UW Oshkosh Men, Illinois Wesleyan Women With Best Starts of the D3 Season

Editor’s note: Updated 1/21/10, 12:45 p.m., CT. This release has been corrected since its original release Thursday morning with changes in the national top 25 reflected.

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Thursday morning the indoor track & field season’s first national team rankings for NCAA Division III. The men of UW Oshkosh, the co-defending indoor champions from a year ago, have the started the 2010 season on top of the rankings. On the women’s side, Illinois Wesleyan (152.18) leads the rankings over UW Oshkosh (138.02).

PDFs: Top 25 | Full by Team | Previous Rankings

Rankings Guidelines & Rationale

This week’s release represents marks accumulated by teams in the 2010 indoor season through last weekend. This week’s release also represents the first time Division III national team rankings have been compiled using mathematical formulae that indexes a team’s potential of placing well at the NCAA Indoor Championships and is similar in nature to the method that has been employed by Division I for the past two years.

The next release of updated rankings for NCAA’s Division III will continue on Wednesday, January 27, with updates occurring the following seven Wednesdays leading to the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, March 12-13.

MEN: UW Oshkosh Jumps to the Lead
The gun representing the start of the 2010 indoor season just fired and the Titans of UW Oshkosh jumped to the early lead in the men’s team race, claiming 143.96 ranking points to start the season.

While Oshkosh doesn’t have a national leader in a single event, they do have six performers in the national top five in their respective events, including senior Ben Zill who is second nationally in the 400 with a 50.04 mark. Sophomore Nate Stymiest is third in the Mile (4:17.86) and Brent Jude is fourth over 55 meters (6.49).

The national top five is rounded out by No. 2 North Central (Ill.), No. 3 SUNY Genesco, No. 4 Springfield, No. 5 Tufts.

WOMEN: Illinois Wesleyan Leads
In the women’s team race, it’s the battle of the Titans early as Illinois Wesleyan (152.18) has a narrow lead on UW Oshkosh’s (138.02) bevy of throwers.

Illinois Wesleyan’s Alicia McCoy leads the nation in the 400 meters (57.57) and Lauren Albert stakes claim to the second-best long jump mark of the season (5.52m, 18-1½) and the third-best 400-meter time (57.88).

UW Oshkosh lays claim to four of the nation’s top 10 spots in the weight throw, with Holly Ozanich leading the way with a division-leading 57-11¼ (17.66m) toss. Ellie Sitek sits second on the national list in the shot put with three other Titans making the top 12 in that event.

The women’s top five also includes No. 3 Messiah, No. 4 Chicago, and No. 5 TCNJ.

About the Rankings
For more on the rankings and links to guideline and rationale information visit …
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