Huskies return to USTFCCCA #1 spot for the first time since 2009...

NEW ORLEANS--In a minor change, the University of Washington women's cross country team (left/photo by Paul Merca) is ranked #1 in the first regular season coaches' poll released Tuesday by the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Four women’s teams are receiving first-place votes. No. 2 Oregon actually received more first-place votes, five, than No. 1 Washington’s four. No. 3 Florida State notched two first-place votes while No. 4 Georgetown, the defending NCAA champions, gained one.

Washington overtook Oregon from the No. 1 spot, a place the Ducks held in the preseason poll two weeks ago. Washington’s women won the national title in 2008, finished as the nation’s runner up a year ago, and were last voted as the top team in the country on November 17, 2009.

The Big East and Pac-12 both have five women’s teams in the top 30 to lead all leagues. The Big East sports No. 4 Georgetown, No. 7 Providence, No. 10 Villanova, No. 20 Syracuse, and No. 21 Notre Dame. Along with five in the top 30, the Pac-12 has three in the top ten with Washington, Oregon, and No. 8 Stanford.

After running a low-key competition with Seattle University on August 31st, the Huskies just completed their pre-season camp in Seabrook, Washington and prepare to host the Sundodger Invitational Saturday at Lincoln Park in West Seattle.

In the men's poll, Washington State, under new coach Tim Riley, holds their #26 national ranking.

The top six men’s teams remain unchanged from the preseason poll, including top ranked Wisconsin, No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 3 BYU, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Colorado, and No. 6 Texas.

The Pac-12 leads all conferences with five men’s teams – No. 5 Colorado, No. 9 Stanford, No. 22 Oregon, No. 26 Washington State, and No. 29 UCLA – ranked in the nation’s top 30.

The complete USTFCCCA national rankings are available here.

NOTE: The USTFCCCA contributed to this report.