BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A nation-leading 14 Southeastern Conference track and field programs – seven men’s and seven women’s – are among the nation’s top-25 teams, according to the latest Division I National Team Computer Rankings, as announced by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association on Tuesday.
The SEC leads the nation on both the men’s and women’s sides with seven teams each ranked among the top 25. There was little movement for SEC teams in this week’s poll.
Arkansas remains the nation’s No. 1 team on the men’s side, while three-time defending NCAA Indoor Champion Florida is ranked No. 2 and Texas A&M is No. 3. There are five SEC men’s teams among the top-10 as LSU is No. 6 and Auburn is No. 9. Other SEC teams in the men’s rankings include No. 12 Mississippi State and No. 17 Ole Miss.
Five SEC women’s teams are ranked in the nation’s top-10. LSU jumped two spots to No. 3 nationally, led by a pair of strong performances by Kimberlyn Duncan and Denise Hinton, both of whom earned SEC weekly honors. Arkansas is No. 4, Texas A&M is No. 6, Florida ranks No. 7 and Georgia is No. 10. Rounding out SEC women’s teams in the top-25 are No. 20 South Carolina and No. 25 Auburn. Kansas is the new No. 1 on the women’s side, followed by No. 2 Clemson.
The National Computer Team Rankings project how a team will finish in a National Championship Meet setting, rather than a triangular or dual. The rankings are compiled from meet data in the 2012-13 season, but also from returners from the 2011-12 to take into account what a roster might look like should all student-athletes perform at their top level. This is the final edition of the rankings in which preseason data will be factored into team scores.
The next USTFCCCA rankings will be released on Feb. 12.
The 2013 SEC Indoor Championships are slated for Feb. 22-24 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.
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USTFCCCA Men’s Indoor Track and Field Rankings (Feb. 5, 2013)
1. Arkansas
2. Florida
3. Texas A&M
4. Oregon
5. Arizona State
6. LSU
7. Indiana
8. Minnesota
9. Auburn
10. Arizona
11. Texas
12. Mississippi State
13. Penn State
14. Nebraska
15. Wisconsin
16. Florida State
17. Ole Miss
18. Stanford
19. Virginia Tech
20. BYU
21. Kansas State
22. Oklahoma
23. Oklahoma State
24. Northern Arizona
25. UT Arlington
USTFCCCA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Rankings (Feb. 5, 2013)
1. Kansas
2. Clemson
3. LSU
4. Arkansas
5. Oregon
6. Texas A&M
7. Florida
8. Washington
9. UCF
10. Georgia
11. Iowa State
12. California
13. Arizona
14. Texas
15. Dartmouth
16. Stanford
17. Arizona State
18. Indiana State
19. Baylor
20. South Carolina
21. Florida State
22. San Diego State
23. Wichita State
24. Michigan State
25. Auburn