FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- On Tuesday the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association announced its 2014 NCAA Division I Week Three poll and the Arkansas men’s cross country team dropped two spots from last week’s ranking as they checked in at No. 17.
For the second straight week the Razorbacks dropped two spots in the USTFCCCA Top 30, this time coming after an idle week for the team. For the third straight poll, Arkansas was the lone team to represent the Southeastern Conference in the Top 30, as they collected 172 points.
The top four teams from last week’s poll remained intact, as defending NCAA National Champion, Colorado, picked up 360 points and received all 12 first place votes. Northern Arizona out of the Big Sky earned 340 point to remain at No. 2, while Oregon (338) and Oklahoma State (321) checked in at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively. The only change in the top five came at the No. 5 slot, as Portland jumped up one spot from last week with 295 points.
In their last outing back on Sept. 20, the Razorbacks placed three runners inside the top five to pick up the team title at the 2014 Iona Meet of Champions. Alex George led the Razorback pack by picking up a second-place finish (25:36.66) in the first 8K collegiate race of his Arkansas career. His performance earned him the first SEC Freshman
Runner of the Week of his career. 2013 NCAA All-American Stanley Kebenei finished a spot behind George in his first race of the season by clocking in at 25:41.65 and two-time NCAA All-Region runner Gabe Gonzalez rounded out the trio of top five runners with his time of 25:42.94.
Tuesday’s No. 17 ranking in the USTFCCCA Top 30 poll is the second time this week that Arkansas has earned a high ranking from the association. On Monday, the Razorbacks were voted as the No. 1-ranked team in the South Central Region for the 11th consecutive week in the USTFCCCA Regional Poll.
Arkansas returns to action on Saturday, when they will run in front of their home fans for the first time during the 2014 season, as they will compete in the 2014 Chile Pepper Festival at Agri Park. Race time is slated for a 9:45 a.m. start.
For more information on Arkansas men’s cross country, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.