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September 24, 2009

2009 Season - Vikings move to 10th in nation

Thanks to a third place finish in the Illinois Intercollegiate Championship last weekend the Augustana men’s cross country team has jumped up one spot in the NCAA Division III national poll. Veteran head coach Paul Olsen’s team is now 10 th according to the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association poll, which was released today. In the first poll of the season, two weeks ago, the Vikings were 11 th.

Augustana piled up 201 points, five more than the poll in the first week of the season. The Vikings scored 91 points at the Illinois Intercollegiate Championship on Friday, September 18 in Normal, Illinois to finish third in the 25 team field. Sophomore Billy Wisser (Hersey HS, Mount Prospect, Illinois) was the top finisher for the Blue & Gold, taking 14 th with a time of 25:32 while senior Dan Bailey (Deerfield HS, Deerfield, Ill.) was 15 th in 25:34.

The national poll has a distinct Midwestern flavor five of the top 13 teams are in the Midwest region. North Central, which won the Illinois Intercollegiate meet with just 33 points, is ranked first for the third straight week with 279 points. Wisconsin-LaCrosse is second with 271 points. Wisconsin-Platteville checks in at eighth with 227 points, two places and 26 points ahead of the Vikings. Wisconsin-Stevens Point is 13 th with 176 points. Augustana will compete in the Brissman/Lundeen Invitational on Friday, September 25 at Credit Island in Davenport, Iowa.

2009 NCAA DIVISION III CROSS COUNTRY POLL

conducted by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA)

as of 09/24/09