Sept. 11, 2012
SEATTLE - Having just returned from their annual fall camp, the Husky women's cross country team was greeted with the news that they had taken over the No. 1 spot in the national rankings today despite not yet having fully begun their season. The USTFCCCA, which administers the national rankings, now has the Huskies on top, swapping spots with No. 2-ranked Oregon. Oregon was ranked first in the preseason poll just two weeks ago with UW second. The Huskies were the NCAA runners-up last year while Oregon was fifth. Florida State is ranked third and defending champion Georgetown is fourth. Oregon and Washington have each run in one small meet thus far, with a handful of Huskies getting in a workout at Magnuson Park on Aug. 31, then heading to their weeklong training camp at Seabrook on the Washington coast. The season begins in earnest for Washington this Saturday as it hosts the annual Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. A larger group of Dawgs will be in action, but still likely not the full group. Races begin at Lincoln Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with the Husky women running at 11 a.m. and the Husky men going at 11:35 a.m. This is the first time that the women's team has been ranked No. 1 in the nation since the 2009 season. The women first garnered the No. 1 spot during 2008, when the team went undefeated and won the NCAA title, and then held the No. 1 spot through to the NCAA meet in 2009 when they finished third. |
