NEW ORLEANS – The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships will enter its final stage next weekend in Eugene, Ore., and, by the looks of the latest national team rankings released Tuesday morning by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), both team races will be hotly contested.

PDFs: Top 25 | Full by Team | Event-by-Event | Week-by-Week
Regional Team Index | Previous Rankings | Rankings Guidelines & Rationale
Event-by-Event "Brackets" | Program of the Year Standings
NCAA Championship (Eugene): Championships Central | Entry Marks by School | Entry Marks by Conference
2009 NCAA Championships FINAL Summary

The Texas A&M men moved back to the No. 1 position after a successful weekend at the West portion of the NCAA preliminary rounds. Texas A&M and No. 3 Oregon will enter Eugene with 16 entries, the most among the field. Texas A&M leads the nation with seven sprint/hurdle entries while Oregon has six mid-distance contestants to lead that category. No. 2 Florida’s strength lay with five event leaders, including long/triple jump collegiate leader Christian Taylor, the nation’s leading relays, and national 400-meter leader Calvin Smith. No. 4 LSU moved up a spot after qualifying 15 for Eugene.

The Aggie women also moved to the No. 1 position after advancing a championship-high 21 entries to Eugene. Twelve of those qualified are in the sprints and hurdles while four more in the jumps. No. 2 Oregon and No. 3 LSU advanced 17 apiece to Eugene. LSU and Texas A&M will go head-to-head in the sprints and hurdles while LSU and Oregon will go head-to-head mostly at mid-distance and in the jumps.

Triple Threats

Three advanced to Eugene in three throwing events, shot put, discus, and hammer throw: Adonson Shallow (Southeast Louisiana), Jeneva McCall (Southern Illinois), Jason Lewis (Arizona State).

Getting the Job Done … Advancing Top 24 Seeds

MEN: Texas Tech was perfect in advancing to Eugene all 10 entries nationally-seeded in the top 24. The next to go perfect was Florida State (7 of 7) and then UTEP, Penn State, and Texas (5 of 5). Also doing well was LSU (13 of 14, 93 percent) and Florida (10 of 11, 91 percent).

WOMEN: Florida, Arkansas, and Texas were seven of seven in advancing their top-24 seeds to be the most impressive in the category on the women’s side. Penn State was nine of 10 (90%) while LSU (16 of 18) and Texas Tech (8 of 9) sent 89 percent of their top 24s.

A Good Trip for Most

MEN: Mississippi State advanced 70 percent (7-of-10) of their entries to Eugene to be the most successful in that category (10 entries minimum). Texas A&M (15 of 25), Texas Tech (12 of 20), and Baylor (9 of 15) reached the 60 percent threshold among those with 10-or-more entries.

WOMEN: LSU, Texas A&M, and Oregon is in dead heat as the most successful women’s squad in the preliminary rounds. LSU advanced 17 of 25 (68 percent) of their entries to Eugene while Texas A&M qualified 20 of 30 (67%) and Oregon moved 16 of 24 (67%).

Cinderella Watch: Lowest National Seeds that advanced to Eugene:

94: Francis Kasagule (Lamar) made it through two rounds of the men’s 1500 meters to advance to Eugene. Having a previous season best of 3:48.07 from the LSU Relays in early March, Kasagule advanced through the first round with a 3:44.21 run and moved on the Eugene via a 3:40.89 clocking in the quarterfinal.

93: Senior Elise Knutzen (Notre Dame) in the national semifinal of the women’s javelin (East) finished 12th with a season best of 148-4 (45.22). Knutzen entered the weekend with the 102nd-best mark in Division I with previous best set on May 14, 142-3 (43.37m).

93: Sophomore Josh Izewski (Florida) managed the 131st-best mark in Division I before the championships, but took 12th in the east qualifying of the men’s 10,000 and clocked 30:12.18.

93: Sophomore Jocelyn Witmer (Penn State) matched her season best of 12-5½ (3.80m) in the women’s pole vault (East) to qualify.

91: Junior Aaron Dixon (Missouri) was the best time qualifier in the West men’s 800 quarterfinal with a finish of 1:47.39. Dixon’s previous season best was 1:50.11 and was 108th on the national descending-order list.

90: Jason Bigelow (Oakland) carried a 3:47.08 season best into the NCAA meet, but was able to finish third in the East first round, heat one (3:48.30) and fourth in heat two of the quarterfinal to advance to Eugene.

Highest National Seeds NOT to advance to Eugene:

1: Jere’ Summers (Louisville), fouled on three attempts in the first round of the women’s discus.

2: Cooper Thompson (USC) in the national semifinal of the men’s javelin (West), threw 207-2 (63.15m).

3: Stephanie James (San Diego State) in the national semifinal of the women’s pole vault (West), cleared 13-1½ (4.00m).

3: Jacques Watson (Coastal Carolina), men’s high jump, cleared 6-9 (2.06m) in the East semifinal.

About the Rankings
For more on the rankings and links to guideline and rationale information visit …
http://www.ustfccca.org/rankings/division-i-rankings