Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Eric Miller
Mountain West Cross Country Midseason Poll projects Rams’ men first, women fourth
10/5/2017 11:10:00 AM | Cross Country
CSU’s men and women maintain projected positions from preseason poll
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Mountain West coaches continue to rank Colorado State men's cross country as the team to beat in the conference, as the Rams' men were voted the top team in the MW Cross Country Midseason Poll. CSU's women were once again projected as the No. 4 team in the poll, which was released on Thursday.
The 11th-ranked Colorado State men were also projected to be the conference's top team in the Mountain West's preseason coaches' poll, while CSU's women held the same ranking in preseason voting. CSU's men, which received 49 points, widened the gap between them and second-place Boise State to six (CSU previously received 46 points, one point of separation), while the Rams' women are now just one point back of third place with 79 points (previously 10 points behind third place with 71 points).
The only difference in ranking on the women's side is that the Rams are now projected to finish ahead of Air Force and behind Utah State. Air Force's women were picked third in the conference in the preseason, while Utah State was picked fifth on the women's side in preseason polling.
CSU's men's team leads four men's teams in the Mountain West that are ranked by the USTFCCCA. The Rams' No. 11 ranking – their best in 14 years – paces Boise State (No. 15), Air Force (No. 23) and Utah State (No. 27). CSU's women also rank only behind three top-20 teams, No. 3 New Mexico, No. 13 Boise State and No. 19 Utah State.
CSU finished second on the men's side last season, while the Rams' women placed fourth. Five current members of the men's cross country team placed in the top 16 at last season's Mountain West Cross Country Championships, more than any other team in the conference.
Between the cross country and track & field seasons, seven current members of the cross country team have previously earned All-Mountain West honors: Grant Fischer, Darby Gilfillan, Ali Kallner, Macy Kreutz, Jerrell Mock, Cole Rockhold and McKenna Spillar. Additionally, Eric Hamer (15th in 2016) and Carson Hume (16th in 2016) placed just outside of all-conference honors last season. Mock was the 2016 conference champion in cross country, and was the runner-up in 2017.
Among the accomplishments for CSU's cross country teams was the men's first-ever Roy Griak Invitational team title on Sept. 23. Mock became the third athlete to repeat as men's individual champion, 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.
A Mountain West-high four Rams have been named conference athletes of the week thus far in 2017, including Gilfillan, Mock, Spillar and Trent Powell. Mock was also named USTFCCCA NCAA DI Men Athlete of the Week following his Griak win. With this season's 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 returns to competition next week at one of the most competitive meets of the year, the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. The prestigious meet is set for Friday, Oct. 13, and is held from the Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wis. The women's 6k championship race is slated for 11:20 a.m. MT/12:20 p.m. CT, while the men's 8k championship race is set for 12 p.m. MT/1 p.m. CT.
The 11th-ranked Colorado State men were also projected to be the conference's top team in the Mountain West's preseason coaches' poll, while CSU's women held the same ranking in preseason voting. CSU's men, which received 49 points, widened the gap between them and second-place Boise State to six (CSU previously received 46 points, one point of separation), while the Rams' women are now just one point back of third place with 79 points (previously 10 points behind third place with 71 points).
The only difference in ranking on the women's side is that the Rams are now projected to finish ahead of Air Force and behind Utah State. Air Force's women were picked third in the conference in the preseason, while Utah State was picked fifth on the women's side in preseason polling.
CSU's men's team leads four men's teams in the Mountain West that are ranked by the USTFCCCA. The Rams' No. 11 ranking – their best in 14 years – paces Boise State (No. 15), Air Force (No. 23) and Utah State (No. 27). CSU's women also rank only behind three top-20 teams, No. 3 New Mexico, No. 13 Boise State and No. 19 Utah State.
CSU finished second on the men's side last season, while the Rams' women placed fourth. Five current members of the men's cross country team placed in the top 16 at last season's Mountain West Cross Country Championships, more than any other team in the conference.
Between the cross country and track & field seasons, seven current members of the cross country team have previously earned All-Mountain West honors: Grant Fischer, Darby Gilfillan, Ali Kallner, Macy Kreutz, Jerrell Mock, Cole Rockhold and McKenna Spillar. Additionally, Eric Hamer (15th in 2016) and Carson Hume (16th in 2016) placed just outside of all-conference honors last season. Mock was the 2016 conference champion in cross country, and was the runner-up in 2017.
Among the accomplishments for CSU's cross country teams was the men's first-ever Roy Griak Invitational team title on Sept. 23. Mock became the third athlete to repeat as men's individual champion, 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.
A Mountain West-high four Rams have been named conference athletes of the week thus far in 2017, including Gilfillan, Mock, Spillar and Trent Powell. Mock was also named USTFCCCA NCAA DI Men Athlete of the Week following his Griak win. With this season's 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 returns to competition next week at one of the most competitive meets of the year, the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. The prestigious meet is set for Friday, Oct. 13, and is held from the Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wis. The women's 6k championship race is slated for 11:20 a.m. MT/12:20 p.m. CT, while the men's 8k championship race is set for 12 p.m. MT/1 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
CSU Cross Country - 2025 Preseason Press Conference
Wednesday, August 27
Colorado State Cross Country: 2024 Preseason Press Conference
Wednesday, August 14
Colorado State Cross Country: 2023 Preseason Press Conference
Friday, August 18
Colorado State Cross Country: Head Coach Epperson Talks About NCAA Championships
Friday, November 18