The Adams State College men’s cross country team that has been off since Oct. 3 remained as the top team in the nation and the Central Region according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings that were released by the organization this week.

The Grizzlies, who are the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, have now been ranked first in the country for 12 straight polls dating back more than a year to Oct. 8, 2008.  They have now been ranked first in the region for 16 straight polls dating back to the start of the 2008 campaign.

There was little movement in both sets of rankings as the top three teams in the Central Regional rankings and the top six in the national poll all remained steady.

ASC’s arch-rival Western State remained second in both polls while fellow Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foe Colorado Mines remained ranked third in the region and fifth nationally.

The Nebraska-Kearney Lopers did move up to a season-high fourth in the regional rankings and are still ranked 25th nationally while former No. 21 Augustana (S.D.), the former fourth-ranked team in the region, fell down to the seventh spot in the region and out of the national poll.

Minnesota State-Mankato is now ranked fifth in the region while Minnesota State-Moorhead is tabbed sixth.

Fort Lewis and Metro State, who also compete in the RMAC, are now ranked eighth and ninth in the region while Minnesota-Duluth dropped a spot to tenth.

Chico State (Calif.) and Grand Valley State (Mich.) remained as the No. 3 and 4 teams in the national rankings, respectively, while Queens (N.C.) stayed in the sixth spot.  Western Washington moved up one spot to No. 7 while Massachusetts-Lowell jumped up four spots to No. 8.   New No. 9 Southern Indiana and now Stonehill (Mass.) switched spots while rounding out the top 10.

The Grizzlies next race is on Oct. 24 at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships at Washington Park in Denver.  They will be gunning for a fifth straight and 32nd overall conference title.

The NCAA Division II Central Regional Championships are slated for Nov. 7 in Wayne, Neb. and will send five men’s teams to the Nov. 21 NCAA Division II National Championships in Evansville, Ind.

The Grizzly women are still ranked first in the region and fourth in the nation.

–Courtesy Adams State Athletics

MEN’S & WOMEN’S RANKINGS