SHAWNEE – Following a runner-up finish in the Great American Conference Championships last weekend, Oklahoma Baptist moved into seventh in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Central Region rankings.
Northwest Missouri topped the poll while Pittsburg State, Washburn and East Central followed in second through fourth, respectively.
Historically, there are three teams that will earn automatic bids to compete in the NCAA Championships while the fourth- and fifth-ranked schools have legitimate chances to earn at-large bids.
For the Bison, they'll look to move up after their NCAA Central Regional Championship set for Saturday, Nov. 8 in Joplin, Mo.
The USTFCCCA Regional rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams' strength with current season results in determining a rank-order of squad potential.
