Falcons and Vikings remain in the USTFCCCA national top 25 after regionals...

Dania Holmberg (270) and Kate Lilly of
Seattle Pacific (photo courtesy SPU)

NEW ORLEANS—After the conclusion of the various regional championships around the country last Saturday, the Western Washington men’s and women’s cross country teams, as well as the Seattle Pacific women’s team, remain among the nation’s top 25 Division II, according to the latest USTFCCCA Division II coaches’ poll released Wednesday.

Northwest Nazarene, which only finished fifth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship meet, stirred the pot in the West Regionals in Monmouth, Oregon last weekend with their unlooked-for second place finish and an automatic bid to the national championships in Sacramento on November 23rd.

Their efforts were rewarded by the panel of voters, as they rocketed all the way up to number 13 after being unranked all season.

Seattle Pacific, which finished fifth in the West Regionals, dropped two spots in the national poll to number 16, with fellow GNAC member Alaska Anchorage one spot ahead at number 15.

Both Alaska Anchorage and Seattle Pacific dropped two spots from the previous poll.

GNAC champion Western Washington dropped seven spots to number 18 in the latest poll after their seventh place finish in the regionals.

Despite their seventh place finish at regionals, the Vikings’ total body of work over the course of the regular season was good enough to secure an at-large berth to the NCAA D2 national championship meet in Sacramento.

The nation’s top five women’s teams in order are: Adams State, Grand Valley State, Colorado School of Mines, West regional champ Chico State, and Augustana (S. Dakota).

The Viking men’s squad, which finished fifth in Monmouth, dropped one spot in the national poll to number 22, and are the only team from the GNAC ranked.

The national top five are: Colorado School of Mines, West champion Chico State, Grand Valley State, Western Colorado, and Adams State.

The USTFCCCA release is available here.

NOTE:  The USTFCCCA and the sports information offices of Seattle Pacific and Western Washington contributed to this report.