Furman Women's Cross Country Ranked Seventh, Men 12th in Southeast Region
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Furman women’s cross country team remains ranked seventh in the Southeast Region, while the Paladin men’s team moved up two spots and ranks 12th, according to the Week 1 regional rankings released Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The top five spots in each poll remained unchanged. Virginia sits atop the women’s poll after leading the region in 2013. Virginia Tech, N.C. State, William & Mary, and Duke complete the women’s top five teams. N.C. State leads the men’s rankings after placing third in the region last year, followed by Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and North Carolina. William & Mary rounds out the top five teams in the Southeast Region poll.
USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning team strength with current-season results in determining predicted team finishes at the NCAA Regional Championships.
Mocs Teams Earn USTFCCCA Region Rankings
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - In the first regular season rankings by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men and women are both ranked 13th in the South Region.
The women dropped down one spot, ranking 12th in the preseason poll released at the start of the month.
In the season opener, the women defeated six out of seven teams in the PowerAde Invitational Dual meet. UTC beat Tennessee in head-to-head competition and fell by two points to Georgia State. The Vols are ranked just behind the Mocs at 14th while Georgia State is two spots ahead at 11th. At the Vanderbilt Commodore Classic, the women placed eighth overall behind South Region foes Vanderbilt (2), Lipscomb (4), Mississippi State (5), Middle Tennessee (9) Ole Miss (10), and Belmont (12).
Junior All-American Teghan Henderson (Pickering, Ontario) won both meets improving her regular season win streak to five. Henderson went undefeated in the regular season last year and has won both meets this season.
On the men’s side, the men moved up one spot from its preseason ranking of 14. Chattanooga won five of its six dual meets at the PowerAde falling only to the Vols who are ranked one spot ahead in 12th. Southern Conference foe Samford entered the rankings this week at 15th in the South Region.
Senior John Gilpin (Nashville, Tenn.) paced the Mocs with a top 10 finish at the PowerAde and was the first Chattanooga runner across the line at the Commodore Classic.
Fellow Southern Conference foe Furman is ranked seventh in the women’s Southeast Region while the men are ranked 12th. The VMI men’s team is ranked 15th in the Southeast Region.
The Mocs return to action Saturday, October 4 at the Greater Louisville Classic. Some runners will compete at the Jacksonville State Invitational on the same day.
VMI Men’s XC Earns Regional Rankings
NEW ORLEANS, La. - For only the third time in program history, the VMI men's cross country team has earned a regional ranking in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) regional rankings, announced Monday by the organization. The Keydets are ranked 15th in the Southeast Region.
VMI comes off an impressive second-place result at the JMU Invitational this past weekend, one that saw each of the Keydets' top six runners finish in the top-17. That helped the team earn its first ranking since 2009 and first such honor under current head coach Jennifer Fazioli.
VMI is one of four SoCon men's cross country teams ranked, with Furman being 12th in the Southeast Region and Chattanooga (13th) and Samford (15th) being recognized out of the South Region. The complete Southeast Region rankings are below.
Keydet cross country returns to action Sept. 26, taking part in the UNCG Spartan Invitational in Kernersville, N.C. Action gets underway at 5 p.m.
Samford Men's Cross Country Earns No. 15 Regional Ranking