Men's Track & Field Ranked #19 In USTFCCCA Rankings Following GLIACs

MIDLAND, MICH – The sixth week of the regular-season U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national rankings were released Tuesday (February 26) afternoon and have the Northwood men's track and field team ranked No. 19 following the conference championships.

The Timberwolves have 44.78 computer points in this week's poll. The men's team has been nationally ranked in the Top 25 in every poll released this year.

The GLIAC Indoor Championships saw Rami Gharsalli and Mason Phillips claim three total titles. Gharsalli won the 60 meter hurdles in an improved NCAA provisional time of 7.91 seconds. His time now ranks him fifth going into the national meet. Phillips won the 60 and 200 meter dash titles, in addition to finishing second in the long jump and being a member of the 4x400 relay that placed third.

Mason Phillips is the team's top contributor on the track and field rating index (TFRI) with 29.74 computer points. The TFRI has him ranked third in the 60 meters (17.50 computer points), sixth at 200 meters (11.16), No. 19 in the 400 meters (0.72) and No. 22 in the long jump (0.36). Gharsalli adds 13.80 computer points with his ranking in the 60 hurdles.

The distance medley relay team of Chase Clark, Phillips, Netunji Paige and Patrick sits at No. 16 on the national qualifying list for 0.88 computer points, with Patrick sitting at No. 24 in the 5000 meter run (0.37 points).

Those athletes accepted into the national meet will travel to Kansas to compete in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships Friday-Saturday (March 8-9) at the Robert Plaster Center, hosted by Pittsburg State University.