Colorado State University Athletics
Rams' men rise to No. 15 in USTFCCCA’s week three national rankings
9/26/2017 3:19:00 PM | Cross Country
USTFCCCA Women's National RankingsUSTFCCCA Men's National RankingsUSTFCCCA Women's Regional RankingsUSTFCCCA Men's Regional Rankings
CSU’s men have highest week three ranking since 2003; Rams’ women receiving votes for first time since 2010
NEW ORLEANS – The Colorado State men's cross country team rose three spots to No. 15 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association's (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll. The organization's week three poll was released on Tuesday.
Colorado State had been ranked at No. 18 on the men's side for the first three polls (including preseason) before rising to No. 15 this week. CSU's No. 15 ranking is its highest position in week three since 2003, and is the second-highest ranking for the Rams in any week under sixth-year head coach Art Siemers (ranked 14th in week seven last season).
The CSU men have now been ranked for 33 consecutive regular-season polls under Siemers, dating back to the week three rankings in 2013. Additionally, CSU has been ranked within the top 20 for seven 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 conference foes Boise State (No. 26) and Air Force (receiving votes).
CSU is also receiving votes on the women's side, marking the first time that the Rams' women have received votes in a USTFCCCA poll since 2010. Before this season, CSU women's and men's cross country teams had not been ranked or receiving votes at the same time since 2005.
The Rams' men remained ranked at fifth in the Mountain Region in the USTFCCCA's 2017 NCAA Division I Week Three Regional Rankings, while the Rams' women remained ranked at No. 6 regionally. CSU has been ranked at fifth on the men's side each week this season, while the Rams' women have been ranked at No. 6 in the region for each of the past three weeks. The Rams' women opened the season at No. 7 in the Mountain Region.
Last time out, CSU's men won their first-ever team title at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational. The Rams' women placed sixth as a team, improving seven spots on their team finish at the 2016 Griak. Among the teams that CSU topped on the men's side were then-No. 20 UCLA and then-No. 25 Michigan State.
Jerrell Mock led the Rams by defending his 2016 Roy Griak Invitational championship with another individual title at the 2017 meet on Saturday. In doing so, the senior became the third-ever individual to repeat as men's champion and the first since 2002-03 (BYU's Kip Kangogo). Additionally, CSU became the first program in meet history to have the individual men's Griak champion in three consecutive seasons. Former CSU All-American Jefferson Abbey started that streak with his Griak title in 2015.
On the women's side, McKenna Spillar paced the Rams to their sixth-place team finish with a top-30 performance at the Griak. Each of Spillar and Mock were named the Mountain West Cross Country Athletes of the Week, as the Rams swept weekly conference honors for the second time this season. Mock was also named the USTFCCCA NCAA DI Men Athlete of the Week for his historic Griak win.
The Colorado State cross country team has nearly three weeks away from competition before returning to action at one of the most competitive meets of the year, the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. The prestigious meet is held from the Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wis.
Colorado State had been ranked at No. 18 on the men's side for the first three polls (including preseason) before rising to No. 15 this week. CSU's No. 15 ranking is its highest position in week three since 2003, and is the second-highest ranking for the Rams in any week under sixth-year head coach Art Siemers (ranked 14th in week seven last season).
The CSU men have now been ranked for 33 consecutive regular-season polls under Siemers, dating back to the week three rankings in 2013. Additionally, CSU has been ranked within the top 20 for seven 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 conference foes Boise State (No. 26) and Air Force (receiving votes).
CSU is also receiving votes on the women's side, marking the first time that the Rams' women have received votes in a USTFCCCA poll since 2010. Before this season, CSU women's and men's cross country teams had not been ranked or receiving votes at the same time since 2005.
The Rams' men remained ranked at fifth in the Mountain Region in the USTFCCCA's 2017 NCAA Division I Week Three Regional Rankings, while the Rams' women remained ranked at No. 6 regionally. CSU has been ranked at fifth on the men's side each week this season, while the Rams' women have been ranked at No. 6 in the region for each of the past three weeks. The Rams' women opened the season at No. 7 in the Mountain Region.
Last time out, CSU's men won their first-ever team title at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational. The Rams' women placed sixth as a team, improving seven spots on their team finish at the 2016 Griak. Among the teams that CSU topped on the men's side were then-No. 20 UCLA and then-No. 25 Michigan State.
Jerrell Mock led the Rams by defending his 2016 Roy Griak Invitational championship with another individual title at the 2017 meet on Saturday. In doing so, the senior became the third-ever individual to repeat as men's champion and the first since 2002-03 (BYU's Kip Kangogo). Additionally, CSU became the first program in meet history to have the individual men's Griak champion in three consecutive seasons. Former CSU All-American Jefferson Abbey started that streak with his Griak title in 2015.
On the women's side, McKenna Spillar paced the Rams to their sixth-place team finish with a top-30 performance at the Griak. Each of Spillar and Mock were named the Mountain West Cross Country Athletes of the Week, as the Rams swept weekly conference honors for the second time this season. Mock was also named the USTFCCCA NCAA DI Men Athlete of the Week for his historic Griak win.
The Colorado State cross country team has nearly three weeks away from competition before returning to action at one of the most competitive meets of the year, the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. The prestigious meet is held from the Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wis.
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