NDSU Women’s Cross Country Opens Year with No. 6 Ranking

The North Dakota State women’s cross country team will be ranked sixth in the Midwest region to open the 2013 season, according to the rankings released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Monday.

The No. 6 regional ranking is the highest in school history for the Bison, who return five of their top six runners from the 2012 squad that won a second consecutive Summit League title.

National powers Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Iowa State claimed the top three spots in the Midwest. Tulsa and Northwestern rounded out the top five.

NDSU climbed as high as eighth in the regional rankings in 2012 before ultimately taking seventh at the NCAA Midwest Regional – the highest finish in the school’s Division I era.

This year’s NCAA Midwest Regional will be held on Nov. 15 at the Iowa State University Cross Country Course in Ames, Iowa. The Bison open the season this Friday, Aug. 30, at Rose Creek Golf Course in Fargo, with the women’s race beginning at 6 p.m.

Rank        School                                Conference                2012 Finish

1                Minnesota                        Big Ten                         3
2                Oklahoma State              Big 12                            2
3                Iowa State                       Big 12                            1
4                Tulsa                               Conf. USA                     5
5                Northwestern                  Big Ten                          4
6                North Dakota State         Summit League             7
7                Illinois State                    Missouri Valley            8
8                Saint Louis                      A-10                              10
9                Illinois                             Big Ten                         9
10             Iowa                                 Big Ten                         6
11             Loyola-Chicago               Missouri Valley            11
12             Southern Illinois              Missouri Valley            12
13             Kansas State                    Big 12                           19
14             Bradley                            Missouri Valley            20
15             South Dakota                   Summit League            14