Colorado leads Pac-12 teams in cross country polls
SAN FRANCISCO - The recently crowned Pac-12 Champion COLORADO men’s and women’s teams lead all Pac-12 teams in both national polls, which was released today by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA). The Pac-12 has the most men’s teams ranked of any conference in the country and is tied for the most on the women’s side.
The Buffalo men have not lost the Pac-12 men’s title since joining the league in 2011, winning their fifth last Friday in Colfax, Wash. Colorado received all 12 first-place votes again this week after losing one last week. It was the first time since the first poll of the 2014 campaign the Buffs were not first on all 12 ballots.
STANFORD men surged 19 spots to No. 4 after ranking 23rd in the previous polling. The Cardinal were at full strength at the Pac-12 Championships earning it a second-place finish in Colfax by just 11 points. OREGON, led by three-time Pac-12 Champion Edward Cheserek, is ranked No. 7 in the country after placing third at the Conference meet. WASHINGTON saw improvement in the polling, moving up three spots to No. 17, while UCLA dropped to No. 20.
The women’s polling has the Pac-12 tied with the ACC with five ranked teams. COLORADO regained the No. 2 spot after slipping to No. 3 in the previous ranking. The Buffs are coming off a win at the Pac-12 Championships, their first title since 2011 also giving Colorado the sweep for the second time (also in 2011).
OREGON was edged out of the top spot of the podium in Colfax by just six points and were unable to defend its 2014 title. But the Ducks still moved up one spot into a tie for fourth place in this week’s poll. STANFORD was 11th, followed by WASHINGTON at No. 12. UTAH, which made its first-ever debut in the polling in the previous ranking, sits at No. 20 this week. The Utes had their best-ever showing at the Conference championship since joining the league in 2011, placing five in the team standings.
Pac-12 teams are gearing up for the NCAA regional meets in order to earn spots in the NCAA Championships. Ten of the Conference’s 12 squads will compete at the NCAA West Regional which is being hosted by the Huskies at the Jefferson Park Golf Course in Seattle on Friday, Nov. 13. The NCAA Mountain Regional, which Colorado and Utah will be competing, is being hosted by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque on the same day.
Teams that advance compete at the NCAA Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky.
For more information on the NCAA West Regional, visit gohuskies.com. For more information on the NCAA Mountain regionalgolobos.com.