Willamette Track Teams Move Up in West Region Rankings

By John Lind, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- The men's and women's track and field teams at Willamette University both moved up in the latest NCAA Division III West Region rankings released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) this week. The Willamette women's team advanced two spots to #4 in the Region, while the Bearcat men's team went up four spots to #6.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) holds the #1 spot in the West Region women's rankings with 492.32 points. George Fox University follows at #2 with 395.42 points, while the University of La Verne (Calif.) is #3 at 358.07.

Willamette is #4 with 339.42 points and Whitworth University is #5 with 310.99 points. The Pirates narrowly edged out California Lutheran University for the #5 ranking, with CLU listed at #6 with 310.58 points.

George Fox, Willamette and Whitworth placed 1-2-3 at the NWC Championships this past weekend. They are joined in the women's West Region rankings by two other NWC teams. Linfield College is #8 with 162.82 points and Pacific Lutheran University is #9 with 159.85 points.

The West Region men's rankings are topped by Whitworth with 638.54 points. The Pirates won the NWC team title this past weekend.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is ranked #2 in the West Region with 568.78 points. La Verne holds the #3 ranking with 358.82 points, while University of Redlands (Calif.) is #4 at 282.42 points. Whittier College (Calif.) is #5 in the West with 211.90 points and Willamette, which placed second at the NWC Championships, is #6 with 199.12 points.

Whitworth and Willamette are joined in the men's rankings fellow NWC teams Pacific Lutheran and Pacific University. PLU is listed at #7 and Pacific is ranked #8.

Wartburg College (Iowa) holds the nation's #1 ranking in women's track and field with 145.27 points. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh moved up seven positions this week and is #2 with 100.32 points. Illinois College follows at #3 with 99.30 points, while Wheaton College (Mass.) is #4 with 95.26 points.

Ramapo College (N.J.) owns the #5 ranking with 94.55 points. George Fox is #6 at 86.11 points.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is #1 in the men's national rankings with 198.02 points. UW-Oshkosh is the #2 team with 180.43 points and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is #3 at 137.83 points. Whitworth is now #4 with 132.28 points. Whittier advanced three spots this week and is #5 with 113.64 points. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater owns the #6 ranking at 108.19 points.

Willamette's top track and field athletes will compete at the Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on Friday, May 3. The meet is scheduled to begin at 3:40 p.m. (PDT).