Lumberjacks Crack Top 25 Heading into NCAAs
6/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
June 3, 2014
USTFCCCA Rankings Release
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – With five entries in next week’s NCAA Championships, the Stephen F. Austin men’s track and field team cracked the Top 25 in the latest rankings by the USTFCCCA at No. 24. This marks the first time the Lumberjacks have been ranked since 1996.
“We are humbly excited about this latest ranking, which moves us to a place SFA Track and Field hasn’t seen since the 1996 Lumberjacks finished the season ranked 22nd nationally under Coach Glen Sefcik. That 1996 group included some outstanding athletes, including our own Assistant Coach Ron McCown in the decathlon,” Olson said.
“Our goal every season is to finish in the Top 25 of the NCAA, and that hasn’t changed in 15 seasons. We hope to finish the season strong so we can continue to raise the level of expectations for our entire program.”
This week’s rankings include only athletes competing at the championship meet in the rankings formula, and the Lumberjacks are ahead of some of the traditional powers in track and field. SFA jumped 13 spots from last week’s rankings to crack the Top 25.
The Lumberjacks are the second-highest mid-major in the rankings with New Mexico standing No. 22 out of the Mountain West Conference. All other teams in the Top 25 are from major conferences.
Pole vaulter Colton Ross leads the Lumberjacks into the NCAA Championship tied for the No. 1 mark in the nation. His vault of 5.70 meters (18-8.75) at the Longhorn Invitational was a new school and Southland Conference record. He is tied with defending NCAA Champion for the collegiate lead and ranked No. 5 in the world this season.
SFA’s 4x400 meter relay is ranked No. 16. Two runners on the relay are also ranked in their individual events. Josh Taylor is No. 9 after shattering the school record in the 400 meter hurdles last week in 50.17 seconds, and Cass Brown-Stewart is 20th in the 400 meters with his time of 45.95 last week.
Jamal Peden rounds out the rankings for SFA. With his leap of 7.81 meters (25-7.50) earlier this season he comes into the meet ranked No. 11. He finished sixth at the West Preliminary Rounds to advance to the NCAA Championship.
The Lumberjacks are set for the NCAA Championships next week from Eugene, Oregon. Competition runs June 11-14 from historic Hayward Field. SFA’s five entries leads the Southland Conference and represents more than half of the league combined for the men.
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