For the two-time defending NCAA Division II Champions it was the 33rd overall league title, while Saturday was also the sixth year in a row that a Grizzly has won the individual title, as Ryan McNiff (Los Alamos, N.M.) broke the tape in 23:50, notching a four-second victory on the 8-kilometer course over Aaron Swift of Colorado Mines. By winning conference, Adams State also extended their streak of not being beaten by another NCAA Division II team to 18 straight meets.
Adams State's men's cross country team has now been ranked No. 1 in the Central Region rankings for 29 straight polls, and have held down the top spots in both sets of USTFCCCA rankings for the last 26. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies extend their streak of being ranked in one of the top two spots nationally to 60 straight polls, dating back to Nov. 8, 2004.
The Adams State women, running without RMAC Preseason Women's Runner of the Year Alicia Nelson (Craig, Colo.), finished second at the league meet, as Kristen McGlynn (Bailey, Colo.) led the way for the Grizzlies with an individual runner-up finish. As a result, the ASC women have dropped to second in the Central Region, behind RMAC women's team champion Western State, and third nationally behind Grand Valley State (Mich.), who moves to No. 1 for the second time this season, and Western State who rises four spots to second.
The Grizzly men were facing three other teams who are currently ranked nationally at the RMAC Championships in Las Vegas, N.M., including No. 2 Western State, No.3 Colorado Mines and No. 18 Metro State. Nebraska-Kearney was ranked heading into the league meet but was one of four teams to drop out of the rankings in the latest poll.
Western State and Colorado Mines finished second and third, respectively, behind the Grizzlies at conference, as ASC claimed a 30-47 victory over the runner-up Mountaineers, while the Orediggers were third with 75 team points.
The top nine teams in the national rankings remain unchanged, as Chico State (Calif.) checks in at fourth while remaining atop the West Region. Grand Valley State (Mich.) stands fifth nationally at No. 1 in the Midwest, while Shippensburg (Pa.) is atop the Atlantic Region and sixth nationally. Queens (N.C.) stays at seventh and leads the Southeast while Alaska-Anchorage is eighth and Lock Haven (Pa.) ninth.
Western Washington moves up one spot this week, cracking the top 10 in the No. 10 spot, while Augustana (S.D.) now inhabits the No. 11 spots, jumping up two spots from a week ago. Harding (Ark.) drops two spots and is now 12th in the rankings, while UMass Lowell is down one spot to No. 13. Edinboro (Pa.) and Southern Indiana remain No. 14 and 15, respectively.
Western Oregon makes the largest jump of the week, up seven spots into 16th following a third-place finish at the Great Northwestern Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships over the weekend. Meanwhile, Metro State dropped two spots following its fourth-place finish at the RMAC meet.
Returning to the rankings at No. 20 is Abilene Christian (Texas), and Drury (Mo.) makes its way back into the rankings at No. 23. Stonehill (Mass.) drops a spot to 21st, while Florida Southern rises two spots and is currently No. 22.
Making their first appearances of the season in the top 25 in the USTFCCCA poll are Cal Poly Pomona and Ashland (Mich.). Dropping out this week were Nebraksa-Kearney, Pittsburg State (Kan.), Tiffin (Ohio) and Bellarmine (Ky.).
In the Central Region poll, the RMAC is now represented by seven squads as Wayne State (Neb.), 10th last week, gives way to UC-Colorado Springs who takes over at the final spot in the rankings.
The Grizzlies, Mountaineers and Orediggers continue holding down the top three spots, while the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Champion Augustana (S.D.) remains fourth, one spot ahead of Metro State. New Mexico Highlands used a fifth-place team finish at the RMAC Championships to leap-frog Nebraska-Kearney and take over the No. 6 spot in the Central Region, dropping the Lopers to seventh.
NSIC school Minnesota-Duluth rises one spot to No. 8 and Minnesota State drops two, coming in at No. 9.
Adams State will return to action on Nov. 20 in Wayne, Neb. for the NCAA Division II Central Regional hosted by Wayne State. The top five teams from the Central Regional will automatically qualify for the NCAA Division II Championships which will be hosted by Bellarmine in Louisville, Ky. on Dec. 4, where the Grizzly men will be on the hunt for their third straight and record-setting eighth overall NCAA Division II national title.
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