Nov. 13, 2001

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College men's cross country team is ranked ninth in the MONDO NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Poll, released Tuesday, November 12. The Friars were picked fourth in the preseason poll, released on September 5. Most recently, the Friars earned a first-place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional Men's Cross Country Championship on November 10 at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass. The top-two teams at the Regionals automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships on November 19 at Furman University in Greenville, S.C. The Friars have qualified for the NCAA Championship in each of the last seven years. In 2000, Providence finished third at the championship.

Providence received 271 points in the poll. Colorado tops the rankings with 391 points (seven first-place votes), while Stanford remains second with 389 points (eight first-place votes). Arkansas has earned one first-place vote and sits in third place with 369 points. Notre Dame is ranked fourth (346 points), North Carolina State is ranked fifth (333 points), Portland is ranked sixth (302 points), Michigan is ranked seventh (282 points) and Northern Arizona moved up one spot in the rankings to eighth (281 points).

THE MONDO NCAA-I MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL Conducted by the UNITED STATES CROSS COUNTRY COACHES ASSOCIATION

Rank 	Team (first place votes)  	Points
1	Colorado (7) 	                391
2       Stanford (8)        	        389
3       Arkansas (1)      	        369
4	Notre Dame 	                346
5	North Carolina State	        333
6	Portland	                302
7	Michigan	                282
8	Northern Arizona	        281
9	PROVIDENCE	                271
10	Villanova	                265
11	Wisconsin	                250
12	Michigan State	                210
13	BYU	                        200
14	Oregon	                        199
15	Arizona State	                168
16	William & Mary	                153
17	Colorado State	                135
18	UC-Santa Barbara	        111
19	Wake Forest	                 88
20	Air Force	                 87
21	Alabama	                         70
22	Georgetown	                 65
23	Arizona	                         52
24	Duke	                         32
25	Butler	                         29


Also receiving votes:  Minnesota 27, Utah 18, Dartmouth 16, Eastern Michigan 13,
Oklahoma State 9, Washington 8, Indiana 3.