STANFORD, Calif. – For the first time in 13 years, both the Stanford's men's and women's cross country teams are ranked among the top three in the country by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Collegiate Coaches Association.
Each team moved up two spots after their runner-up finishes at the prestigious Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational on Saturday. The Cardinal women are No. 2 and the men are tied for No. 3.
The last time Stanford had both teams in the top three was the Week Three rankings of the 2006 season when the women were No. 1 and the men No. 3. The Stanford women, led by Arianna Lambie, won the second of three consecutive NCAA titles that year and the men, paced by Neftalem Araia's runner-up finish, took fourth.
In addition to the national rankings, the regional rankings were released and Stanford moved up to No. 1 in the West among both the men and the women.
These rankings will hold through the conference championships. Stanford next competes at the Pac-12 Championships on Nov. 1 in Monmouth, Oregon.
The NCAA Championships are Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Stanford has placed both teams in the top five at nationals the past three years.
This is Stanford's first season under J.J. Clark, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field, and assistant coach Ricardo Santos. At Wisconsin, Alex Ostberg and Thomas Ratcliffe placed third and fourth for the men, and Fiona O'Keeffe and Ella Donaghu went 4-6 for the women.
