NEW ORLEANS - The University of Toledo track and field team finds itself ranked 13th in the first USTFCCCA Great Lakes Regional indoor poll, released today.

The Rockets scored 98.94 points in the computer poll, which is the fourth-highest total amongst MAC schools. Toledo is at the midway point of its indoor season after competing at last weekend's Indiana Relays, and the Rockets have one more meet (The Big Meet, Feb. 12-13) before the MAC Championships Feb. 26-27 in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

"This is a nice sign of the direction of the program," said head coach Kevin Hadsell, who also directed the women's cross country team to a MAC-best No. 6 ranking in the fall. "The computer rankings are 100 percent objective, based on performances. At this point in the season, it shows that we are in a tight battle for the MAC title."

Junior Ari Fisher (Lebanon, OH) continues to lead the region with the best time in the 5000 meter run (16:48.66), which she set at the Golden Flash Gala on Dec. 11. Senior Dagna Sztykiel (Bytom, Poland) and junior Audra Brown (Ayersville, OH) also rank in the top-10 in the 5000, and the distance medley relay team of Fisher and juniors Kimara Morgan (Columbus, OH), Amanda Kaverman (Sylvania, OH) and Danielle Jacoby (Carey, OH) has the fifth-best time in that event (12:09.33).

Kaverman also ranks ninth in the 200 meter (24.79), while classmate Alexandra Afloari (Deva, Romania) is sixth in the triple jump (40-01.25) and senior Michelle Sutherland (Maumee, OH) sits ninth in the high jump (5-08.75).

The marquee performance of the season was Toledo's runner-up showing at the Great Dane Classic in New York on Jan. 22. The Rockets trailed just Seton Hall, which is ranked sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Region, and Toledo bested Penn (11th, Mid-Atlantic), Manhattan (fourth, Northeast Region) and St. John's (12th, Northeast).

"It has been a steady, patient rise since I took over the track program in 2004," Hadsell said. "We have a young team in place right now that is a huge surprise in the MAC and the region.  We are showing that we can be very competitive both in cross country and in track."

Complete Great Lakes Region Rankings

1. Indiana, 337.91
2. Wisconsin, 247.23
3. Ohio State, 216.86
4. Michigan, 205.00
5. Indiana State, 199.04
6. Purdue, 188.51
7. Cincinnati, 179.41
8. Michigan State, 137.29
9. Notre Dame, 135.65
10. Akron, 128.18
11. Miami (Ohio), 116.21
12. Central Michigan, 108.28
13. TOLEDO, 98.94
14. Dayton, 91.48
15. Eastern Michigan, 76.52
16. Kent State, 74.52
17. Western Michigan, 65.25
18. Butler, 36.40
19. Ball State, 32.59
20. Marquette, 29.43
21. Ohio, 26.87
22. Milwaukee, 24.62
23. Wright State, 16.66
24. Bowling Green, 15.71
25. Youngstown State, 10.52
26. Oakland, 8.45
27. Xavier (Ohio), 5.48
28. IPFW, 4.23
29. Detroit, 1.52
30. Valparaiso, 1.50

The regional team index uses data provided by TFRRS for only the 2010 indoor season and is a reflection of a team's all-around strength. The regional team index is scored using the current national-team ranking formula as if there were separate regional championships across the country.

Contact: Scott Miles
scott.miles@utoledo.edu