University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Steve Austell
Tigers Women's Cross Country No. 7 In Region Poll
Nov 01, 2016 | Women's Cross Country
Memphis in regional rankings for fifth-straight week.
NEW ORLEANS, La. – After a stellar performance at last Saturday's American Athletic Conference Championships, the University of Memphis women's cross country team continued its move up the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTCCCA)/NCAA Division I regional rankings. The regional rankings were released Tuesday.
This week, the Tigers are No. 7 in the USTFCCA/NCAA Division I South Region poll. It is the third-straight week the Tigers are in the regional poll's top-10. The No. 7 regional ranking in the highest in program history. Overall, Memphis has been ranked a school-record five weeks this season.
In mid-September, the 2016 women's squad made school history when it earned the program's first regional ranking. Memphis entered the Sept. 21 USTFCCCA South Region poll at No. 12. Since that first ranking, the Tigers jumped to No. 11 in the Sept. 28 poll and No. 9 in the Oct. 5 poll and were No. 10 in the organization's most-recent rankings (Oct. 17) prior to this poll.
Memphis is the only American Athletic Conference school ranked in this week's USTFCCCA/NCAA Division I South Region poll. In all, the Tigers are one of five American Athletic Conference women's cross country teams ranked in the regional polls.
USTFCCCA has nine different regions and ranks the top-15 programs in each region weekly.
The Tigers posted their fifth top-10 finish of 2016 last Saturday, placing third at the American Athletic Conference Championships. The third-place team performance was the best at a conference championships event in program history.
The women's squad made more history when senior Martina Rodriguez Sala placed third in a time of 20:30.4 and junior Chelsea Ladd was fourth in a time of 20:37.3. It was the first time the Tigers had two top-five performers in a conference championships meet in program history.
Rodriguez Sala's third-place finish was the highest in program history, bettering her own mark of fourth place at the 2015 event. For their efforts, Rodriguez Sala and Ladd earned All-American Athletic Conference honors, marking the first time Memphis had two female runners receive all-league distinction in the same season.
In addition to the two top-five finishes, Arnica Zitting (16th) and Bailey Kennemer (26th) placed among the race's top-30. The four top-30 performances were the most by a Memphis women's squad at a league championships meet in program history.
Prior to the league championships, Memphis had four other top-10 performances this fall. The Tigers won titles at the Rhodes College and Austin Peay invitationals, marking the first time the women's program won two invitationals in the same season since 1990. Memphis also placed fourth at the Brooks Twilight Classic and sixth at the Crimson Classic.
The Tigers return to action Nov. 11 when they travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to run in the NCAA South Region Championships. The races begin at 7:30 a.m. (CT).
This week, the Tigers are No. 7 in the USTFCCA/NCAA Division I South Region poll. It is the third-straight week the Tigers are in the regional poll's top-10. The No. 7 regional ranking in the highest in program history. Overall, Memphis has been ranked a school-record five weeks this season.
In mid-September, the 2016 women's squad made school history when it earned the program's first regional ranking. Memphis entered the Sept. 21 USTFCCCA South Region poll at No. 12. Since that first ranking, the Tigers jumped to No. 11 in the Sept. 28 poll and No. 9 in the Oct. 5 poll and were No. 10 in the organization's most-recent rankings (Oct. 17) prior to this poll.
Memphis is the only American Athletic Conference school ranked in this week's USTFCCCA/NCAA Division I South Region poll. In all, the Tigers are one of five American Athletic Conference women's cross country teams ranked in the regional polls.
USTFCCCA has nine different regions and ranks the top-15 programs in each region weekly.
The Tigers posted their fifth top-10 finish of 2016 last Saturday, placing third at the American Athletic Conference Championships. The third-place team performance was the best at a conference championships event in program history.
The women's squad made more history when senior Martina Rodriguez Sala placed third in a time of 20:30.4 and junior Chelsea Ladd was fourth in a time of 20:37.3. It was the first time the Tigers had two top-five performers in a conference championships meet in program history.
Rodriguez Sala's third-place finish was the highest in program history, bettering her own mark of fourth place at the 2015 event. For their efforts, Rodriguez Sala and Ladd earned All-American Athletic Conference honors, marking the first time Memphis had two female runners receive all-league distinction in the same season.
In addition to the two top-five finishes, Arnica Zitting (16th) and Bailey Kennemer (26th) placed among the race's top-30. The four top-30 performances were the most by a Memphis women's squad at a league championships meet in program history.
Prior to the league championships, Memphis had four other top-10 performances this fall. The Tigers won titles at the Rhodes College and Austin Peay invitationals, marking the first time the women's program won two invitationals in the same season since 1990. Memphis also placed fourth at the Brooks Twilight Classic and sixth at the Crimson Classic.
The Tigers return to action Nov. 11 when they travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to run in the NCAA South Region Championships. The races begin at 7:30 a.m. (CT).
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
Wolfchase Toyota Insider: Cross Country
Wednesday, October 12
Wolfchase Toyota Insider: Cross Country
Thursday, September 29