A&M Women Remain No. 1 as Top Three go Unchanged in Division I

A&M Women Remain No. 1 as Top Three go Unchanged in Division I
Courtesy: Keith Nunez, USTFCCCA
February 4, 2009
View Complete Rankings

NEW ORLEANS – Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Michigan continued to hold serve as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced the women’s Division I Indoor Track and Field Rankings on Wednesday.

The Aggies, coming off a Big 12 sweep of the SEC counterparts in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, received 149.55 points to garner the pole position in the rankings this week. Leading the charge for the A&M is sophomores Jessica Beard, Gabby Mayo, and junior Porshca Lucas.

Tennessee follows the Aggies at No. 2 in the rankings with 123.95 points. The Lady Vols are led by Sarah Bowman, who has picked up NCAA automatic qualifying times in three different events this year. He currently leads the NCAA in the 800 meter run, and the mile. She is currently ranked sixth in the 3,000 meters.

Michigan is ranked third again this week followed by Oregon at No. 4. The Ducks improved six spots over the weekend with impressive performances at the Washington Invitational from Lindsey Scherf and Brianne Theisen. Scherf is ranked second nationally in the 5,000 meters while freshman Theisen is ranked third in the pentathlon.

Following the Ducks is fifth-ranked LSU with 109.65 points.

Texas and Virginia Tech remained Nos. 6 and 7 respectively this week, with Florida State at No. 8, three spots down from week one.

Arizona State is ranked ninth this week with Penn State coming in at No. 10. The Nittany Lions improved eight spots this week. Penn State’s Bridget Franek (3,000 meters) and Gayle Hunter (pentathlon) both picked up automatic qualifiers in the Penn State National last weekend. Hunter’s pentathlon score of 4,236 points was not only a meet, facility, and school record mark, but also the NCAA leading score.
South Carolina, Arkasnas, Texas Tech, Arizona, and Minnesota round out the women’s top 15.

The 2009 USTFCCCA Division I Rankings will be released on Wednesdays during the indoor track and field season. Rankings are compiled by Tom Lewis.

The 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships will be held March 13-14 in College Station, Texas.

USTFCCCA Division I women’s indoor track and field preseason rankings
February 4, 2009

Rank School Points Last Week
1 Texas A&M 149.55 1
2 Tennessee 123.95 2
3 Michigan 120.37 3
4 Oregon 114.48 10
5 LSU 109.45 4
6 Texas 92.54 6
7 Virginia Tech 88.09 7
8 Florida State 87.51 5
9 Arizona State 83.62 8
10 Penn State 77.89 18
11 South Carolina 72.49 12
12 Arkansas 69.27 14
13 Texas Tech 67.77 11
14 Arizona 65.93 13
15 Minnesota 64.93 9
16 Stanford 60.80 16
17 Florida 59.00 15
18 North Carolina 52.51 17
19 BYU 48.06 NR
20 Nebraska 44.38 19
21 UTEP 43.80 20
22 Louisville 43.66 21
23 Auburn 43.31 22
24 Miami (Fla.) 36.24 24
25 Baylor 34.53 23

Dropped Out: #25 Kentucky.