NEW ORLEANS – The Saginaw Valley State University women's cross country team was selected No. 17 in the preseason national cross country rankings have been released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2012 NCAA Division II season.
The Lady Cardinals are coming off the most successful season in program history and will look to build on that success in 2012. Adams State's men and Augustana (S.D.)'s women will begin the year as the No. 1 teams in the land according to association's ranking committee. Augustana is the national defending women's champ while men's defending champ Western State starts the year at No. 2 in the rankings.
For the first time in national rankings history, 35 teams are ranked. Going into effect this fall, the NCAA has increased the number of teams that will participate at the Division II cross country national championships from 24 to 32.
| 1 | Augustana (S.D.) | Central | NSIC | Tracy Hellman (12th) |
1
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| 2 | Adams State | South Central | RMAC | Damon Martin (25th) |
4
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| 3 | Grand Valley State | Midwest | GLIAC | Jerry Baltes (14th) |
3
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| 4 | U-Mary | Central | NSIC | Dennis Newell (7th) |
5
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| 5 | Western State | South Central | RMAC | Jennifer Michel (6th) |
2
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| 6 | Alaska Anchorage | West | GNAC | Michael Friess (23rd) |
6
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| 7 | Ferris State | Midwest | GLIAC | Steve Picucci (5th) |
8
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| 8 | Chico State | West | CCAA | Gary Towne (17th) |
7
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| 9 | Simon Fraser | West | GNAC | Brit Townsend |
NR
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| 10 | Shippensburg | Atlantic | PSAC | Steve Spence (15th) |
9
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| 11 | Midwestern State | South Central | Lone Star | Koby Styles (6th) |
11
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| 12 | Pittsburg State | Central | MIAA | Russ Jewett (27th) |
15
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| 13 | Western Washington | West | GNAC | Pee Wee Halsell (26th) |
12
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| 14 | Bloomsburg | Atlantic | PSAC | Bernie Empie (4th) |
14
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| 15 | Tampa | South | Sunshine | Jarrett Slaven (14th) |
16
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| 16 | Ashland | Midwest | GLIAC | Trent Mack (3rd) |
18
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| 17 | Saginaw Valley State | Midwest | GLIAC | Rod Cowan (3rd) |
13
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| 18 | Minnesota Duluth | Central | NSIC | Joanna Warmington (3rd) |
21
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| 19 | Edinboro | Atlantic | PSAC | Doug Watts (44th) |
NR
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| 20 | Cal Poly Pomona | West | CCAA | Octavious Gillespie-Bennett (1st) |
NR
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| 21 | Slippery Rock | Atlantic | PSAC | John Papa (26th) |
NR
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| 22 | Northwest Missouri | Central | MIAA | Scott Lorek (9th) |
NR
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| 23 | Stonehill | East | Northeast-10 | Karen Boen (15th) |
19
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| 24 | Mansfield | Atlantic | PSAC | Mike Rohl (10th) |
NR
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| 25 | Missouri Southern | Central | MIAA | Patty Vavra (19th) |
NR
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| 26 | Southern Indiana | Midwest | GLVC | Mike Hillyard (16th) |
NR
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| 27 | Hillsdale | Midwest | GLIAC | Andrew Towne (2nd) |
NR
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| 28 | Lock Haven | Atlantic | PSAC | Aaron Russell (15th) |
20
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| 29 | Regis (Colo.) | South Central | RMAC | John Esquibel (7th) |
NR
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| 30 | Seattle Pacific | West | GNAC | Erika Daligcon (4th) |
NR
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| 31 | Nova Southeastern | South | Sunshine | Bryan Hagopian (4th) |
NR
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| 32 | UW-Parkside | Midwest | GLVC | Micah VanDenend (3rd) |
NR
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| 33 | Bentley | East | Northeast-10 | Kevin Curtin (2nd) |
22
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| 34 | Colorado Mines | South Central | RMAC | Art Siemers (11th) |
NR
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| 35 | American International | East | Northeast-10 | Leo Mayo (7th) |
NR
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The Cardinals will open their 2012 season at Central Michigan University today (Aug. 31).