Unranked Zags rocket to number 15 in latest USTFCCCA Division I cross country poll...

NEW ORLEANS--With the final set of championship cross country meets slated for the next few days before the NCAA track and cross country committee selects the teams for the NCAA Division I championships on March 15th in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the USTFCCCA revealed its latest national coaches' poll Wednesday.

After finishing second in the West Coast Conference championship meet behind number one ranked BYU and upending number eight ranked Portland, Pat Tyson's Gonzaga Bulldogs made one of the biggest leaps in the national coaches' poll, rocketing all the way to number 15 after being unranked in the last poll.

The Zags were led by the 2-4 finish by James Mwaura and Yacine Guermali (photo by Paul Merca), as they pulled three other teammates to a top 20 finish.

The Washington Huskies moved up one spot to number eight, despite not competing since the Silver State Collegiate Invitational in early February.

The nation's top five men's teams are in order: BYU, Northern Arizona, Arkansas, Stanford & Tulsa.

Other teams from the Pac-12 include number 9 Colorado, and number 12 Oregon. Portland at number 16 is the only other nationally ranked team from the West region.

The Washington women's team dropped three spots to number 12 after their sixth place finish at the Battle Born Collegiate Challenge in Las Vegas.

The nation's top five women's teams are in order: Arkansas, BYU, New Mexico, NC State, and Stanford.

Other teams from the Pac-12 in the national top 30 include number 6 Colorado, and number 24 Oregon State.

Teams ranked from the West region include number 11 Boise State, number 21 Portland and number 26 San Francisco.

The USTFCCCA release is available here.

EUROPEAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS START THURSDAY IN TORUN, POLAND...

The European Athletics indoor championship meet starts its four-day run Thursday in Torun, Poland.

University of Washington alum Amy-Eloise (Neale) Markovc of Great Britain opens up competition in the first round of the women's 3000, as she runs in the first of two heats, which starts at 7:30 pm local time (10:30 am in Seattle). The top 4 places, plus the four fastest times advance to Friday night's final at 9 pm local time (noon in Seattle).

On Friday, Marta Pen Freitas of Portugal & the Seattle based Brooks Beasts runs in the third of three first round heats of the women's 1500 at 12:42 pm local time (3:42 am in Seattle). Immediately after Pen Freitas' race, former WSU volunteer coach Liga Velvere of Latvia goes in her first round heat of the 800 meters.

Washington alum Jack Rowe of Great Britain is entered in one of three heats of the men's 3000 on Saturday March 6th starting at 2:25 am Seattle time (11:25 am local time), with the final on Sunday at 8:52 Seattle time (5:52 pm local time).

The home page of the European Athletics Indoor championships, along with links to live results and streaming information, is available here.

NOTE: The USTFCCCA and European Athletics contributed to this report.

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