Sept. 25, 2007

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On the heels of a first-place finish at the Iona Meet of Champions last weekend, the Penn State women's cross country team made its way into the this week's United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll for the first time this season, entering the rankings in 29th.

Stanford, Michigan, Colorado, Arkansas, and Wisconsin take up the top five spots, while Arizona State, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Virginia round out the top 10. A total of seven Big Ten squads appear in the rankings - the most of any conference.

In the Mid-Atlantic Region poll, the Nittany Lion women are up two spots to number three, while the men climbed one notch to fourth. Princeton and Georgetown lead the women's rankings, while Georgetown, Princeton, and Villanova cover the top three slots in the men's poll.

The Lions are back in action this weekend at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational at the Blue/White Golf Course. The women's race starts at 10 a.m., with the men's following at 10:45 a.m.

Women's National Cross Country Rankings (9/25)
1. Stanford
2. Michigan
3. Colorado
4. Arkansas
5. Wisconsin
6. Arizona State
7. Illinois
8. Minnesota
9. Michigan State
10. Virginia
11. Providence
12. Florida State
13. Princeton
14. Iowa
15. Georgia
16. North Carolina State
17. Washington
18. Brigham Young
19. Duke
20. Georgetown
21. Colorado State
22. Baylor
23. Texas Tech
24. Oregon
25. Virginia Tech
26. Boston College
27. Notre Dame
28. Tennessee
29. Penn State
30. Florida

Women's Mid Atlantic Regional Rankings (9/24)
1. Princeton
2. Georgetown
3. Penn State
4. West Virginia
5. Villanova
6. La Salle
7. Bucknell
8. Penn
9. Navy
10. Duquesne
11. Delaware
12. American
13. Pittsburg
14. Towson
15. Maryland

Men's Mid Atlantic Regional Rankings (9/24)
1. Georgetown
2. Princeton
3. Villanova
4. Penn State
5. Navy
6. Duquesne
7. Penn
8. American
9. La Salle
10. Bucknell
11. Maryland
12. Pittsburgh
13. Lehigh
14. Loyola College (Md.)
15. Delaware