Track and Field Ranks 17/18 in Latest Poll

2/13/2017 4:40:00 PM | Track and Field

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – According to the latest poll from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) the women's track and field team is the 17^th ranked team in the NCAA. In last week's rankings the Hoosiers were ranked 41^st. The 24 spot leap is the third highest for any team inside the top 25. The Hoosiers rank just behind Big Ten foes Penn State and Michigan.

The strength of the women's team lies within the distance group. Leading the way for the ninth ranked 3k team is Katherine Receveur. The 5k team, led by Receveur and Maggie Allen, is 10^th nationally. Finally, the mile group, paced by Brenna Calder, also ranks 10^th in the NCAA.

Individually, three events see Hoosier athletes inside the top 10 in the nation. Receveur is top five in both the 3,000m and 5,000m runs. The DMR team of Calder, Taylor Williams, Olivia Hippensteel and Receveur is the third quickest team in the country. The team set the school record a few weekends ago at the Meyo Invitational.

The USTFCCCA poll also has the men's team in the top 20. Last week's poll showed the Hoosiers as the 30^th ranked team, this week the team jumped up 12 spots to the 18^th spot.

The men's team climbed in the rankings on the strength of a well-balanced attack. The team rankings have IU with five different events in the top 10 nationally. The 800m group led by Daniel Kuhn and Jordan Huntoon ranks fifth in the NCAA. The 5k team, paced by Bryce Millar and Matt Schwartzer, is the sixth ranked group in the country. Jason Crist leads the seventh ranked 3k group. The mile squad led by Kyle Mau and Joe Murphy ranks eighth. Great seasons by Paul Galas and Treyton Harris have the high jump group ranked sixth, the highest rated field group for IU.

Individually, Willie Morrison, Eric Bethea and Kuhn all rank inside the top 10 nationally in their respective events. Morrison hit a huge mark in the shot put, 19.47m, in the opening meet of the season to establish the new school record and place him fourth nationally. Bethea leapt passed the competition at the Tyson Invitational this past weekend to land in a tie for fifth in the triple jump. Kuhn is top three in the 800m run after shattering his own school record earlier this season.

The 17/18 ranked Hoosiers will look to carry the momentum of a great season into the final month of the indoor season. IU will send a handful of runners north to Notre Dame this weekend to compete in the Alex Wilson Invitational. The following weekend will bring on the Big Ten Championships.