TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State men's cross country team will open the season ranked at No. 22, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Tuesday.

“Being the highest nationally-ranked team that didn't make last year's NCAA Championships just shows some respect to the men that are returning to our team this season,” head cross country coach Louie Quintana said. “It's a jumping off point. We discussed today in practice that we're probably going to receive a higher ranking based on who we are returning, but it doesn't mean that much. It's a good platform, but we haven't competed yet. We're healthy and we're excited, so it's a good start. We'd like, at minimum, to be as good as our ranking in November.”

The Sun Devils finished the 2014 campaign unranked, but return NCAA qualifier Ryan Herson, and All-West Region finisher CJ Albertson.

Also ranked from the Pac-12 are Colorado (1), Stanford (2), Oregon (6), UCLA (13), Washington (20), and California (28).

On the women's side, the Sun Devils received five points toward the top-30 teams in the nation.

 “I think it's good, considering we have some key losses on the women's side,” Quintana said. “Shelby Houlihan has graduated, but I think a lot of people do realize the improvement our women have made in the spring. That ranking, the core of our team from last year is really back, so that is a good starting point for them. They're young and hungry and excited to continue to climb the national rankings and make it into the top-30 very soon.”

The men's and women's cross country teams open the 2015 season on Saturday in Flagstaff at the George Kyte Classic, hosted by Northern Arizona.