Wisconsin stakes claim to top spot in Division I Men’s Cross Country poll
NEW ORLEANS - If the first Division I men’s poll of the season is a reliable indicator; this should be a very interesting cross country season at the national level.
Wisconsin claimed the top spot in the poll released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Badgers received five first-place votes to tabulating 379 points.
Second-ranked Colorado picked up four first-place votes. Third-ranked Iona and fourth-ranked Oregon received one and three first-place votes, respectively.
Rounding out the top 10 are Arkansas, Stanford, UTEP, Oklahoma State, Texas and North Carolina State.
The second 10 consists of Providence, William & Mary, Notre Dame, Portland, Louisville, Georgetown, Alabama, Minnesota, BYU and Northern Arizona.
Rounding out the top 30 are Michigan State, UCLA, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Florida State, Iowa State, Michigan, Princeton, Virginia and Florida (tied for 28th), and Washington.
The voting panel for the USTFCCCA Division I women's poll consists of nine elected regional representatives, four at-large members of the USTFCCCA and compiled by Don Kopriva.
Wisconsin started the 2006 season ranked first in the nation and held its position heading into the NCAA Championships, where the Badgers were defending their 2005 title. But top runner Chris Solinsky finished a sub-par 73rd and the Badgers finished second in the team race to Colorado.
While Solinsky graduated, Wisconsin still has a strong, deep squad. Stuart Eagon finished third at last year’s NCAA meet, and the Badgers expect to see results from their talented group of sophomores.
Colorado returns four runners from the seven-man team that won last year’s national title, including Brent Vaughn (12th) and Stephen Pifer (20th). Colorado coach Mark Wetmore expects as many as 10 or 12 underclassmen competing for spots in his team’s top seven.
“We feel the same expectations and aspirations every year, and that’s to be the best we can,” Wetmore said. “If it adds up to a national championship, that’s wonderful.”
Iona, the third-place finisher at last year’s NCAA meet, returns six of its top seven runners. Mohamed Khadroui placed 13th at nationals as an Iona sophomore.
The fourth-ranked Ducks return five of their top seven runners from a year ago after finishing tied for fifth place at the NCAA meet a year ago.
The 2007 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships will be held Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Division I Men’s Cross Country rankings
Sept. 11, 2007
(first-place votes in parentheses)
Ranking | Team | Points |
1. | Wisconsin (5) | 379 |
2. | Colorado (4) | 369 |
3. | Iona College (1) | 363 |
4. | Oregon (3) | 362 |
5. | Arkansas | 329 |
6. | Stanford | 320 |
7. | UTEP | 292 |
8. | Oklahoma State | 277 |
9. | Texas | 258 |
10. | North Carolina State | 249 |
11. | Providence | 240 |
12. | William & Mary | 231 |
13. | Notre Dame | 215 |
14. | Portland | 205 |
15. | Louisville | 177 |
16. | Georgetown | 169 |
17. | Alabama | 153 |
18. | Minnesota | 145 |
19. | BYU | 139 |
20. | Northern Arizona | 137 |
21. | Michigan State | 132 |
22. | UCLA | 130 |
23. | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 126 |
24. | Florida State | 95 |
25. | Iowa State | 80 |
26. | Michigan | 68 |
27. | Princeton | 61 |
28. | (tie) Florida | 51 |
28. | (tie) Virginia | 51 |
30. | Washington | 46 |
September 12, 2007
Southern Indiana Makes Waves in Division II Men’s Cross Country Poll
Screaming Eagles improve nine spots; Top seven remain the same
NEW ORLEANS – Abilene Christian and the top seven teams remained the same in the second Division II Men’s Cross Country poll of the season, but several other schools made big jumps in the rankings released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The Wildcats opened up the season with the ACU Cross Country Classic on September 1st easily taking the men’s team title, while Adams State and Western State opened up their 2007 campaigns with the Joe Vigil Invite, hosted by Adams State.
The top-ranked Wildcats are followed in the poll by Adams State, Western State, Grand Valley State, Chico State, Stonehill College and Colorado School of Mines.
