Southern Oregon's men's cross country team had a banner day Saturday at the CCC Cross Country Championships in Seattle (Photo by Merlin Quiggle).
CCC Champion SOU Climbs to No. 4 in Ranking
Final NAIA Men's Cross Country Poll I
Final NAIA Women's Cross Country Poll
PORTLAND, Ore. – Fresh off winning the Cascade Collegiate Conference championship Saturday at Seattle’s Lincoln Park, the Southern Oregon University men’s cross country team moved up to the No. 4 position in the final NAIA Top 25 poll of the season released Sunday.
With their title Saturday in Seattle, the Raiders earned the CCC’s automatic berth to the NAIA Championships Nov. 22 in Kenosha, Wis. In five meets this season, SOU captured three titles and never lost to an NAIA opponent. Teams ahead of SOU in the final national poll include No. 1 Malone (Ohio), No. 2 Azusa Pacific (Calif.), and No. 3 Aquinas (Mich.).
Two other CCC programs also are listed in the final Top 25 poll – No. 13 Concordia, which moved up three spots after finishing second at the CCC Championships, and No. 15 College of Idaho, which fell one spot from last week’s ranking. Eastern Oregon University received one vote in the poll.
In the final women’s Top 25 ranking of the season, CCC champion College of Idaho moved into the No. 10 spot after an impressive performance in Seattle, where the Coyotes were led by individual winner Stephanie Helm. The title – which earned the Yotes the league’s automatic bid to the national championships -- was the second in two weeks for C of I, which won the Lewis-Clark State Invitational in Lewiston Oct. 25.
Concordia, which finished second to C of I at the CCC Championships, remained in the No. 21 position. Evergreen, which finished third at the CCC meet, totaled 21 points in the poll for the No. 32 position.
The women’s Top 25 poll is led by No. 1 Cedarville (Ohio), No. 2 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and No. 3 Cal State San Marcos.
Both the men’s and women’s fields for the national championships will be comprised of 32 teams. On Monday, the NAIA will announce teams and individuals earning at-large berths to the national meet.