Gold Nuggets 14th in inaugural NAIA outdoor rankings



DEVINN ROLLAND

NEW ORLEANS -- The women of Xavier University of Louisiana are 14th in the inaugural edition of the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Rankings are based only on performances during the 2014 outdoor season and the number of athletes a school has near the top of the descending order list in the various events and how highly they are ranked.

The NAIA does not officially sanction or endorse the rankings but supports them for media and entertainment purposes.

The Gold Nuggets' Devinn Rolland is ranked first in the NAIA in the long jump (19 feet, 4 3/4 inches), third in the 100-meter dash (11.83 seconds) and eighth in the 200 (24.97). Angelica Alexander is tied for fourth in the high jump (5-6), and Hannah Finnegan is sixth in the 3,000 steeplechase (11:09.53). Xavier's 400 relay team of Kaylee Moore, Rolland, Kailey Williams and Chelsea James is sixth (47.54).

Xavier's women and men will compete Saturday in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. Field events will start at 8:45 a.m., track events at 9:30 a.m. The final event of the day, the 1,600 relay, will start at 4:45 p.m. Dillard is the host school.

The top 25:

1. Indiana Tech
2. British Columbia
3. Oklahoma Baptist
4. College of Idaho
5. Baker
6. Doane
7. Wayland Baptist
8. Cal State San Marcos
9. Hastings
10. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
11. Westmont
12. Concordia (Neb.)
13. The Master's
14. Xavier
15. Biola
16. Concordia (Ore.)
17. Southern Oregon
18. Vanguard
19. Olivet Nazarene
20. Carroll (Mont.)
21. Siena Heights
22. Wiley
23. Concordia (Calif.)
24. Indiana Wesleyan
25. St. Francis (Ill.)


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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