Buffs Head To NCAA Championships With Pair Of Top 5 Rankings

NEW ORLEANS — The University of Colorado cross country teams will head into the 2021 NCAA Championship with both teams ranked in the top five of the USTFCCCA Division I Coaches Poll.
 
The women remained third after finishing second at the NCAA Mountain Region Championship, while the men moved to fifth after a third-place finish.
 
The CU women held strong at third in the national poll, once again picking up a first-place vote. Their 305 points are two more than fourth-place BYU, which CU defeated at regionals on November 12, 83-107. Just in front of CU is another mountain region team, New Mexico, which won the region championship over the Buffs, 62-83, to stay at No. 2 in the national poll.  The Lobos recorded 319 points and collected four first-place votes. The No. 1 team heading into nationals is NC State. The Wolfpack earned the other six first-place votes and 325 points.
 
In the men's poll, Northern Arizona hung on to the top spot despite losing to BYU (42-57) at the mountain regional. NAU picked up seven first-place votes for 323 points, while BYU recorded two first-place votes and 307 points to move up six spots from eighth to second this week. Oklahoma State and Notre Dame each earned a first-place vote, but OSU edged the Fighting Irish in the poll for third with 305 points, while UND recorded 390 to place fourth. The Buffaloes were six points back in the poll from UND in fifth with 284.
 
The USTFCCCA announced its all-region teams on Monday, consisting of the top 25 individual finishers from each race in each region. The Buffs placed eight on the team, five men and three women. Eduardo Herrera, Stephen Jones, Austin Vancil, Alec Hornecker, and Brendan Fraser represent CU's men, while Colorado's women are Abby Nichols, Emily Covert and India Johnson.
 
The NCAA Championships are Saturday, November 20, in Tallahassee, Fla., at Apalachee Regional Park. The women's 6k race is set for an 8:20 a.m. MT start, while the men's 10k run is scheduled to begin at 9:10 a.m. MT. Both will be broadcast live on ESPNU for the second straight year. More information can be found at NCAA.com.

USTFCCCA Women's Poll – Week #7 – Nov. 15
 

 
 
USTFCCCA Men's Poll – Week #7 – Nov. 15