NEW ORLEANS, LA. – The University of Sioux Falls men's cross country team, which opened the season by winning the Augustana Twilight Invitational on Sept. 4, has retained its #9 ranking in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA DII Poll, which was released today.
In the USTFCC's preseason poll, the Cougars received 132 vote points. In the first regular season poll by the USTFCCA, the Cougars received more support, pushing their vote total to 134 points.
The rest of the top 10 includes: Adams State, 1st, 200; Grand Valley State, 2nd, 191; Chico State, 3rd, 180; Colorado Mines, 4th, 173; and Augustana, 5th, 172.
In the rest of the top 10 were schools Southern Indiana, 6th, 158. Alaska Anchorage, 7th, 151; Western State, 8th, 147; Sioux Falls, 9th, 134 and Cal Poly Pomona, 10th, 127.
In their first meet of the season, the USF men's cross country team had four runners among the top 11 to win the men's collegiate division team title at the Augustana Twilight Invite. USF finished first in the team points race with 56 which was 18 points better than Augustana, the meet host which was second with 74.
The Cougars were led by the core of a team that finished second in the NSIC and Central Region and a program-best eighth nationally in 2014. Sophomore Jase Kraft, who was named the NSIC Athlete of the Week on Sept. 9, was fourth overall in the collegiate division, covering the four mile race in 19:25.85. Senior Ethan Tabbert was ninth (19:58.12) with senior DII All-American Matthew Horan finishing 10th (19:58.64) and sophomore Jacob Benson, 11th (20:06.60). Also in the top 50 were a trio of freshman, including Mason Phillips, 22nd (20:23.75); Billy Beseman, 32nd (20:41.58) and Steven Brown, 48th (20:52.71).
Earlier this fall, the Cougars were picked to finished second in a preseason poll by NSIC coaches.
Next up for the USF cross country will be a road trip to Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo., on Saturday, Sept. 19.