Completing the top ten is Slippery Rock (no. 8), Harding (no. 9) and Minnesota State University Mankato (no. 10).
Coming in at number 11 in the poll is Southern Indiana. The Screaming Eagles were ranked 20th in the pre-season poll. Southern Indiana improved nine spots due to its second-place finish at the Stegemolloer Classic in Evansville, Indiana.
Hillsdale College also made a big jump in this week’s poll. After previously being unranked, Hillsdale jumped to No. 14 on the strength of its second-place finish at the Bob Timmons Cross Country Invitational.
Following Southern Indiana to round out the second ten is UMASS-Lowell, Edinboro, Hillsdale, Augustana, Saginaw Valley State, Metro State, Missouri Southern State, Lock Haven and Western Washington.
Completing the top 25 is Southern Connecticut, Southwest Baptist (previously not ranked), Florida Southern, Alaska Anchorage and Drury (previously not ranked).
Adams State also retains their number one ranking in the USTFCCCA Division II women’s poll. For complete rankings, see www.ustfccca.org.
USTFCCCA Division II Men’s Cross Country rankings
September 12, 2007
- Abilene Christian
- Adams State
- Western State
- Grand Valley State
- Chico State
- Stonehill
- Colorado School of Mines
- Slippery Rock
- Harding
- Minnesota State University Mankato
- Southern Indiana
- UMASS-Lowell
- Edinboro
- Hillsdale
- Augustana
- Saginaw Valley State
- Metro State
- Missouri Southern State
- Lock Haven
- Western Washington
- Southern Connecticut
- Southwest Baptist
- Florida Southern
- Alaska Anchorage
- Drury
Sept. 5, 2007
Defending NCAA Division III champion Calvin tops preseason cross country poll
The 2007 Division III cross country season is starting off the way the 2006 season began and ended – with Calvin’s men ranked No. 1 in the country.
The defending NCAA champions received all eight first-place votes in the preseason men’s poll released today by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Calvin won last year’s NCAA Division III men’s championship with 37 points, far in front of runner-up New York University’s 92-point total.
This year’s first poll reflects that finish, with Calvin and second-ranked NYU joined in the top 10 by Wisconsin-La Crosse, SUNY Cortland, St. John’s, North Central, the College of New Jersey, Allegheny, Wheaton and Colorado College.
Calvin graduated its top 2006 performer, Tim Finnegan, the runner-up at last year’s nationals. But the Knights return three standouts in Jed Christiansen (fifth at the 2006 NCAA Championships), Jon Gries (12th) and Erik VanKampen (17th).
This year’s NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships will be held Nov. 17 in Northfield, Minn. Calvin will be shooting for its fifth NCAA men’s title in eight years under coach Brian Diemer.
The top returning individual from the 2006 NCAA Championships is Julian Boggs of No. 10 Colorado. Boggs placed third at last year’s nationals.
The Division III men’s and women’s cross country rankings are determined by a committee comprised of coaches representing the eight different regions of the country. The men and women have different representatives on the ranking committees.
Amherst is ranked No. 1 in the preseason women’s poll.
USTFCCCA Division III men’s cross country poll
Sept. 5, 2007
(first place votes in parenthesis)
- Calvin (8)
- New York University
- Wisconsin-La Crosse
- SUNY Cortland
- St. John’s (Minn.)
- North Central
- College of New Jersey
- Allegheny
- Wheaton
- Colorado College
- Haverford
- Wisconsin-Oshkosh
- Williams
- (tie) Willamette
- (tie) Carnegie Mellon
- Wartburg
- Wisconsin-Platteville
- Nebraska Wesleyan
- Heidelberg
- SUNY Geneseo
- Luther
- Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- Ohio Northern
- Trinity College (Conn.)
- Mount Union
- Rochester
- Carleton
- Augustana
- Occidental
- Bowdoin
- Brandeis
- Elmhurst
- Case Western Reserve
- Rhodes
- Grinnell