Men’s cross country ranks up
Team moves up to fourth in latest USTFCCCA national poll, right behind Middlebury College
Even though they did not compete this past weekend, the MIT men’s cross country team moved up one place to fourth in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III National poll that was released on Wednesday afternoon. The Engineers, who received the program’s first-ever top five ranking in the poll that was released on Sept. 25, keep making program history as they continue to climb up the ranking’s ladder.
For the second week in a row, MIT is also first in the New England region, ahead of Williams, Bates College, and Bowdoin College. MIT is one of just two institutions on the top 10 list that is not part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).
The weekend before last, the Engineers finished in first place at the Purple Valley Classic with 41 points and was followed by Williams College with 59 points and host Middlebury College with 60. Williams moved up four places to fifth from last week to sit directly behind MIT in this week’s rankings, while Middlebury fell one place to 24th. For his third place finish in the 8k, Roy A. Wedge ’14 was named the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Runner of the Week.
MIT’s women’s squad remains ranked fourth nationally, after slipping one place in last week’s poll. The Engineers currently sit in second in the region behind Middlebury.
The Engineers will return to the cross country trail this Saturday, Oct. 12 when they travel down the road to Franklin Park to run in the NEICAAA Championships.