FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - On Tuesday, the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association announced its 2014 NCAA Division I Week One Poll and the Arkansas women’s cross country team came in at No. 8.
Arkansas dropped one spot from its preseason ranking, however, the team was able to get one first place vote for the second consecutive poll. The Razorbacks received 280 points along with the first place vote, making them the No. 8-ranked team in the country going into this weekend’s Missouri Southern Stampede meet. Fellow Southeastern Conference member, Vanderbilt, was the only other SEC school representative in the USTFCCCA Top 30, as they too dropped one spot from their preseason ranking to No. 24.
Michigan remained as the top team in the USTFCCCA Top 30 poll, as they garnered eight first place votes. Oregon came in second, as they earned two first place votes, and Michigan State rounded out the top three, grabbed the last first place vote.
The Razorbacks have won a pair of meets since the preseason poll was released on Aug. 26, placing first at both the Hurricane Cross Country Festival (Aug. 30) in Tulsa, Okla. and the adidas/UCI Invitational in Irvine, Calif. (Sept. 6).
Sophomore Regan Ward captured her first individual title of her Arkansas career at the Hurricane Cross Country Invitational, as she posted a time of 11:13 on the two-mile course. The Razorbacks’ scoring five each placed in the top 15.
Reigning SEC Runner of the Week, Dominique Scott, set the 5K course record at the adidas/UCI Invitational, winning the race in 17:12.50. It was the third event title for the redshirt junior in her Razorback career. Arkansas scored a perfect 15 at the meet, as redshirt Grace Heymsfield placed second (17:18.20), redshirt junior Diane Robison came in third (17:23.9), redshirt sophomore Valerie Reina posted fourth (17:33.90) and senior Shannon Klenke rounded out the group with her time of 17:34.
The two victories helped Arkansas remain the top team in the USTFCCCA South Central Region, as the regional poll was released on Monday.
The Razorbacks return to action this Saturday, as they travel to nearby Joplin, Mo., to take part in the Missouri Southern Stampede. Start time is slated for 8:30 a.m.
For more information on Arkansas women’s cross country, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.