While MSU’s men have been ranked regionally for two weeks, the women’s cross country team has now joined them. The women’s team debuts in the South Regional poll this week at No. 14 after last weekend’s performance at Notre Dame. The men fell out of the top 10 to No. 11 this week.
“It’s nice to be ranked, and it gives our team something to feel ?really proud about,” women’s coach Al Schmidt told MSU media relations. ?
“You always want to be considered one of the best programs by your ?peers, and I think even though we are young, people see our times and? realize we are very strong.”?
Freshman Renee Masterson led the way for the Bulldog women last weekend, finishing a personal-best 17:53 in the women’s 5k. Freshman Dominque Lockhart, sophomores Lydia Chebbi and Sarah Hammes and freshman Loren Bruce all turned in career-best times as well.
On the men’s side, senior Robert Scribner led the ‘Dogs with a time of 24:34, his best of the season. Senior Jonathan Rono and sophomores Adam Lentz and Matthew Cameron turned in season-best times as well.
Despite the improved times, both teams saw their winning streak of two meets end. The men finished 20th in the prestigious invitational, while their female counterparts finished 23rd.
Both the men’s and women’s events were won by Florida State.
“As an overall team, we didn’t do as well as we wanted,” men’s coach Steve Dudley said. “Our top three did well, but the rest of our guys need to step up and decide that they are good caliber SEC runners.”
The men’s poll is topped by SEC rival Alabama, followed by Auburn. Florida State, Florida and Tennessee round out the top five. Georgia, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss are ranked 12th, 14th and 15th, respectively.
On the women’s side, Florida State is ranked tops. The rest of the top five hail from the SEC: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Auburn, respectively. Vanderbilt and Alabama are ranked eighth and ninth in the poll.
Both Bulldog teams have a break in action this weekend, before returning to Indiana on Oct. 18 for the Pre-National Invitational.