FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - On Tuesday, the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association announced its 2014 NCAA Division I Week Two Poll and the Arkansas women’s cross country team came in at No. 8 for the second consecutive week.
Arkansas was one of four teams to garner a first place vote in this week’s poll (Michigan, Oregon, Michigan State), as they picked up a first place vote for the third consecutive week. The Razorbacks received 278 points along with the first place vote, making them the No. 8-ranked team in the country. Fellow Southeastern Conference member, Vanderbilt, was the only other SEC school represented in the USTFCCCA Top 30, as they climbed two spots from last week’s ranking to No. 22.
Michigan remained as the top team in the USTFCCCA Top 30 poll, as they garnered eight first place votes. Oregon came in second, earning one first place vote, and Michigan State rounded out the top three, with the last two first place votes.
The Razorbacks maintained their No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Division I South Central Region by claiming the team title at the 2014 Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo. last Saturday. This week’s top spot in the South Central Region marks the 15th consecutive USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Regional Rankings Poll that Arkansas has claimed the top spot.
Last weekend, the Razorbacks finished with a rotation score of 24 and won the MSSO Stampede, as its top five runners all finished inside the top 10. Each runner in the Arkansas scoring rotation set a new personal-best time in the 5K. Redshirt junior Dominique Scott, the reigning USTFCCCA National Runner of the Week and SEC Runner of the Week, turned in a career-best 5K time of 16:32.78 to win her second consecutive meet and record the best time in Missouri Southern Stampede meet history. Senior Shannon Klenke finished 50.26 seconds behind Scott, as her time of 16:58.52 was good enough for a second-place finish. The time is a new personal-best for Klenke, surpassing her previous best 5K time of 17:10.30 set at last year’s Chile Pepper Festival.
Arkansas rounded out its scoring rotation with a trio of runners placing sixth, seventh and eighth. Redshirt junior Diane Robison (17:09.10), sophomore Regan Ward (17:12.22) redshirt sophomore Valerie Reina (17:15.12) all set new personal record 5K times.
The Razorbacks return to action on Oct. 4 when they will run in front of their home fans for the first time during the 2014 season. Arkansas will host the 2014 Chile Pepper Festival. Race time is slated for 10:20 a.m.
For more information on Arkansas women’s cross country, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.