Willamette Track Teams Ranked in West Region

By Timothy Walsh, Athletics Communications Writer

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's and women's track and field teams continued to be ranked in the latest NCAA Division III West Region rankings, released this week by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The Willamette women's team held its spot at #4 in the West, while the Bearcat men's team dropped one spot to #7.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) holds the #1 spot in the West Region women's rankings with 482.82 points. George Fox University follows at #2 with 395.41 points, while the University of La Verne (Calif.) is #3 at 352.35.

Willamette is #4 with 333.28 points, and California Lutheran University is #5 with 322.73 points. CLU leapfrogged Whitworth University this week, with the Pirates listed at #6 with 314.85 points.

George Fox, Willamette and Whitworth placed 1-2-3 at the NWC Championships on April 26-27. They are joined in the women's West Region rankings by two other NWC teams. Lewis & Clark College is #8 with 157.93 points, and Pacific Lutheran University is #10 with 156.50 points.

NWC champion Whitworth tops the West Region men's rankings with 641.56 points.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is ranked #2 in the West with 568.31 points. La Verne holds the #3 ranking with 361.95 points, while the University of Redlands (Calif.) is #4 at 280.49 points. Whittier College (Calif.) is #5 in with 208.08 points.

Pacific Lutheran jumped one place to #6 with 195.45 points. The Lutes edged past Willamette by just 0.31 points this week, as the Bearcats took the #7 spot with 195.14 points.

Fellow NWC member Pacific University is ranked #8 with 191.30 points.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse moved up eleven positions this week to take over the nation's #1 ranking in women's track and field with 128.49 points. Wartburg College (Iowa), last week's #1, is now #2 with 118.54 points. Illinois College follows at #3 with 95.95 points, while Ramapo College (N.J.) is #4 with 93.86 points.

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh owns the #5 ranking with 90.33 points.

UW-Oshkosh is #1 in the men's national rankings with 218.36 points. UW-La Crosse is the #2 team with 201.71 points, and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is #3 at 145.97 points. Whitworth is #4 with 122.00 points. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater owns the #5 ranking at 111.23 points.

Willamette's next competition is set for May 9-11, when the Bearcats will host the West Coast Invitational at the Charles Bowles Track. The decathlon and heptathlon will be held on Thursday, May 9 and Friday, May 10, with the remaining events scheduled for Saturday, May 11.