USI Screaming Eagles | Men's Cross Country

October 15, 2008

Eagles stay put in latest national rankings,
Return to action Saturday in final conference tune-up

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana men's and women's cross country teams retained their positions in their respective national polls this week as they prepare for the University of Evansville Invitational Saturday at the UE Cross Country Course, located at 20404 Barton Road in Evansville.

USI's women are ranked seventh in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association Top 25 Poll, while the men's squad is 12th in the latest rankings.

From the GLVC, Northern Kentucky University and Drury University are ranked 17th and 22nd, respectively, in the men's poll, while the University of Wisconsin-Parkside is ranked 20th in the women's poll.

Saturday's meet is the Screaming Eagles' last competition before the GLVC Championships, which are October 25 in Rolla, Missouri. The UE Invitational is expected to field 22 teams—including 14 NCAA Division I institutions—and more than 470 runners Saturday. The races are slated to begin at 11 a.m.

USI's women finished eighth out of 32 teams at the Greater Louisville Classic two weeks ago and are looking to build on that performance.

Junior All-American Mary Ballinger (Chesterton, Indiana), who is a two-time GLVC Female Runner of the Week this year, led the Eagles in Louisville. Ballinger was eighth out of 265 runners with her 5k time of 17 minutes, 27.46 seconds.

Fellow classmate and All-American Allison Shafer (Plainville, Indiana) also had a solid performance as she finished 47th with a 5k time of 18 minutes, 32.89 seconds.

The men's squad also had an impressive performance at the Greater Louisville Classic as it finished 10th out of 33 teams. The Eagles used a steady effort for their team finish as four USI runners finished within 14 seconds of each other, with sophomore Andrew Dixon (Petersburg, Indiana) leading the way with a 50th-place finish.

USTFCCCA Division II Top 25 Polls
Women's Top 25 Poll
1. Adams State
2. Grand Valley State
3. Augustana (SD)
4. Chico State
5. Western State
6. Shippensburg
7. Southern Indiana
8. Tampa
9. Missouri Southern State
10. Harding
11. Findlay
12. Edinboro
13. Kutztown
14. Slippery Rock
15. Cal State Los Angeles
16. Minnesota Duluth
17. Seattle Pacific
18. Wayne State (MI)
19. Alaska Anchorage
20. Wisconsin-Parkside
21. UC San Diego
22. Dallas Baptist
23. Mesa State
24. Alabama Huntsville
25. Pittsburg State Men's Top 25 Poll
1. Adams State
2. Abilene Christian
3. Harding
4. Chico State
5. Colorado School of Mines
6. Western State
7. Alaska Anchorage
8. Queens (NC)
9. UMass Lowell
10. Grand Valley State
11. Edinboro
12. Southern Indiana
13. Western Washington
14. Stonehill
15. Missouri Southern State
16. Ashland
17. Northern Kentucky
18. UC San Diego
19. Pittsburg State
20. Minnesota State
21. Southwest Baptist
22. Drury
23. Southern Connecticut
24. East Central
25. Lock Haven

Dan McDonnell,
USI Sports Information

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