Huskies move up one spot to #11 in latest USTFCCCA coaches' poll...
NEW ORLEANS—Despite having the weekend off, the University of Washington women’s cross country team (above/photo by Paul Merca) moved up one spot in the USTFCCCA national coaches’ poll released Tuesday.
The Huskies, who were ranked number 12 after emerging victorious at its own Sundodger Invitational on September 16th, moved to number 11.
The nation’s top five women’s teams in order are Pac-12 champ Colorado, defending national champ Oregon, New Mexico, Michigan, and Stanford.
The other Pac-12 women’s squad ranked in the national top 30 is #27 Utah.
On the men’s side, Washington State maintains its number 11 ranking, despite not racing so far this season.
The nation’s top five men’s teams in order are defending national champion Northern Arizona, Stanford, Syracuse, defending Pac-12 champ Colorado, and Arkansas.
The two other Pac-12 teams ranked in the national top 30 include #8 Oregon, and #23 UCLA.
ALL FIVE WASHINGTON D1 SCHOOLS IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND
All five of Washington’s Division I schools are in action Friday and Saturday, with Washington and Gonzaga heading to Springfield, Oregon for the Bill Dellinger Invitational hosted by the University of Oregon at the Springfield Golf Course, which will host the Pac-12 championship meet four weeks later.
The men’s 8k gets the meet started at 10 am, while the women’s 6k goes an hour later.
Both the Huskies and the Zags will run nearly everyone, with the only significant athlete not competing is Washington’s Fred Huxham. Significant Huskies who are running the race as unattached athletes include freshmen Shona McCullough, Devan Kirk, and Issac Green.
The Dellinger Invitational takes the place on the cross country calendar of the Washington Invitational due to the fact that Oregon is hosting the Pac-12 championship meet.
Besides host Oregon, teams entered in the meet include BYU, Cal Poly, Idaho, Oregon State, Portland, Stanford, and UC Santa Barbara.
Washington State finally gets its season opener Friday as the team travels to South Bend, Indiana for the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational.
The men’s squad will face four nationally ranked teams in the 42-team field, while the women’s team will face a field of 47 teams, including seven nationally-ranked squads.
Eastern Washington makes another trip to Missoula, Montana on Friday for the Montana Invitational hosted by the University of Montana, while Seattle University makes the drive to Salem, Oregon for the Charles Bowles Invitational hosted by Willamette University.
NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Oregon, University of Washington, Washington State, Notre Dame, and the USTFCCCA contributed to this report.
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