Men Ranked Second, Women Third, In Latest USTFCCCA Rankings

NEW ORLEANS — The University of Colorado cross country teams have been showing the country the last few races what they are capable of doing and the poll voters continue to award the Buffs as both teams once again moved up in the latest USTFCCCA Division I Coaches Poll.
 
CU swept the Pac-12 team titles for the fourth time since 2011. The wins pushed the men up from third to second and moved the then-No. 4 women up to third in this week's rankings.
 
Northern Arizona held on to the top spot in the men's poll, recording all 11 first-place votes and 330 points. The Buffs had 296 points in the previous poll, but this week picked up 303, which was one more than third-ranked Oklahoma State (302). The Cowboys moved up two spots in this week's poll from fifth, while Iowa State (282) slide down two spots to fourth after falling to OSU at the Big 12 Championships. Stanford (281) is one point back from the Cyclones to round out the top five.
 
In the women's rankings, NC State and New Mexico flipped as the Wolfpack retook the top position in the poll. NC State recorded five of the 11 first-place votes and 323 points, while UNM also picked up five first-place votes but only 321 points as each won their respective conference championships. The Buffaloes earned the last first-place vote and 305 points to move past BYU, which picked up 304 points. Minnesota (282) moved up from sixth to fifth.
 
The men won their eighth Pac-12 team title in 11 years, out-scoring Stanford, 39-52. Eduardo Herrera has led CU all season and the conference meet was no different as he finished third in 23:45.7. Second for the Buffs was Austin Vancil in sixth and Andrew Kent placed seventh. Charlie Sweeney took 11th and Brendan Fraser clocked in 12th to secure the championship.
 
CU won its fifth Pac-12 women's title with 24 points, the fewest since the Buffs joined the conference in 2011, to best Utah which recorded 52 points. It's the lowest score recorded since 2008 when Washington earned a perfect 15 to capture the team title. The Buffaloes' 24 points are the fifth-lowest score record in Pac-12 women's championship history, which dates back to 1983. After the Huskies' 15 points, Stanford recorded 22 points twice (2003 and '06) and also tallied 23 points in 2002.
 
Abby Nichols won the individual crown, crossing the finish in 20:25.4. With the win, she was named the USTFCCCA National Women's Athlete of the Week. Emily Covert finished 11 seconds behind Nichols for the runner-up finish, while India Johnson and Rachel McArthur were fourth and fifth, respectively. Hannah Miniutti placed 11th to round out the team score.
 
The NCAA Mountain Region Championships are next for Colorado, which is set for November 12, in Provo, Utah. The men are ranked second behind NAU, while the women are third behind BYU and UNM.
 
 
USTFCCCA Women's Poll – Week #6 – Nov. 2
 

 
 
USTFCCCA Men's Poll – Week #6 – Nov. 2