EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s Cross Country jumped four spots to No. 12 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll following its second-place finish at the Illinois State University Redbird Invite last week.
Led by junior Noah Hufnagel (Santa Claus, Indiana), the Screaming Eagles had four runners finish in the top 20 a 12-team field that featured USI and 11 NCAA Division I programs. Hufnagel finished second overall with a personal-best eight-kilometer time of 24 minutes, 26.60 seconds and was named the GLVC Men’s Runner of the Week for his efforts.
USI’s men are one of two Great Lakes Valley Conference teams ranked in this week’s poll. Lewis University fell five spots to No. 20 after being ranked No. 15 a week ago.
The Eagles dropped five spots to No. 10 in this week’s women’s poll following their fifth-place finish at the Redbird Invite. Like the men, USI was the only Division II program in a field that featured 12 NCAA Division I institutions.
Senior Jennifer Comastri (Indianapolis, Indiana) paced the Eagles with a 10th-place finish. She completed six-kilometer course in 21 minutes, 16.90 seconds.
USI’s women are one three teams receiving national recognition this week. Southwest Baptist University jumped five spots to No. 7 this week, while Drury University is receiving votes outside the top 30.
The Eagles return to action October 8 when they compete at the Brescia Invitational in Owensboro, Kentucky. They also compete October 9 when they run at the University of Alabama-Huntsville Charger Invitational in Huntsville, Alabama.
