By John Lind, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's and women's track and field teams are ranked in the West Region of NCAA Division III in the 2013 outdoor rankings released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) this week. The Bearcat women's team is ranked #5 in the Region, while the Willamette men's team is ranked #9.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) remains #1 in the West Region women's rankings with 511.70 points. George Fox University is listed at #2 with 426.07 points and the University of La Verne (Calif.) is #3 at 366.65. California Lutheran University is ranked #4 with 305.58 points and Willamette trails closely at #5 with 303.39 points.

In addition to George Fox and Willamette, other Northwest Conference teams listed in the women's regional rankings are Whitworth at #6, Lewis & Clark College at #9 and Linfield College at #10.

The West Region men's rankings are led by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with 596.86 points.

Whitworth University follows at #2 with 588.02 points. La Verne is #3 with 355.37 points, while the University of Redlands (Calif.) is listed at #4 with 308.94 points and Whittier is ranked #5 at 216.71 points. Willamette is #9 with 165.63 points.

Northwest Conference teams in the men's regional rankings include Whitworth and Willamette, as well as the Pacific Lutheran University at #6, Pacific (Ore.) University at #8 and the University of Puget Sound at #10.

In the women's national rankings, Wartburg College (Iowa) is the #1 team with 222.71 points. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is listed at #2 with 142.10 points and Illinois College is #3 at 98.98. Williams College (Mass.) holds down the #4 spot with 95.74 points, and George Fox University is #5 with 88.01 points.

UW-Oshkosh, which moved up one spot from a week ago, currently owns the #1 position in the men's national rankings with 175.18 points. University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, up two spots to #2 in the rankings, has 173.33 points.

North Central College (Ill.) is #3 in the men's rankings with 157.62 points and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater holds #4 with 152.88 points. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is #5 with 109.77 points.

The Bearcats will host the Northwest Conference Championships at the Charles Bowles Track on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27.