Cross Country Men Ranked Ninth Nationally

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The Virginia men’s cross country team, fresh off its second ACC title in three years, earned the No. 9 ranking this week by the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches’ Association, the organization announced today. The top-10 ranking is the first under head coach Jason Dunn and the highest in over 20 years. In 1984, the men’s team finished fifth at the NCAA Championships, the highest finish in school history. The squad is also the top-ranked team in the Southeast Region and the highest-ranked ACC team in the nation.

Led by ACC runner-up Andy Biladeau, ACC Freshman of the Year Emil Heineking, ACC 5K Champion Ryan Foster and All-American Jan Foerster, the men placed four in the top six of the ACC meet to upset reigning champion N. C. State, who was ranked seventh nationally going into the championships.

“We are very pleased to be ranked ninth in the most recent coaches poll,” said Virginia head cross country coach Jason Dunn. “We have been working hard for some time to be considered amongst the top 10 teams in the country, so it is gratifying to be ranked accordingly. However, over the next three weeks we will continue to be focused primarily on our goals of returning to the NCAA Championships and placing in the top 10.”

Virginia will return to action on Saturday, November 10 as the Cavaliers travel to Louisville to compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional where they will look to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the third consecutive year and the fourth time in five years. The Hoos finished 26th two years ago before finishing 14th in 2006. The 2007 NCAA meet will be held in Terre Haute, Indiana and is hosted by Indiana State University. The men’s 10K race will be run on Monday, November 19.

USTFCCA National Cross Country Rankings, 30 October