UNCG women debut, men rise in latest USTFCCCA rankings
NEW ORLEANS, La. – For the first time in school history both the men's and women's cross country teams are ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association regional rankings, the organization announced on Monday.
The men's team moved up to No. 11 in the Southeast Region, which is the best ranking for the program in school history. The women's team also appeared in the rankings for the first time in UNCG history at No. 15 in the Southeast Region.
"It's nice to see the men move up to an all-time high in the regional rankings," said coach Linh Nguyen. "We didn't have a complete race this past weekend and I think we can be a lot better than we are if we keep working hard. The important thing is that we're making progress and we have six weeks until the regional championship when everything really counts."
The men's team is one of three teams from the Southern Conference in the rankings. Davidson stayed put at No. 9 in the poll, while Furman jumped into the rankings at No. 12.
"It's also great for the women to be regionally ranked for the first time ever," said Nguyen. "This is the hardest working and most motivated team I've ever coached. Rankings are more of a compliment to the hard work and dedication that you've already put in than they are predictions of future results. So, this is a nice acknowledgement of the things our women have worked hard for over the past year."
The only other team in the SoCon in the women's region is Furman who moved up one spot to No. 10.
The Spartans will return to action this weekend at the Wilbur Ross Invite in Winston-Salem.
AGATE
USTFCCCA Men's Division I Southeast Region rankings:
Rank School Location Conference Last Week
1 NC State Raleigh, N.C. ACC 1
2 North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. ACC 4
3 E. Kentucky Richmond, Ky. Ohio Valley 3
4 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Va. ACC 6
5 Duke Durham, N.C. ACC 8
6 Virginia Charlottesville, Va. ACC 2
7 Louisville Louisville, Ky. Big East 5
8 William & Mary Williamsburg, Va. Colonial 7
9 Davidson Davidson, N.C. Southern 9
10 Liberty Lynchburg, Va. Big South NR
11 UNCG Greensboro, N.C. Southern 13
12 Kentucky Lexington, Ky. SEC NR
13 Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C. ACC 11
14 Furman Greensville, S.C. Southern NR
15 Richmond Richmond, Va. Atlantic 10 12
USTFCCCA Women's Division I Southeast Region rankings:
Rank School Location Conference Last Week
1 North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. ACC 2
2 Virginia Charlottesville, Va. ACC 3
3 Clemson Clemson, S.C. ACC 4
4 Duke Durham, N.C. ACC 1
5 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Va. ACC 5
6 NC State Raleigh, N.C. ACC 7
7 James Madison Harrisonburg, Va. Colonial 6
8 Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C. ACC 9
9 East Carolina Greenville, N.C. C-USA 10
10 Furman Greensville, S.C. Southern 11
11 William & Mary Williamsburg, Va. Colonial 12
12 Richmond Richmond, Va. Atlantic 10 8
13 W. Kentucky Bowling Green, Ky. Sun Belt NR
14 E. Kentucky Richmond, Ky. Ohio Valley NR
15 UNCG Greensboro, N.C. Southern NR
- UNCG -