Pre-NCAA Rankings: Storylines Plentiful with D-II Outdoor Championships on Horizon

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announces the association’s week eight, pre-NCAA Championships National Team Computer Rankings for the 2011 outdoor track & field season in NCAA Division II. Once again, Abilene Christian’s men and Grand Valley State’s women head the team rankings heading into the NCAA Division II Championships. Rankings for this week were compiled using data from only those who declared and were accepted into the championships’ field.

The NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take place Thursday thru Saturday, May 26-28, in Turlock, Calif., home to Cal State Stanislaus. NCAA.com will air live coverage.

PDFs: Top 25 | Full by Team | Event-by-Event | Week-by-Week
Previous Rankings | Rankings Guidelines & Rationale

NCAA Championships: Championship Central | Entry Leaders by Team | Entry Leaders by Conference
Championships Record Book: MEN | WOMEN
Program of the Year Standings: MEN | WOMEN

MEN

No. 1 Abilene Christian heads into the NCAA Championships with a balanced squad of 16 entries, consisting of five in the sprint/hurdle group, four in the jumps, four in the throws, two in distance events, and one relay. Among ACU’s top entries is senior Desmond Jackson who holds the No. 1 seed in both the 100 and 200 meters. Senior Amos Sang holds the No. 1 seed in the 10k and second seed in the 5000. Senior Nick Jones is the top-ranked discus thrower and is ranked third in the shot put. And, the Wildcats have the top time of the Division II season in the 4×100 (39.80).  ACU, national outdoor runner-up in 2010, was the surprise champs of the NCAA Indoor Championships and have won the national outdoor championships in seven of the last nine years, but the last two have been won by No. 3 Saint Augustine’s.

At No. 2 is Lincoln (Mo.) who finished fifth at the national outdoor meet a year ago. Lincoln has a total of 13 entries at the national meet and is tied with Saint Augustine’s in a having a meet-best 11 sprint/hurdle entries. The Blue Tigers also have both relays at their disposal. Kimour Bruce and Mandela Clifford have top-three seeds in the 100 meters while Roxroy Cato and Steve Banton hold the same status in the 400 hurdles. A multi-time national indoor championship team, Lincoln is in search of their first outdoor national crown.

Two-time defending champs No. 3 Saint Augustine’s will bring the same brand of the team that has carried the Falcons in past NCAA Championships. With a meet-high 17 total entries, the Falcons will be contenders as they are armed with 11 sprint/hurdle entries, both relays, and four entries in the jumps.  Junior Jason Boyd is the top seed in the 110 hurdles and the Falcons have the top-ranked 4×400 squad (3:07.70).

Distance heavy, fourth-ranked Adams State will hope to pile up points with a meet-high 10 entries in middle-distance and distance events. The three-time defending NCAA cross country team champs placed fourth in last year’s outdoor meet and the squad is leading the USTFCCCA’s Program of the Year standings, positioned to win the award for the third-straight academic year.

WOMEN

Top-ranked Grand Valley State will look to repeat their accomplishment from the 2011 indoor season – win an NCAA team title for the first time. GVSU, winners of the 2010 NCAA cross country and 2011 NCAA indoor track & field national crowns, hopes to sweep the board with an outdoor crown. The Lakers have been a strong top-ranked team since the preseason, and, with a meet-high 25 entries, GVSU will have a good chance of backing up the claims. GVSU has a meet-high 14 entries in the middle- and long-distance events to go with a tied-meet-high seven entries in throwing events. The Lakers have top-ranked entries in the 1500 meters (Katherine McCarthy) and hammer throw (Liz Murphy). GVSU has five entries in the steeplechase, four in the 1500 meters, three in 5000 meters, and three in the pole vault and hammer throw – among others.

No. 2 Lincoln (Mo.), national team champs of six of the last eight NCAA Outdoor Championships, is sticking to their bread-and-butter with a meet-high 13 entries in the sprint and hurdle events. With 17 total entries, including two in the jumps, Lincoln has the second-most among all squads.  Lincoln will have several stars to watch, including junior Judith Riley who leads the 100-meter seeds and is the seventh seed in the 200. Senior Nyoka Cole is the No. 1 seed in the 200 and sixth in the 100. Lincoln holds the top two seeds in the 400 hurdles with Keniesha Jones and sophomore Michelle Cumberbatch.

Junior Indira Spence, entered in three events as the No. 2 seed in each, gives a lift to the chances of No. 3 Adams State. Spence, who will appear in the 100, 200, 100 hurdles, and 4×100, gives the Grizzlies a chance to improve upon their eighth-place finish a year ago. Adams State, who finished third nationally in the fall in cross country and third at the national indoor meet, stands second in the Program of the Year standings. Adams State also has the top-seed in the steeple with senior Cassie Mitchell who has clocked 10:24.29 this season.

For No. 4 Central Missouri, junior Lindsay Lettow will be all over the stadium this weekend. Entered in five events, which includes the heptathlon, Lettow will participate in no-less than 11 disciplines over the three days. As the No. 1 seed in the heptathlon, Lettow has amassed 5,610 points as the divisional leader and will also be entered in the open 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, high jump, and long jump. In total, the Jennies will have four in the heptathlon and thrower Kayla Muyskens will compete in the shot put, discus, and hammer. Central Missouri’s all-time best finish at the NCAA outdoor championships came in 1986 and 2005 at No. 11.