Colorado State University Athletics
Rams’ men move up to No. 8 in week six USTFCCCA national coaches’ poll
10/31/2017 4:11:00 PM | Cross Country
CSU’s men match program’s highest ranking all-time from the USTFCCCA
NEW ORLEANS – Fresh off the program's first Mountain West cross country title, the Colorado State men's cross country team has risen to No. 8 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association's (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll. The organization released its week six rankings on Tuesday.
Colorado State's current No. 8 ranking matches its highest position all-time in a USTFCCCA cross country coaches' poll, and the Rams' peak position under sixth-year head coach Art Siemers. The only other time the Rams have been ranked at No. 8 was in week two of the 2003 cross country season.
Overall, CSU has risen 10 spots from its preseason ranking of No. 18. The Rams had been ranked at that position for the first three polls (including preseason) before rising to No. 15 in week three after a team championship at the Roy Griak Invitational. The Rams then surged to No. 11 in week four before a No. 9 ranking in week five and its current No. 8 ranking.
The CSU men have now been ranked for 36 consecutive regular-season polls under Siemers, dating back to the week three rankings in 2013. Additionally, CSU has now been ranked within the top 20 for 10 consecutive polls, dating back to week five of the 2016 season. The Rams remain the highest-ranked men's cross country team of any Mountain West school, topping Air Force (No. 16), Utah State (No. 23) and Boise State (No. 26).
Regionally, the Rams' men remain at fourth in the Mountain Region in the USTFCCCA's 2017 NCAA Division I Week Six Regional Rankings, while the Rams' women checked in at No. 10. CSU's men rank only behind No. 1 Northern Arizona, No. 2 BYU and No. 5 Colorado in the Mountain Region.
CSU's men were most recently in action at the Mountain West Cross Country Championships, where a dominant performance led to the Rams' first men's MW cross country title. Jerrell Mock took first place to become the third two-time individual champion in conference history, while Cole Rockhold followed him in second. Eric Hamer claimed fifth place, while Grant Fischer took eighth to give the Rams half of the top eight finishers. Trent Powell Rounded out CSU scorers in 15th place.
CSU's rise in the rankings can also be traced back to the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, where the Rams placed sixth of 35 teams. The Rams toppled 14 ranked teams in the NCAA Championships-caliber field, including then-No. 6 Southern Utah, and placed behind only current No. 1 Northern Arizona, No. 3 Syracuse, No. 4 Stanford, No. 6 Portland and No. 7 Furman. Mock (16th), Rockhold (27th) and Hamer (49th) finished in the top 50 of 234 runners.
The historic season for CSU cross country began with the men's first-ever Roy Griak Invitational team title. Mock became the third athlete to repeat as men's individual champion in meet history, while CSU became the first program in meet history to have the individual champion in three consecutive seasons. Former CSU All-American Jefferson Abbey started that streak in 2015.
The Rams have had four Mountain West athletes of the week in 2017, which is tied for the most in the conference this season. Included among those athletes are Mock, Darby Gilfillan, Powell and McKenna Spillar. Mock has also received national recognition this season, as he was named USTFCCCA NCAA DI Men Athlete of the Week following his Griak win. With this season's league honors, CSU is the only current conference member to sweep MW weekly honors outright twice in a single season.
The Colorado State cross country team continues its 2017 campaign on Friday, Nov. 10 at the NCAA Mountain Regional. The meet is slated to be held from Utah State's Steve and Dona Reeder Cross Country Course in Logan, Utah.
Colorado State's current No. 8 ranking matches its highest position all-time in a USTFCCCA cross country coaches' poll, and the Rams' peak position under sixth-year head coach Art Siemers. The only other time the Rams have been ranked at No. 8 was in week two of the 2003 cross country season.
Overall, CSU has risen 10 spots from its preseason ranking of No. 18. The Rams had been ranked at that position for the first three polls (including preseason) before rising to No. 15 in week three after a team championship at the Roy Griak Invitational. The Rams then surged to No. 11 in week four before a No. 9 ranking in week five and its current No. 8 ranking.
The CSU men have now been ranked for 36 consecutive regular-season polls under Siemers, dating back to the week three rankings in 2013. Additionally, CSU has now been ranked within the top 20 for 10 consecutive polls, dating back to week five of the 2016 season. The Rams remain the highest-ranked men's cross country team of any Mountain West school, topping Air Force (No. 16), Utah State (No. 23) and Boise State (No. 26).
Regionally, the Rams' men remain at fourth in the Mountain Region in the USTFCCCA's 2017 NCAA Division I Week Six Regional Rankings, while the Rams' women checked in at No. 10. CSU's men rank only behind No. 1 Northern Arizona, No. 2 BYU and No. 5 Colorado in the Mountain Region.
CSU's men were most recently in action at the Mountain West Cross Country Championships, where a dominant performance led to the Rams' first men's MW cross country title. Jerrell Mock took first place to become the third two-time individual champion in conference history, while Cole Rockhold followed him in second. Eric Hamer claimed fifth place, while Grant Fischer took eighth to give the Rams half of the top eight finishers. Trent Powell Rounded out CSU scorers in 15th place.
CSU's rise in the rankings can also be traced back to the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, where the Rams placed sixth of 35 teams. The Rams toppled 14 ranked teams in the NCAA Championships-caliber field, including then-No. 6 Southern Utah, and placed behind only current No. 1 Northern Arizona, No. 3 Syracuse, No. 4 Stanford, No. 6 Portland and No. 7 Furman. Mock (16th), Rockhold (27th) and Hamer (49th) finished in the top 50 of 234 runners.
The historic season for CSU cross country began with the men's first-ever Roy Griak Invitational team title. Mock became the third athlete to repeat as men's individual champion in meet history, while CSU became the first program in meet history to have the individual champion in three consecutive seasons. Former CSU All-American Jefferson Abbey started that streak in 2015.
The Rams have had four Mountain West athletes of the week in 2017, which is tied for the most in the conference this season. Included among those athletes are Mock, Darby Gilfillan, Powell and McKenna Spillar. Mock has also received national recognition this season, as he was named USTFCCCA NCAA DI Men Athlete of the Week following his Griak win. With this season's league honors, CSU is the only current conference member to sweep MW weekly honors outright twice in a single season.
The Colorado State cross country team continues its 2017 campaign on Friday, Nov. 10 at the NCAA Mountain Regional. The meet is slated to be held from Utah State's Steve and Dona Reeder Cross Country Course in Logan, Utah.
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