NEW ORLEANS – Reigning indoor national champion ACU begins the outdoor season ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II men's track and field, according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings, which were released Tuesday.
The Wildcats – who finished second at last year's outdoor championship meet – lead the men's poll, while reigning indoor women's team champion Grand Valley State (Mich.) opens the outdoor season ranked No. 1 in the nation.
The NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held May 26-28 in Turlock, Calif., on the campus of Cal State Stanislaus.
Defending men's team outdoor champion Saint Augustine's starts the season at No. 3 while women's defending outdoor team champion Angelo State begins at No. 20.
Pre-season computer rankings are compiled using performance data from both the current 2011 outdoor season and the past season. Past-season data will be used in conjunction with current data through week three in calculating team scores.
