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FSU is shown at last year's GLIAC Championships.  The majority of the Bulldogs' squad returns this fall (Courtesy Photo)
FSU is shown at last year's GLIAC Championships. The majority of the Bulldogs' squad returns this fall (Courtesy Photo)

Ferris Women's CC Ranked 12th Nationally

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's cross country team is ranked 12th nationally in the 2010 United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Division II Poll, which was announced Thursday (Aug. 26).

The Bulldog women's cross country team, which will be guided by third-year head coach Steve Picucci, previously was listed second earlier this week in the USTFCCCA Preseason Midwest Regional Rankings behind regional favorite Grand Valley State.  

The women's squad is one of three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) teams found in the top 25 of the national rankings along with second-ranked GVSU and number 21-ranked Ashland. 

Adams State (Colo.) was selected as the national preseason favorite followed by GVSU, Alaska-Anchorage, Shippensburg (Pa.) and Chico State (Calif.) in the top five.

The Bulldogs, who reported to begin preseason workouts Wednesday (Aug. 24), are officially started to begin the 2010 campaign by taking part in the Northwood Open on Friday, Sept. 3, in Midland, Mich.

Ferris ran to a 11th-place team finish while tying for the second-highest finish in school history during the 2009 NCAA Division II National Championships last fall (Nov. 21) in Evansville, Ind. FSU previously had secured its national championships berth by running to a third-place team finish in the NCAA-II Midwest Regional Championships (Nov. 7) held in Kenosha, Wis. The Bulldog women placed third in the regional for the second-straight campaign.

Last year also represented only the fourth time in history the Bulldog women's cross country team had team qualified for the national championships as FSU's 2008 showing was its first since 1987.

Six of FSU's seven runners from last season's national championships are slated to return this fall, including standout Tina Muir, who took 12th place overall for the second-straight year in earning All-America honors for the second consecutive campaign last season.  Muir, who was last year's regional champion and GLIAC Runner of the Year, won all five of her races last season prior to the national championships.

The 2010 GLIAC Championships will be held on Saturday, Nov. 6, in Hillsdale, Mich., with the 2010 NCAA-II Midwest Regional set for Saturday, Nov. 20, in Louisville, Ky.  The NCAA Division II National Championships will also be held in Louisville on Saturday, Dec. 4.

NCAA Division II

Women's Cross Country National Team Rankings

2010 Preseason, August 25

next ranking: September 21
           
Rank Institution Region Conference Location
2009 FINISH
1 Adams State Central RMAC Alamosa, Colo.
1
2 Grand Valley State Midwest GLIAC Allendale, Mich.
2
3 Alaska Anchorage West GNAC Anchorage, Alaska
5
4 Shippensburg Atlantic PSAC Shippensburg, Pa.
15
5 Chico State West CCAA Chico, Calif.
6
6 Minnesota Duluth Central NSIC Duluth, Minn.
7
7 Western Washington West GNAC Bellingham, Wash.
8
8 Missouri Southern South Central MIAA Joplin, Mo.
3
9 Western State Central RMAC Gunnison, Colo.
9
10 Tampa South Sunshine Tampa, Fla.
10
11 Augustana (S.D.) Central NSIC Sioux Falls, S.D.
13
12 Ferris State Midwest GLIAC Big Rapids, Mich.
11
13 Southern Indiana Midwest GLVC Evansville, Ind.
12
14 Seattle Pacific West GNAC Seattle, Wash.
4
15 Truman State South Central MIAA Kirksville, Mo.  
16 Stonehill East Northeast-10 Easton, Mass.
16
17 Kutztown Atlantic PSAC Kutztown, Pa.
14
18 Slippery Rock Atlantic PSAC Slippery Rock, Pa.  
19 Pittsburg State South Central MIAA Pittsburg, Kan.  
20 U-Mary Central NSIC Bismarck, N.D.
18
21 Ashland Midwest GLIAC Ashland, Ohio  
22 Northwest Missouri South Central MIAA Maryville, Mo.  
23 Columbus State Southeast Peach Belt Columbus, Ga.
24
24 Queens (N.C.) Southeast Conf. Carolinas Charlotte, N.C.
20
25 Southern Connecticut East Northeast-10 New Haven, Conn.