Men's Cross Country Moves Up To No. 8 In Midwest Regional Rankings Following Conference Championships
Full USTFCCCA Regional Rankings
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Northwood men's cross country team moved up to No. 8 in the latest installment of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II Midwest Regional Rankings. The USTFCCCA rankings were released on Tuesday (October 24).
Grand Valley State leads the poll at No. 1 with Lewis one spot behind at No. 2. Following its second place finish at the G-MAC Championships this past weekend (October 21), the Timberwolves went from previously unranked to the eighth spot. The Timberwolves were one of three G-MAC teams in the poll with conference champions, Walsh, being the best at No. 4. Cedarville was also among the ranked teams, coming in at No. 10.
During the conference championship race, Preston Earl led all Timberwolves, finishing ninth overall in 25:35.5. He claimed first-team all-conference honors in the process. Earl was one of four athletes to claim all-conference honors during the race (finishing within the top 20). He was NU's highest finisher, taking ninth in 25:35.5, and was a first-team all-conference honoree. Carson Laney (12th - 25:41.4), Joseph Shaya (15th - 25:47.5), and Brandon Boyd (18th - 25:51.5) all earned second-team all-conference for placing 10th through 20th.
The team's second place finish matched last season's mark, which is the highest team finish in program history for a conference championship meet.
Northwood men's and women's cross country gear up for the NCAA cross country regional races in Evansville, Ind. on Saturday (November 4). The races will be held at Angel Mounds state historic site and are hosted by the Great Lakes Valley Conference and Evansville Regional Sports Commission.
Midwest Region -- Men
| RANK | TEAM CONFERENCE |
CHANGE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
GRAND VALLEY STATE GLIAC (1) |
◀▶ (LW: 1) |
|
| 2 | 
|
LEWIS GLVC (1) |
◀▶ (LW: 2) |
|
| 3 | 
|
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE GLIAC (2) |
▲1 (LW: 4) |
|
| 4 | 
|
WALSH G-MAC (1) |
▼1 (LW: 3) |
|
| 5 | 
|
WAYNE STATE (MICH.) GLIAC (3) |
◀▶ (LW: 5) |
|
| 6 | 
|
ILLINOIS-SPRINGFIELD GLVC (2) |
◀▶ (LW: 6) |
|
| 7 | 
|
MICHIGAN TECH GLIAC (4) |
▲1 (LW: 8) |
|
| 8 | 
|
NORTHWOOD (MICH.) G-MAC (2) |
NR | |
| 9 | 
|
DRURY GLVC (3) |
◀▶ (LW: 9) |
|
| 10 | 
|
CEDARVILLE G-MAC (3) |
◀▶ (LW: 10) |