Adams State overtakes Grand Canyon to claim No. 1 spot in USTFCCCA rankings

NEW ORLEANS – Adams State has powered past Grand Canyon to move atop the Division II U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Computer Team Rankings for the first time this season.

USTFCCCA POLL
Check out the full rankings.

The Grizzlies of Adams State gained 39.47 points from last week’s rankings for a team score of 209.85 and their first No. 1 ranking since winning a national championship in 2010.

The force behind the Grizzlies’ surge to the top was the mile run at this past weekend’s New Mexico Invitational. Tabor Stevens won the race with a DII-leading time of 4:04.90 (converted to 3:59.56 for altitude), while his teammates clocked the second, third and fourth-fastest times in DII this season. Carlton Lavong also landed DII’s fourth-best winning mark in the triple jump to boost the Grizzlies.

Defending champion Grand Canyon had been the top-ranked team for the past seven editions of the rankings, and the last time the Antelopes did not appear in the top spot was week two of the 2012 season — then also ranked No. 2. The Antelopes lost 17.02 points to fall to 183.05 total team points.

Though immobile in the rankings, No. 3 Saint Augustine’s made a 37.35-point jump behind impressive sprints and jumps to join the battle for the top spot in the division. Ashland remains at No. 4, while UMass-Lowell completes the top five after moving up a spot.