The High Point University men's cross country team was ranked 11th in the Div. I Southeast Regional Poll by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Monday. It's HPU's first appearance in the ranking this season and comes on the heels of the team's victory at the Blue Ridge Open last Friday.

The only other Big South Conference team to appear in the Southeast Regional Poll is Liberty, as the Flames were ranked 15th.

At the Blue Ridge Open in Boone, N.C. on Saturday, High Point University downed 18 other teams for the victory, including Davidson and Appalachian State, which are ranked 12th and 13th in the Southeast Regional Poll, respectively. The Panthers also defeated Big South rivals Coastal Carolina, VMI, UNC Asheville, Gardner-Webb and Radford.

Sophomore Neal Darmody (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) led HPU with a seventh-place finish at the Blue Ridge Open. He was the third collegiate finisher. Eleven seconds behind Darmody, senior Josh Morgan (Asheville, N.C./TC Roberson) placed ninth. Freshmen Jacob Smith (Brockville, Ontario/Thousand Islands Secondary School) and Dakota Peachee (Garner, N.C./West Johnston) and junior Jevin Monds (Whitecourt, Alberta/Hilltop) also were in HPU's top five.

For the first time ever, High Point University is hosting the Big South Cross Country Championship on Oct. 31 at Shady Oaks on High Point Road in Winston-Salem. Last year, the Panthers finished second to Liberty.