KU Women Ranked in Top Five, Men Up to 23 in Latest National Rankings

May 1, 2012

Week 5 USTFCCCA Rankings

National Track and Field Rankings May 1, 2012

USTFCCCA Weekly Rankings (Top 10) WOMEN No. School Conf. Last 1. Texas Big 12 3 2. Clemson ACC 1 3. Florida SEC 4 4. LSU SEC 2 5. Kansas Big 12 7 6 Texas A&M Big 12 6 7. Oregon Pac 12 5 8. Arizona Pac 12 8 9. Texas Tech Big 12 11 10. Arkansas SEC 9 MEN 1. Florida SEC 2 2. Texas A&M Big 12 1 3. Arizona State Pac 12 3 4. USC Pac 12 6 5. Florida State ACC 5 6. LSU SEC 4 7. Indiana Big Ten 7 8. Mississippi SEC 11 9. Mississippi State SEC 8 10. Texas Tech Big 12 9 23. Kansas Big 12 25

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Both of Kansas’ track and field teams jumped several spots in this week’s U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings that were released Tuesday morning. The KU women moved up to No. 5, the highest ranking for any Kansas team – men’s or women’s – since the ranking system began five years ago. The men moved up to No. 23, marking their highest spot in the rankings this season.

The KU women’s team has been ranked in the USTFCCCA’s top 10 in five of the six weekly rankings released this outdoor season. The Jayhawks jumped two spots after a host of women rose in the individual national rankings following a successful weekend at three different meets. Sophomore Diamond Dixon currently sits in the nation’s top 10 in three events; the 400 meters (No. 2), the 200 meters (No. 10) and the 4×400-meter relay (No. 4). Dixon’s 400-meter time of 51.80 makes her the sixth-fastest American, professional or collegiate, in 2012.

Last weekend junior Andrea Geubelle notched the nation’s leading triple jump mark at 13.55 meters (44-05.50 ft.). She also sits at No. 8 in the NCAA in the long jump with a season-best leap of 6.50 meters (21-04.00 ft.). Senior Rebeka Stowe stormed up to No. 3 in the NCAA following her school-record performance in the Steeplechase at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Her time is the 13^th-fastest run in the world this year and gives her an automatic spot to the Olympic Trials later this summer. A pair of throwers round out the Jayhawks who are sitting in the nation’s top-five. Junior Heather Bergmann sits at No. 4 in the javelin and senior Alena Krechyk boasts the nation’s No. 5 hammer throw mark.

The Kansas men had been holding steady at the No. 25 spot in four of the six weekly polls this season, but leaped to the No. 23 spot this week. The Jayhawks made the leap with 88 points after several strong performances this past weekend. KU’s men’s team has seven athletes ranked in eight different events in the Top 15 of the West Region entering the week ahead. Junior Mason Finley leads the way as he holds the NCAA’s top shot put mark (65-03.25 ft.) and the No. 2 discus mark (201-05 ft.).

The Jayhawks are preparing for a short week as they close out the regular season with the Arkansas Twilight in Fayetteville, Ark. on Friday, May 5. The following week the men’s and women’s teams will head to Manhattan, Kan. for the Big 12 Outdoor Championships May 13-15.