Willamette Cross Country Teams are Ranked #4 in West Region

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Both of Willamette University's cross country teams are ranked #4 in the West Region of NCAA Division III this week according to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Bearcat men's team, which won its fifth consecutive Northwest Conference title this past weekend, moved up one spot from the previous poll. The WU women's team, which placed second at the NWC Championships, remained fourth in the rankings.

Holding the top spot on the West Region men's rankings was Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.), which moved up from the #1 spot after winning the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title over the weekend. Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) slipped from #1 to #2.

Whittier College (Calif.) remained at #3, while Willamette took over at #4. Pacific Lutheran University, which placed second behind the Bearcats in the NWC, went from unranked to #5 in the West Region.

Occidental College (Calif.) dropped two spots to #6, while Colorado College fell one spot to #7. Rounding out the West Region rankings were Whitman College at #8, Whitworth University at #9 and Lewis & Clark College at #10. L&C moved down from #7 in the last poll, while Whitman and Whitworth did not change.

Three West Region men's teams were ranked nationally this week. CMS was listed at #8, up eight spots from the previous poll. Pomona-Pitzer was #10 after falling four places. Whittier advanced eight positions to #24 in the poll.

In the West Region women's rankings, all 10 teams remained the same. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps retained the #1 ranking, with Colorado College at #2 and Whitworth at #3. Willamette was #4 and Pomona-Pitzer was #5.

University of California, Santa Cruz followed at #6, while Occidental stayed at #7. University of Redlands (Calif.) held the #8 rankings, with Linfield College at #9 and Whitman at #10.

The women's NCAA Division III National Rankings included Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at #12, Colorado College at #23 and Whitworth at #32. CMS slipped two positions from a week ago, while Colorado College moved up four places and Whitworth dropped one spot.

Willamette will host the NCAA Division III West Regional at Bush's Pasture Park in Salem, Oregon, on Saturday, Nov. 12. The first race is scheduled for 10 a.m. (PST). The top two teams in each race will receive automatic bids to the 2016 NCAA Division III Championships, set for Nov. 19 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Last year, the Willamette women's team won the West Region title, while the Bearcat men's team took third place. Both teams went on to compete at the 2015 NCAA Division III Championships, with the WU women taking 10th place and the men's team finishing 28th in the nation. Olivia Mancl (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) earned All-America honors by placing second in the women's 6-kilometer race.