U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released last week their regional preseason rankings and later their National Rankings. I believe this would be a good jumping off point for some discussion. I will give the top three in each region for both men and women and last year’s National qualifiers. What I would like is if you agree or disagree and why. There were very few meets this past weekend but if you believe there were any worth noting let me know by leaving a comment below about the meet. If there is anything you would like to see for future columns let me know.
Atlantic
Men
1.Edinboro
2. Lockhaven
3.Shippensburg
Last year, Lock Haven won the team title with 51 points, followed by Edinboro (71).
Women
1.Shippensburg
2.Slippery Rock
3.Edinboro
Shippensburg took home the team title with 62 points and advanced along with Slippery Rock (97).
Central
Men
1.Adams State
2.Western State
3.Colorado School of the Mines
Last year, Adams State took home the team title with 33 points and advanced to Nationals. Western State (52) and Minn. St. Mankato (108) rounded out the top three.
Women
1. Adams State
2. Augustana (South Dakota)
3. Western State
Adams State took home the team title with 30 points, placing their top five in the top fifteen places. They were followed by Augustana (81) and Western State (83).
East
Men
1.Stonehill
2.UMass Lowell
3.Southern Connecticut State
UMass Lowell won the team title with 43 points and advanced along with second place finisher Stonehill (54 points).
Women
1.Stonehill
2.Adelphi
3.Southern Connecticut State
UMass Lowell won the regional title with 46 points. Second place finisher was Stonehill (56 points).
Midwest
Men
1.Grand Valley State
2. Southern Indiana
3.Wayne State
Grand Valley State totaled 45 points, earning the men's overall title. Wayne State and Southern Indiana tied for second place (102) last year.
Women
1.Grand Valley State
2.Southern Indiana
3.Ferris State
Grand Valley (35) took the title last year over Wayne State (90) and Ferris State (111) Wayne State drops out of the top three with the lost of their top runner, Rachelle Malette.
South
Men
1.Harding
2.UAH
3.Flordia Southern
Harding took the team title with 15 points last year and was followed in second by UAH (92).
Women
1.Tampa
2.Harding
3.UAH
Tampa won the team title with 28 points was followed by Harding (47 points).
South Central
Men
1.Abilene Christian
2.Southwest Baptist
3.Missouri Southern State
Abilene Christian grabbed the top six places on their way to win with 31 points over Missouri Southern (105 points) and Pittsburg State (149 points).
Women
1.Missouri Southern State
2.Midwestern State
3.Dallas Baptist
Missouri Southern took the team title with 88 points followed by Midwestern State (94) and Pittsburg State (105).
Southeast
Men
1. Queens of Charlotte
2.Columbus State
3.Clayton State
Queen’s took the team title with 19 points and were followed by Columbus State (87).
Women
1. Lees-McRae
2.Columbus State
3. Augusta State
Lee-McRae was the winner of team title (85 points) and second place was Augusta State (110).
West
Men
1.Chico State
2.Western Washington
3. Alaska Anchorage
Chico State garnered 28 points to easily earn the team crown, while second place Alaska Anchorage tallied 67. Western Washington’s 103 were good enough for third.
Women
1.Seattle Pacific
2.Chico State
3.Alaska Anchorage
Chico State took the team title with 60 points. They were followed by Seattle Pacific (92), Alaska Anchorage (104), Cal St. Los Angeles (114), and Western Washington (141).
National
Men
1.Adams State
2.Western State
3. Chico State
4.Abiliene Christian
5. Grand Valley State
Last year, Adams States took home top honors with 67 points, besting their rival Western (88). The top five was rounded out by Chico (120), last year’s winner, Abilene Christian (128), and Grand Valley (190). So basically, the USTFCCA did not change the rankings from the places that the first five finished last year.
Women
1.Adams State
2.Grand Valley State
3.Seattle Pacific
4.Shippensburg
5.Augustana (SD)
Last year, Adams State took their 6th team title with 79 points. They were followed by Grand Valley (102), Western State (183), Seattle Pacific (194), and Augustana (203). In the coaching poll, Western dropped out of the top five and Seattle Pacific moved up.
Also, my team is heading to DII Pre-Nats this year, I would like to provide some type of coverage but I am racing. So if anyone is going to be there that thinks they could help message me.