Marquette Women Ranked 21st In Preseason Cross Country Poll

IRVING, Texas - For the fourth consecutive year, the Marquette women’s cross country team will enter its season nationally ranked. To start the 2004 season, the Golden Eagles are ranked 21st in the FinishLynx NCAA Div. I National Rankings.

“It’s always an honor to be nationally ranked,” head coach Dave Uhrich said. “But I also realize that the rankings don’t mean much until the season gets going. I certainly think we are a nationally ranked level team, but we need to get some people healthy to get to that point.”

In addition, Marquette is ranked third in the Great Lakes region. That regional is one of the toughest in the nation, as it has a total of five teams that are nationally ranked. The United States Cross Country Coaches Association votes on the poll.

The Golden Eagles won their fourth straight Conference USA title in 2003 and look to keep the streak alive in their last year in the conference. Marquette has also made four consecutive trips to the NCAA Championship meet, finishing as high as 15th in 2001. Marquette took 22nd at the 2003 NCAA Championship.

“Being nationally ranked is something we have been proud of,” Uhrich said. “We want to continue that, we want to be nationally ranked every year and go to nationals every year.”

Marquette’s season will begin on Friday at the Bradley Invite in Peoria, Ill.

FinishLynx/NCAA Div. I Women’s Cross Country national Poll
(Conducted by the Women’s Cross Country Coaches Association)

2004 Preseason Poll
Sept. 7, 2004

1. Stanford (10) 386
2. Providence (3) 372
3. Brigham Young 371
4. Notre Dame 342
5. North Carolina St. 329
6. Colorado 322
7. Michigan 316
8. Princeton 288
UCLA 288
10. Villanova 265
11. Wake Forest 248
12. Missouri 235
13. Columbia 231
14. North Carolina 221
15. Northern Arizona 189
16. Georgetown 184
Washington 184
18. Arkansas 165
19. Arizona State 158
20. Duke 155
21. Marquette 145
22. Tennessee 119
23. Penn State 109
24. Michigan State 95
25. Baylor 73
26. Colorado State 69
27. Indiana 44
28. Yale 36
29. Minneosta 27
30. West Virginia 20

Others receiving votes: California 15, Georgia 13, William & Mary 9, Texas Tech 5, Toledo 5, UC-Santa Barbara 5, Illinois 2, Vanberbilt 2, Washington State 2, Dartmouth 1.