Oct. 1, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College men's and women's cross country teams are ranked among the top-20 in the nation according to the latest USTFCCCA Division 1 National Poll, released on September 30. The Friar women's team is ranked 13th in the nation with a total of 203 points. The men's team stands strong at 19th with 160 points.

Oregon tops the men's poll with 360 points, followed by Oklahoma St. (346), Colorado (326), Iona College (301), and Alabama (300). Oregon is also ranked No. 1 in the women's poll with 359 points. Washington is second (345), followed by Florida State (337), Minnesota (317), and Stanford (309).

The Providence men's and women's cross country teams return to action this weekend in one of the nation's oldest and largest intercollegiate cross country meets, the Notre Dame Invitational, in South Bend, IN. A total of 60 schools will be sending teams to the meet, 19 of which are currently ranked in the top 30 of the U.S.

The Women's Division I Cross Country National Poll:
Ranking	Team (first place votes)		Totals
1.	Oregon - (11)		359
2.	Washington - (1)		345
3.	Florida State		337
4.	Minnesota		317
5.	Stanford		309
6.	Princeton		291
7.	Arizona State		281
8.	Michigan State		276
9.	West Virginia		268
10.	Illinois		258
11.	Arkansas		243
12.	Wisconsin		221
13.	Providence		203
14.	Florida		188
15.	Michigan		176
16.	Baylor		162
17.	Colorado State		152
18.	New Mexico		135
19.	Rice		117
20.	North Carolina State		112
21.	Texas Tech		110
22.	Georgetown		102
23.	BYU		100
24.	Northern Arizona		88
25.	Boston College		79
26.	Duke		66
27.	Iowa		58
28.	North Carolina		53
29.	Tennessee		36
30.	Stony Brook		31
ORV: Colorado (30), Penn State (27), UC Riverside (14), Villanova (9), Nebraska (6), Notre Dame (6), Portland (4), SMU (4), Tulsa (4), Akron (1), Syracuse (1), and UC-Irvine (1).
Dropped Out: #23 Colorado, #30 Nebraska.

The Men's Division I Cross Country National Poll:
Ranking	Team (first place votes)		Totals
1.	Oregon - (12)		360
2.	Oklahoma State		346
3.	Colorado		326
4.	Iona College		301
5.	Alabama		300
6.	Wisconsin		279
7.	Portland		277
8.	Michigan		269
9.	Georgetown		249
10.	Stanford		244
11.	Iowa State		224
12.	Virginia		198
13.	North Carolina State		194
14.	Minnesota		188
15.	BYU		187
16.	Northern Arizona		177
17.	Texas		167
17.	UTEP		167
19.	Providence		160
20.	California		149
21.	Auburn		114
22.	William & Mary		106
23.	Cal Poly		85
24.	Arkansas		75
25.	Villanova		73
26.	Florida State		60
27.	Notre Dame		57
28.	Texas A&M		51
29.	New Mexico		48
30.	Syracuse		37
ORV: Michigan State (36), Princeton (24), Indiana (14), Tulsa (7), Washington State (6), UCLA (4), Miami-OH (3), and Washington (1).
Dropped Out: None.