Both Viking cross country teams at number 11 in latest USTFCCCA D2 national coaches' poll...

NEW ORLEANS--Both Western Washington cross country teams, which were idle last weekend, are ranked number 11 in the latest USTFCCCA Division II rankings, which released Wednesday.

The Viking women's squad (Paul Merca photo), which is still the number one team out of the West Region, maintained its position in the national poll from last week.

The nation's top five women's teams, are in order: Adams State, Grand Valley State, CSU Pueblo, Augustana (South Dakota), and Colorado School of Mines.

Alaska-Fairbanks is the only other team besides Western Washington from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference ranked, sitting at number 19.

In the men's poll, Western dropped two spots from number 9 to 11, thanks to Lee (Tennessee)'s performance at the Live in the Lou Invitational in Louisville, where they finished third.

Lee jumped up from number 12 to number 8 after their performance, where they were the number two D2 team in the field, behind winner Michigan, and second place West Texas A&M, who is ranked number two in Division II.

The nation's top five men's D2 teams are in order: Wingate, West Texas A&M, Colorado School of Mines, Grand Valley State, and Western Colorado.

The Vikings are the only GNAC team in the national top 30.

Both Western Washington teams, along with the Seattle Pacific women's squad, will head to Illinois for the Lewis Crossover on Saturday.

At the Lewis Crossover, ten teams in the women's national top 30 are entered, while 14 nationally ranked squads are in the men's field.

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

NOTE: The USTFCCCA, and Western Washington University contributed to this report.

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