CRAIG PADGETT
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. – The Indiana State men's cross country team will remained tenth in the latest Great Lakes Region Cross Country rankings which were released September 16, by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The top five teams in the men's rankings were led by Sycamore Invitational champions Wisconsin, followed by Notre Dame in second, Indiana in third, University of Michigan in fourth, and Michigan State rounding out the top five.
The Sycamores were ranked tenth in the pre-season polls and held that same position after their first two meets. The Sycamores won the Evansville Mid-American Opener 2 weeks ago and lost to #7 Nationally; #1 Great Lakes Region Wisconsin on Saturday at the Sycamore Invitational.
“We held steady in the rankings this week, some teams shifted around us, but we held our position at tenth,” said Head Coach John McNichols. “Us holding our position really shows we held strong against a tough Wisconsin team. This weekend however, will be really telling for our team as we take on three regionally ranked squads. It will show us if we belong in our position and will show if the teams in front and behind us belong where they're ranked.”
Besides the Sycamores, four other Valley schools were represented in the latest edition of region rankings as the rest came from the Midwest Region. Southern Illinois led the Valley schools in the Midwest region with their seventh place ranking, followed by Loyola-Chicago in eighth. Illinois State entered the rankings at 13th, as well as Bradley at 14th. Wichita State rounded out the rankings at 15th.
The women were unranked in the region rankings, which was the case in the pre-season rankings as well. The women finished second at the Evansville Mid-American Opener 2 weeks ago and lost to Wisconsin at the Sycamore Invitational this weekend.
Michigan State led the women in the Great Lakes, followed by Michigan in second, Notre Dame in third, Butler in fourth, and Toledo rounded out the top five.
The Valley was represented well in the Midwest region as four teams made the rankings, with Bradley leading the way in seventh, followed by Illinois State in eighth, Loyola-Chicago was 11th, and Southern Illinois 14th.
The Sycamore men and women were ranked second and sixth in the most recent Missouri Valley rankings.
The Sycamores will have a great opportunity to shake up the rankings when they head to the Indiana Intercollegiate meet this Friday. On the men's side #3 Indiana, #7 Butler, #8 Purdue, and #10 Indiana State will face off as the Regionally ranked squads. The women will consists of #4 Butler, #7 Indiana, and #14 Purdue.
