Cross Country Ranked in USTFCCCA Preseason Polls
9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Sept. 3, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State cross country program was ranked by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the National Cross Country Coaches' Preseason Polls. The men were tabbed 21st, while the women are 23rd. MSU is one of six Big Ten women programs ranked and one of four conference men teams.
Complete Preseason USTFCCCA Poll
Wisconsin, who is seventh, is the lone Big Ten team ranked ahead of the Spartans on the men's side, while Minnesota, who is 21st, is the only conference women's program ahead of MSU.
Both the men and women qualified for the 2009 NCAA Championship for the first time since 2006. The men earned their first trip in three year after they placed second at NCAA Great Lakes Regional race, earning an automatic qualifier. The women made their 11th straight NCAA appearance after earning one of 13 at-large berths.
Sitting atop the men's poll is Stanford, followed by Oklahoma State in second and both Northern Arizona and Oregon sharing the third position. Alabama rounds out the men's top five. The women are led by Villanova in first. Florida State, Washington, Texas Tech round our positions second through fourth. Oregon in fifth makes it the lone school to have both squads ranked in the top-five.
The USTFCCCA also released its preseason regional rankings and the Spartans are ranked second in the Great Lakes Region on both the men's and women's side. Leading the way on the men's side in the region is Wisconsin and Notre Dame is picked first on the women's side.