Both KU Cross Country Teams Now Ranked in Midwest Region Top 10

Sept. 12, 2011

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Both the Kansas men’s and women’s cross country teams are ranked among the top 10 teams in this week’s Midwest Region polls as announced Monday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The KU women’s team held on to their preseason No. 7 ranking, while the men moved up three spots to No. 8. Big 12 opponents Iowa State and Oklahoma State, as well as Iowa, are listed as the top three teams on the women’s side. The top three teams for the men are Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Minnesota.

The Jayhawks have already competed in two events in 2011, posting solid performances in each of the meets. Both the KU men and women have notched team victories and have featured individual winners. At the Bob Timmons Classic at Rim Rock Farm on Saturday, Sept. 3, the men took the team victory behind junior Zach Zarda’s first-place finish while the women finished second. The Jayhawks followed up that performance with two team victories last weekend at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge with senior Rebeka Stowe taking home the women’s individual title.

Last year, the KU women finished sixth out of 27 teams at the Midwest Regional Championship. This season, the Jayhawks return six of the seven runners who competed at that meet in 2010, including Stowe, who finished in 18th place overall.

The Kansas men placed 11th at the 2010 Midwest Regional Championship in a field of 23 teams. The Jayhawks also return five of the six athletes who ran the 10K race last season. Josh Baden and Austin Bussing, who are both back for the 2011 campaign, finished among the top half of the field at last year’s meet.

Men’s Cross Country Midwest Regional Team Rankings

Rank

School

Location

Conference

Last Week

1

Oklahoma State

Stillwater, Okla.

Big 12

1

2

Oklahoma

Norman, Okla.

Big 12

2

3

Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minn.

Big Ten

3

4

Illinois

Champaign, Ill.

Big Ten

4

5

Tulsa

Tulsa, Okla.

Conference USA

5

6

Iowa State

Ames, Iowa

Big 12

6

7

Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Big Ten

7

8

Kansas

Lawrence, Kan.

Big 12

11

9

Drake

Des Moines, Iowa

Missouri Valley

12

10

Nebraska

Lincoln, Neb.

Big Ten

10

11

Southern Illinois

Carbondale, Ill.

Missouri Valley

9

12

South Dakota State

Brookings, S.D.

Summit League

8

13

Loyola-Chicago

Chicago, Ill.

Horizon

15

14

Eastern Illinois

Charleston, Ill.

Ohio Valley

NR

15

North Dakota State

Fargo, N.D.

Summit League

14

Women’s Cross Country Midwest Regional Team Rankings

Rank

School

Location

Conference

Last Week

1

Iowa State

Ames, Iowa

Big 12

1

2

Oklahoma State

Stillwater, Okla.

Big 12

2

3

Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Big Ten

3

4

Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minn.

Big Ten

4

5

Tulsa

Tulsa, Okla.

Conference USA

5

6

Kansas State

Manhattan, Kan.

Big 12

6

7

Kansas

Lawrence, Kan.

Big 12

7

8

Northwestern

Evanston, Ill.

Big Ten

10

9

Nebraska

Lincoln, Neb.

Big Ten

8

10

Illinois

Champaign, Ill.

Big Ten

13

11

Wichita State

Wichita, Kan.

Missouri Valley

9

12

Illinois State

Normal, Ill.

Missouri Valley

11

13

Missouri

Columbia, Mo.

Big 12

12

14

Saint Louis

St. Louis, Mo.

Atlantic 10

15

15

Bradley

Peoria, Ill.

Missouri Valley

NR