Jayhawks Climb in National Team Rankings

April 27, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

The Kansas men’s track and field team moved up three spots in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division I national team rankings, as it claimed the No. 23 spot, which is the Jayhawks’ best showing so far in the 2010 outdoor season.

The USTFCCCA team rankings are determined using mathematical formulae based on the NCAA descending order list. With eight athletes and one relay team currently ranked in the top 48 in the nation, the Jayhawks earned a respectable 90.27 total points, which propelled them into the coveted Top 25 list.

Those contributing the most points to the Jayhawks’ score were freshman Mason Finley and senior Jordan Scott.

Finley, who was honored Tuesday as the Co-Male Big 12 Athlete of Week, compiled 41.21 total points for his efforts in the discus and shot put. Finley is third in the discus on the NCAA descending order list for his season-best throw of 196-4 ft., while ranking 10^th in the shot put with a mark of 60-04.50 ft.

Scott garnered 34.98 points, as he is tied for the top mark in the nation in the pole vault. Scott earned that mark at the Texas Relays, where he cleared a career-best 18-08.75 ft.

Others who earned significant points toward this week’s rankings include freshman Kyle Clemons, sophomore Keith Hayes and senior Brian Bishop. Clemons owns the No. 21 spot on the descending order list in the 400-meter dash, while Hayes is 19^th in the 110-meter hurdles.

Along with Finley, Bishop is making waves in the discus, as he is ranked 21^st in the nation with a season-best mark of 183-3 ft.

Next up for the No. 23 Kansas track and field team is the Arkansas Twilight in Fayetteville, Ark., on Friday, April 30. This meet marks the final outing for the Jayhawks before the 2010 Big 12 Outdoor Championships in Columbia, Mo., May 14-16. Between the men and women, Kansas currently has 25 athletes and three relay teams ranked in the top 10 on the Big 12 outdoor performance list.