NAU Women's XC Ranked No. 11 in USTFCCCA National Coaches' Poll

USTFCCCA Women's National Coaches' Poll

NEW ORLEANS, La. (October 22, 2019) - The Northern Arizona University women's cross country team was ranked as the No. 11 program in the Week Five edition of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association on Tuesday morning. NAU jumped 16 spots from Week Four after an impressive sixth-place team finish at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational this past weekend. The 'Jacks would tie New Mexico for the 11th spot on the poll.

This is the highest ranking NAU has had in the USTFCCCA Women's National Coaches' Poll since the end of the 2007 season; a year when the Lumberjacks finished ranked No.7. 2019 has been a huge year in belief and execution for the 'Jacks as they have finished ahead of multiple teams ranked higher than them in both national races this season.

The addition of sophomore Taryn O'Neill, a first year transfer from Villanova, has proved to be a huge factor in NAU's success in the 2019 season. She has finished in the top-20 at both of her meets this season, the John McNichols Invitational (13th, 17:08.4) and the Nuttycombe Invitational (20th, 20:23.3). The return of seniors Mikayala Malaspina and Miranda Myers has also proved to be a crucial piece of the Lumberjacks rise back to national prominence. Myers set a new personal record in the 6K at Nuttycombe with a time of 20:38.4. The back half of NAU's lineup consisting of juniors Hannah Behunin and Pipi Eitel has also helped in lowering the Lumberjacks total points per meet.

What may be even more impressive is that NAU has done this without having last year's Big Sky Women's Freshman of the Year, Jesselyn Bries, race attached to the 'Jacks.

Northern Arizona will return to the course to chase its 21st Big Sky Conference Championship on Nov. 2 in Greeley, Colo. No other Big Sky schools made the poll or received any votes.

USTFCCCA Women's National Coaches' Poll

1. ARKANSAS
2. STANFORD
3. WASHINGTON
4. BYU
5. COLORADO
6. NC STATE
7. WISCONSIN
8. MICHIGAN 
9. MICHIGAN STATE
10. FLORIDA STATE
T11. NAU
T11. NEW MEXICO
13. BOISE STATE
14. AIR FORCE
15. FURMAN
16. UTAH
17. NOTRE DAME
18. PENN STATE
19. ILLINOIS
20. OREGON
21. OHIO STATE
22. VIRGINIA TECH
23. INDIANA
24. COLUMBIA
25. MINNESOTA
26. BUTLER
27. BOSTON COLLEGE
28. GEORGETOWN
29. OKLAHOMA STATE
30. PENN