Zags movin' on up like "The Jeffersons" in the latest USTFCCCA D1 coaches' poll...


NEW ORLEANS--
After Gonzaga's close second place finish at last week's Bill Dellinger Classic in Springfield, it was assumed that the Bulldogs (photo courtesy Gonzaga Athletics) would be movin' on up like George and Louise Jefferson from the 1970s sit-com, "The Jeffersons".


With the release of the USTFCCCA national cross country rankings on Tuesday, the Zags are the highest moving team in the Division I national top 30, moving five spots from 25 to 20.

This is only the third time in program history that the Bulldogs have been ranked in the top-20. Gonzaga climbed the ballot thanks to a close runner-up finish to the Ducks at the Bill Dellinger Invitational, 55-62. The Bulldogs put three runners in the top-5, but saw their next two athletes finish 18th and 32nd for a 43-second gap between its first and fifth runners.

The Washington Huskies remain ranked number 13 in the latest poll, despite being idle the last few weeks.

The nation's top five men's teams are in order: defending champion Northern Arizona, Notre Dame, Stanford, Oklahoma State, and BYU.

Pac-12 teams in the top 30 include number 7 Colorado and number 9 Oregon.  Portland is the only other team besides BYU and Gonzaga ranked in the top 30, dropping three spots to number 22 from 19.

On the women's side, Washington moved up one spot to a tie for number 8 with Michigan in the latest coaches' poll.

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

Utah is the only other Pac-12 team in the top 30, moving all the way up to number 11 from receiving votes, after winning the Bill Dellinger Invitational, while Oregon State and Oregon were bumped out of the national top 30.

Washington's first major test happens this Friday when the Huskies head to South Bend, Indiana for the Joe Piane Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame.

The USTFCCCA Division I poll is available here.

NOTE: The USTFCCCA contributed to this report.

paulmerca.blogspot.com may receive a commission for any purchases made from links clicked. Please support this site and our sponsors by clicking on the links.  


Comments