EOU Men’s Cross-Country Jumps to No. 6 in National Rankings
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, September 23rd, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Release from Eastern Oregon University) The second Men’s Cross-Country Coaches’ Top 25 Poll of the 2022 season was released by the NAIA Thursday morning, Sept. 22. Eastern Oregon’s Men’s Cross Country jumped up seven spots from their preseason ranking and now sits at No.6 in the country.
The rise in the polls comes after back-to-back dominant performances by the Mounties. Eastern started off the season with a win at the CCC Preview on Sept. 9 where they finished 42 points ahead of the second-place team, claiming four of the top five spots in the race. A week later the Mountaineers took their second victory of the season at their own EOU Invitational. Again, Eastern runners finished in four of the top five spots in the race, this time outscoring the next closest opponent by 24.
“Guys have been working hard and racing very well so it is good to see them being recognized in the first regular season poll,” Coach Ben Welch said.
Six teams in the CCC were named to the Top 25 Poll, proving the conference to be one of the best in the country. Following Eastern in the poll is Lewis-Clark State at No. 9, Southern Oregon at No. 11, College of Idaho at No. 16, Northwest at No. 22 and Oregon Tech rounding out the Top 25 in the final spot.
“The conference is deep and fast, and we are having a lot of fun right now. The guys are fit, focused and hungry for more,” Welch said.
EOU takes a break from action this weekend and will return to the races at the 47th annual Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 1.
