Chico State comes in at No. 4 following its West Regional title with Scott Bauhs, the overall champion, leading the way for Chico.

November 12, 2008

Adams State Heads to Nationals as Top-Ranked Division II Men’s Squad
Top nine in men’s Division II cross country go unchanged a week prior to National Championships

NEW ORLEANS – Adams State will head to the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships as the top-ranked team and overall favorite to win the NCAA title on November 22nd. The Grizzlies won last weekend’s Central Regional title in commanding fashion scoring 33 points with all seven runners in the top-15.

Abilene Christian, Harding, Chico State and Western State all remained steadfast this week in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) men’s top 25. Adams State will be seeking their first NCAA title since 2003 while Abilene Christian looks to win its third-straight NCAA title.

The Wildcats, ranked second nationally, are coming off of a regional win of their own after taking the South Central Regional title. The regional win for the Wildcats was their eighth title in the past nine years.

No. 3 Harding seeks its first-ever national championship after a dominating performance in the South Regional. The Bisons swept the regional scoring a perfect 15 points, led by freshman phenom Daniel Kirwa. The talented super frosh has won every race he has competed in this season. Chico State comes in at No. 4 following its West Regional title with Scott Bauhs, the overall champion, leading the way for Chico.

Western State, second at the Central Regional meet, is ranked fifth this week. Alaska-Anchorage is ranked sixth this week following the second-place performance by the Seawolves at the West Regional.

Queens University of Charlotte and UMass Lowell are ranked seventh and eighth respectively. Both teams won its regional meets, Queens winning the Southeast Regional title with a near perfect 19 points while UMass Lowell picked up the East Regional title with 43 points.

No. 9 Grand Valley State and No. 10 Minnesota State round out the men’s top ten. GVSU won the Midwest Regional title over 13th-ranked Southern Indiana and Wayne State (MI). Minnesota State finished third at the Central Regional behind Adams State and Western State.

The Colorado School of Mines is ranked 11th this week, up three spots from the November 5th rankings. Western Washington dropped one spot to No. 12 followed by Southern Indiana and Wayne State, both ranked 13th.

Stonehill is ranked 15th in the nation followed by Lock Haven at No. 16. Lock Haven improved nine spots in the rankings this week thanks to an impressive performance in the Atlantic Regional. The Bald Eagles bested No. 17 Edinboro and No. 24 Slippery Rock.

Missouri Southern State, Metro State, and Pittsburg State complete the men’s top-20, while Ashland, Western Oregon, Southwest Baptist, Slippery Rock and Southern Connecticut finish off the men’s top 25.

The Men’s Division II Cross Country National Rankings:

Rank Team Last Week Region Result
1. Adams State 1 Central-1
2. Abilene Christian 2 South Central-1
3. Harding 3 South-1
4. Chico State 4 West-1
5. Western State 5 Central-2
6. Alaska Anchorage 6 West-2
7. Queens (NC) 7 Southeast-1
8. UMass Lowell 8 East-1
9. Grand Valley 9 Midwest-1
10. Minnesota State 13 Central-3
11. Colorado School of Mines 14 Central-4
12. Western Washington 11 West-3
13. Southern Indiana 10 Midwest-T2
13. Wayne State (MI) 17 Midwest-T2
15. Stonehill 15 East-2
16. Lock Haven 25 Atlantic-1
17. Edinboro 12 Atlantic-2
18. Missouri Southern State 21 South Central-2
19. Metro State NR Central-5
20. Pittsburg State 19 South Central-3
21. Ashland NR Midwest-4
22. Western Oregon NR West-4
23. Southwest Baptist 16 South Central-4
24. Slippery Rock 18 Atlantic-3
25. Southern Connecticut 24 East-3

Dropped Out: No. 20 UC San Diego, No. 22 Northern Kentucky, and No. 23 Drury.

http://ustfccca.cstv.com/ot/c-xc/08-d2national-rankings.html.