GENESEO, N.Y. - The SUNY Geneseo men's and women's cross country teams were both ranked No. 1 in Division III on Wednesday, September 30, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). It is the first time in the history of the rankings that one institution has held the top spot in both polls at the same time.
Each team moved up one spot in their respective rankings on the heels of sweeping the team titles against a nationally-ranked field of teams at the Purple Valley Classic, hosted by Williams (Mass.) on Saturday.
It is the first time in program history the men have been voted the top team in the nation, while the women claimed the top spot for the first time since sitting atop the national poll for eight-consecutive weeks to start the 2006 season after winning the 2005 national championship.
The women were a unanimous number-one choice, receiving all eight first-place votes after besting a field that included 10 nationally-ranked teams, including defending national champion and former number-one Williams.
The men received seven of eight first-place votes after out-distancing a field of eight nationally-ranked squads, led by junior Isaac Garcia-Cassani who was voted the USTFCCCA Male Runner of the Week after winning the individual title.
Both squads will put their number-one rankings to the test this Saturday, hosting the 36th-Annual Mike Woods Cross Country Invitational at Letchworth State Park. The men's race is scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. start, followed by the women's gun at 12:00 p.m.
USTFCCCA Division III National Coaches Poll - WOMEN
USTFCCCA Division III National Coaches Poll - MEN
News release by Tim Volkmann, Director of Athletic Communications & Media Relations