Women #6, Men #11 in NAIA XC National Poll
Both College of Idaho cross country teams continue to be among the elite programs in the NAIA, as the women's team remained at No. 6 and the men's team climbed to No. 11 in the latest NAIA Top-25 Coaches Polls, released this afternoon by the national office in Kansas City. Mo.
For the Lady Yotes, it marks the second-straight week at No. 6, earning 562 voter points - seven points fewer than last week. It marks the sixth time in the last seven weeks that the team has been ranked in the Top-10, and the fourth time in the last five weeks they have been ranked in the Top-6.
Azusa Pacific (Calif.) remains on top of the women's poll, followed by Cal State-San Marcos, Simon Fraser (B.C.), Biola (Calif.), and Malone (Ohio). Eastern Oregon, fresh off a solid performance at the Coyote Twilight, jumped to No. 17, while Concordia received votes.
The C of I men climbed one spot to a season-high No. 11, the highest ranking for the squad since October of 2005 - when the team elevated as high as No. 8 in the poll. The Yotes are coming off an impressive team win at the Coyote Invitational.
Fellow Cascade Conference member, Southern Oregon, is the new No. 1 team in the nation - having just won the Oregon State Beaver Classic. Malone (Ohio) is No. 2, followed by Aquinas (Mich.), Concordia (Neb.), and British Columbia. Eastern Oregon is the only other CCC in the poll, ranked No. 21.
The Coyotes will take this weekend off, preparing for next Saturday's CCC Championships, presented by the Eugene Marathon, in Springfield, Ore.