaches Poll a week ago — is now atop the East following head-to-head wins over regional rivals American International (No. 25 nationally) and former top-ranked Stonehill (No. 23) at the NEICAAA New England Championships: the Ravens finished 12th as a team, AIC 18th and Stonehill 19th.

The Ravens moved up one spot from No. 2 last week, while American International also moved up one from No. 3 to No. 2 behind three-time National Athlete of the Week Mike Biwott. Finishing third among these three teams translated to a tumble to No. 3 in the region for Stonehill after occupying the region’s top spot entering the weekend.

Tampa’s women’s team is in a similar spot to the Franklin Pierce men: the first team outside the National Coaches Poll last week and now the top team in their region, the South. The difference is that Tampa had been the region’s top squad for the first four 2013 editions of the regional rankings before falling to No. 2 behind Alabama-Huntsville (No. 22 nationally) last week.

The Spartans were the top Non-Division I program at the Florida State Invitational, beating out Alabama-Huntsville head-to-head, 40-63. As a result, Tampa climbed back into the top spot in the region, displacing Alabama-Huntsville to No. 2.

Florida State was also the impetus of a shake-up in the men’s South Region, as the region’s top seven teams this week were all in action in Tallahassee. Florida Southern emerged as the top non-Division I team at FSU and consequently is the new No. 1 in the region, up two spots from last week.

Former No. 1 Alabama-Huntsville was the second non-DI team at FSU, just nine points behind Florida Southern, 70-79. The Chargers dropped one spot to No. 2 to mirror that result. Saint Leo was the big gainer in the region, up six spots to No. 3.

Rounding out the new No. 1 teams are the Wingate women atop the Southeast Region. The Bulldogs were the top non-Division I program at the Queens Royal Challenge, posting a team score of 43 to runner-up Savannah Art & Design’s 120. The move to No. 1 displaced Columbus State to No. 2 in the region.

Elsewhere in the rankings:

• Simon Fraser’s women (No. 7 nationally) moved ahead of Chico State (No. 6) in the West Region.
• Shippensburg’s women (No. 18 nationally) moved up one spot in the Atlantic Region for the second consecutive weekend, this time to No. 2. The Raiders were preseason favorites in the region.
• Bentley’s women moved up four spots to No. 2 in the East Region following a strong showing at the New England Championships.

NCAA Division II Regional Championships will be held November 9 & 10, and more information about host sites and dates for specific meets can be found at Regional Championships Central.