AAC News
Wed, Sep 19, 2012 - [Men's Cross Country]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Bryan remains ranked as a top 20 program, but the Lions fell a couple spots in the second edition of the 2012 NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Wednesday.

Bryan was 14th in the last poll, but it received only 304 total voting points to coming 16th. No. 15 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) collected 307 points.

Appalachian Athletic Conference rival Milligan missed making the top 25 but received 15 points.

Southern Oregon held its No. 1 ranking in the NAIA Coaches' Poll. The Raiders received 18-of-20 first-place votes and collected 559 points to retain the No. 1 spot for the third-straight week.

Cal State San Marcos remains at No. 2 as the Cougars tallied 532 points. Collecting the last two first-place votes and coming in at No. 3 is St. Francis (Ill.), with 519 points. Moving back to No. 4 this week is Oklahoma Baptist as they collected 498 points. Rounding out the top five is British Columbia, who tallied 481 points.

Joining the poll this week is No. 24 Saint Mary (Kan.). The Spires finished second, behind only No. 8 Southwestern (Kan.), in the Southern Stampede XC Invitational this past weekend.

Making the biggest move this week are Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and Cumberlands (Ky.) as both schools moved four spots in the poll. The Eagles improved to No. 15, from No. 19, after finishing third out of 17 teams at the Mountain Dew Invitational (Fla.). Embry-Riddle finished behind NCAA Division I Florida and North Florida. Cumberlands jumped from No. 15 to No. 21, after a third-place finish at the Cedarville Invitational (Ohio).

Two programs, Indiana Wesleyan (No. 22) and Baker (Kan.) (No. 24) fell out of this week's poll.

Thirteen conferences/independents/unaffiliated groups are represented throughout the Top 25, led by the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) with four teams. Representing the GSAC are No. 7 The Master's (Calif.), No. 17 Westmont (Calif.), No. 19 Arizona Christian and No. 25 Biola (Calif.).

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences/independents/unaffiliated groups. The third regular-season Top 25 poll will be announced on Sept. 26.

To view the entire poll, click here.

 
 
 
NAIA
NAIA