UW's big win at Washington Invitational catapults Dawgs to 4th in USTFCCCA national poll...

The University of Washington women's team used their win
at its own Invitational to move to #4 in the USTFCCCA poll
(Paul Merca photo)

NEW ORLEANS—The University of Washington women’s cross country team’s convincing victory at its own Washington Invitational last Saturday was rewarded by the voters of the USTFCCCA national coaches’ poll, as the Huskies moved up eight spots to a season-high #4 ranking, matching the Dawgs’ highest ranking since the 2012 season.

In the national coaches’ poll released Tuesday, the nation’s #1 team is Providence, followed by defending Pac-12 champs Colorado, followed by NC State, Washington and the University of Portland.

Other Pac-12 teams ranked in the women’s national top 30 include #7 Stanford, which dropped 1 spot; #9 Oregon, which dropped five spots; and #23 Utah, which moved up five spots.

In the national men’s poll, the Huskies, who finished third behind Oregon and Colorado State at its own invitational last weekend, did not lose any significant ground, as they dropped two spots to #23.

The national voters did not take Washington State’s seventh place finish at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational too kindly, as the Cougars dropped from #24 to just outside the national top 30 as the top school receiving votes.

The nation’s top five schools in this week’s poll are Northern Arizona, Syracuse, BYU, Oregon, and Arkansas.

Other Pac-12 schools in the national top 30 include #6 Colorado, #11 Stanford, and #27 UCLA.

The USTFCCCA national men’s poll is available here, while the women’s poll is available here.

All five of Washington’s NCAA D1 schools are off this weekend.  Washington and Washington State will be at the Wisconsin Invitational on October 14th in Madison, while Gonzaga will be at the Pre-Nationals the following day in Terre Haute, Indiana.  Eastern Washington will be at the Inland Empire Classic in Lewiston on the 15th, along with split squads from Gonzaga and WSU.  Seattle University will host the Emerald City Open at Lower Woodland Park on the 15th.

NOTE:  The USTFCCCA contributed to this report.