LOGAN, Utah – Utah State's men's cross country team made its season debut in the NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Coaches' Poll, announced Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). After not receiving any votes last week, USU received 99 points this week to check in at No. 22.
The Aggies are the top team from the Mountain West in the poll, and one of five teams from the conference to receive votes. Boise State is No. 26 with 52 points and Wyoming is close behind at No. 30 with 25 points. Air Force is the third team out of the top 30 with 10 points, and Colorado State was the eighth team out with four points.
This is Utah State's highest ranking since the Aggies peaked at No. 19 in Week 5 of the 2017 season.
Two other teams from the Beehive State found themselves in this week's poll. BYU is No. 2 with 299 points and Southern Utah received one vote to rank tied for 41st.
In Utah State's last outing, the Aggie men placed first at the Lehigh-hosted Paul Short Run, held last Saturday morning at the Goodman Campus Cross Country Course in Bethlehem, Pa. USU became just the third team to ever win three-consecutive Paul Short Run team titles, finishing the event with 49 points, nearly 100 points ahead of the second-place team, Penn (144).
Senior
Luke Beattie's time of 23:33.9 was the fastest finish among Aggie runners, and good enough for fifth place overall in a field of 372 runners. Three USU runners finished in the top 10 of the event.
Utah State's men's and women's cross country teams continue their 2019 season on Friday, Oct. 11, as the Aggies host the Steve T. Reeder Memorial. The women's 5-kilometer run will begin at 3 p.m., while the men's 7-kilometer run will get underway at 3:45 p.m., at the Steve and Dona Reeder Cross Country Course.
Fans can follow the Utah State track & field and cross country programs at twitter.com/USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at instagram.com/USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
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