By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- After earning second place at the prestigious AAE Invitational in Winneconne, Wisconsin, this past weekend, the Willamette University women's cross country team has moved up to #9 in the NCAA Division III Poll releases by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) through meets on Sunday, Oct. 18. In addition, the Bearcats continued to be ranked #2 in the West Region.
The Bearcats placed in front of 10 nationally-ranked teams at the AAE Invitational. Washington University (Mo.), ranked #5 last week, won the team title. The Bears remained #5 this week.
Leading the women's national rankings is Johns Hopkins University (Md.). JHU received all eight first place votes and a perfect score of 280 points. Williams College (Mass.) was second with 272 points and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was third at 264. MIT moved up one spot form a week ago, while Tufts University (Mass.) dropped one spot to #4 this week with 253 points.
Washington (Mo.) stayed at #5 with 251 points. SUNY Geneseo (N.Y.) was #6 with 239 points, while Middlebury College (Vt.) stayed #7 at 229 and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) remained #8 at 226. Willamette was #9 at 217 after advancing five positions in the poll. University of Chicago (Ill.) moved up three spots to #10 at 207.
Willamette was one of two Northwest Conference teams in the women's national rankings this week. Whitworth University was listed at #12, up form #18 a week ago.
In the women's West Region rankings, the entire top 10 remained the same. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps held at #1, with Willamette at #2 and Whitworth at #3. Colorado College was #4 and University of Redlands (Calif.) was #5.
Joining Willamette and Whitworth as NWC teams in the regional rankings were Whitman College at #8 and Linfield College at #9.
Willamette's next competition will be at the 2015 NWC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 31 in Parkland, Washington. The meet, hosted by Pacific Lutheran University and set for the PLU South Park, will begin at 10 a.m. (PDT).
