CALVIN MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

RANKED NUMBER-ONE FOR FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL-HISTORY

October 13, 1999

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - For the first time in school-history, the Calvin men's cross country team has been ranked number-one in the NCAA Division III Top-25 poll. The Calvin men received all eight first place votes in this week's poll after being ranked seventh last week.

Calvin's move to the top spot in the rankings was strengthened by its performance last Saturday at the Wisconsin-Oshkosh Pre-National Invitational as the Knights took first place with 71 points, 20 points ahead of top-ranked and defending national champion North Central of Illinois. North Central finished tied for second in Saturday's race with second-ranked Wisconsin-LaCrosse while third-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point took fourth with 94 points. Saturday's race was held at the site of this year's NCAA III Cross Country Championships as Wisconsin-Oshkosh will host the 1999 nationals. Calvin's previous best ranking in men's cross country had been second in this year's season-opening poll as the Knights had finished second at the 1998 NCAA III Championships behind North Central.

On the women's side, the Calvin women's cross country team dropped out of the top spot for the first time this year as the Knights are ranked second in the latest NCAA Division III Top-25 poll. Calvin received two first place votes as did third-ranked Middlebury (VT) while St. Olaf (MN) moved into the top spot with four first place votes. Ranked fourth last week, St. Olaf upset the defending national champion Calvin women's cross country team by 10 points at Saturday's Wisconsin-Oshkosh Pre-National Invitational. St. Olaf took first place with 88 points with Calvin placing second with 98 points while third-ranked Wisconsin-Oshkosh took third with 137 points. Wisconsin-Oshkosh is ranked fourth in this week's poll.

Both Calvin cross country teams will return to action on October 23, when they compete at the Olivet Nazarene Invitational in Kankakee, Illinois.

The Calvin cross country teams are two of three Calvin athletic teams ranked in the top-20 this week as the Calvin women's volleyball team is ranked 16th in this week's Division III national poll released by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The Knights were ranked 20th last week, cracking the AVCA Top-20 poll for the first time since 1995. The Calvin volleyball team will host rival Hope this evening at 6:30 pm at the Calvin Fieldhouse in a battle of undefeated teams in the MIAA. Calvin will carry an 18-6 overall record and a 4-0 MIAA mark into tonight's match while Hope is 11-9 overall and 6-0 in the MIAA.

NCAA III MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TOP-25 POLL Poll released Oct. 12, 1999

1 Calvin, MI
2 North Central, IL
3 UW-LaCrosse
4 UW-Whitewater
5 Keene State, NH
6 Heidelburg, OH
7 UW-Stevens Point
8 Williams, MA
9 Nebraska Wesleyan
10 St.Thomas, MN
11 UW-Oshkosh
12 UW-Eau Claire
13 St. Johns, MN
14 UC San Diego
15 Haverford, PA
16 MIT
17 SUNY Cortland
18 College of New Jersey
19 Bates, ME
20 Puget Sound WA
21 Tufts, MA
22 Brandeis, MA
23 St. Lawrence MA
24 Wabash, IN
25 -- Emory, GA

NCAA III Women's Cross Country Top-25 Poll Poll released Oct. 12, 1999

1 ST. OLAF
2 CALVIN
3 MIDDLEBURY
4 UW-OSHKOSH
5 UW-LACROSSE
6 WILLIAMS NE
7 SUNY CORTLAND MA
8 COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY MA
9 BALDWIN WALLACE
10 ST. THOMAS
10 UC-SAN DIEGO
10 MACALESTER
13 BRANDEIS NE
14 HAMILTON MA
15 MORAVIAN ME
16 COLORADO COLLEGE
17 WARTBURG
18 WHEATON (ILL)
19 AMHERST NE
20 LUTHER, IA
21 SUNY GENESEO MA
22 EMORY, GA
22 ITHACA MA
24 UW-WHITEWATER MW
25 DICKINSON MA

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