KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State women remained in the top 25 of the nation following their victory over the Purdue Boilermakers last Friday while the men moved closer to the top 25 according to the rankings released today by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The Sycamore women are ranked 19th in the nation after being ranked 18th in the preseason poll two weeks ago. The men improved to 33rd in the national rankings after opening 35th in the preseason release.

The two Indiana State teams are also among the best according to the Great Lakes Region rankings which were released for the first time this week. The Sycamore women open the 2013 rankings in sixth while the men open in eighth.

The Sycamore women are the highest ranking team in the national poll from the Missouri Valley Conference. Illinois State fell one spot to 26th with Wichita State up two to 43rd, Southern Illinois down 14 to 79th, and Missouri State up one to 102nd. Indiana State is also the top ranked team among major universities in Indiana. Purdue moved up six spots to 51st with Notre Dame up one to 82nd, Butler down four to 96th, and Indiana down three to 109th.

The top three teams remained the same in the women's national rankings with Clemson holding on to the top spot followed by Kansas and Oregon. Texas A&M moved up two to fourth with Arkansas also up two to fifth.

The Indiana State men are also the highest ranking team in the national poll from the Missouri Valley Conference. Illinois State remained 48th in the first week of the regular season rankings with Southern Illinois up three to 89th, Drake up 42 to 105th, and Wichita State down five to 142nd. The Indiana Hoosiers are the top ranked team among major universities in Indiana as they remained seventh in the national rankings. Indiana State improved two spots to 33rd with Notre Dame down one to 42nd, Purdue down two to 76th, and Butler up two to 101st.

Arkansas remained the top ranked team in the men's national rankings with Texas A&M moving up two to second, Florida dropping one to third, Arizona State up two to fourth, and Oregon remaining fifth.

Notre Dame is the top women's team in the Great Lakes Region followed by Kent State, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio State in the top five. The second five is led by the Indiana State Sycamores followed by Eastern Michigan, Cincinnati, Michigan State, and Akron.

Indiana leads the men's teams in the Great Lakes Region followed by Ohio State, Purdue, Notre Dame, and Michigan State in the top five. The second five is led by Akron followed by Kent State, Indiana State, Eastern Michigan, and Michigan.

SYCAMORES IN THE RANKINGS

Several Indiana State athletes are among the best in the nation with their individual performances this season.

Felisha Johnson still has the best distance of 75-feet-3.25-inches in the weight throw but dropped to second in the shot put at 57-feet-3.75-inches. Oklahoma senior Tia Brooks topped Johnson's shot put mark with a distance of 61-feet-6.75-inches this past weekend. Johnson leads the Valley and the Great Lakes Region in both events.

Leeann Michl had the fastest time in the 800 meters until this weekend but still has the fifth fastest time in the nation at 2:08.85 (converted from an actual time of 2:10.34). Boston College senior Jillian King ran 2:06.65 this past weekend to take over the top spot. Michl leads the Valley and the Great Lakes Region in the event.

The 4x400 meter relay team of Macey Black, Stacia Weatherford, Michl, and Shelby Higginbottom has the 17th fastest time in the nation after running 3:42.52 (converted from an actual time of 3:45.47) in winning the event at the Gene Edmonds Cup. The team leads the Valley and has the second fastest time in the Great Lakes Region. Arkansas has the fastest time in the nation for the event with a time of 3:36.03.

Greggmar Swift moved up to third in the national 60 meter hurdle rankings with his personal best time of 7.72 seconds set by winning the event at the Gene Edmonds Cup last Saturday. Clemson senior Spencer Adams has the fastest time this year at 7.62. Swift leads the Valley and the Great Lakes Region in the event. Swift also has the Valley's and Great Lake Region's best time in the 60 meter dash (54th nationally) with a time of 6.81.

Chris Fields is ranked 25th in the men's shot put with a distance of 62-feet-8-inches. He is fourth in the Valley and eighth in the Great Lakes Region with the effort. Minnesota junior Jon Lehman leads the nation at 68-feet-0.5-inches.