Xavier Gold Nuggets receive most points in NAIA poll since 2008

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, a 21-point victor in its season opener, received four points Wednesday in the NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 poll. The Gold Nuggets are tied for 37th place with four points, and it's their most points and highest ranking since the 2008 preseason.

The poll is the first since the preseason rankings Aug. 22 and the second of 10 this season.

The XU women earned their first victory in an opener since 2006 by defeating eight opponents Saturday in the Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational at Metairie, La. Sophomores Zahri Jackson and Catherine Fakler finished 2-4 in the field of 66 runners, and freshman Briana Simms placed ninth. Xavier scored 33 points, followed by Mississippi College with 54.

This is the first time since 2003 that the Nuggets received votes in consecutive seasons. A year ago they received one point in four consecutive polls Oct. 12-Nov. 6. No Xavier cross country team, female or male, has reached the top 25.

Three-time defending champion Cal State San Marcos retained its No. 1 ranking. Five teams, led by No. 10 Concordia (Calif.), made their first appearance this season in the top 25.

Xavier's next meet will be the Azalea City Classic at Brookley Gulf Pines Golf Course in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday morning. The men's 8,000-meter race will start at 7:30, and the women's 6K will begin at 8:05. Scheduled to compete are the women of UAB, Delta State and Jackson State and the men and women of Alabama State, Auburn, Auburn Montgomery, Millsaps, Mobile, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, Spring Hill, Tougaloo, Troy, Tulane, West Florida and William Carey. South Alabama, the host, won the men's and women's team championships in 2011.

NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses) Rank Team Points Last 1 Cal State San Marcos (21) 591 1 2 British Columbia 572 2 3 Olivet Nazarene 549 3 4 College of Idaho 530 4 5-tie Carroll (Mont.) 505 6 5-tie Biola 505 7 7 Northwest Christian 471 5 8 Lewis-Clark State 436 8 9 Concordia (Neb.) 427 10 10 Concordia (Calif.) 399 RV 11 Milligan 385 11 12 Southern Oregon 367 13 13 Westmont 352 9 14 Aquinas 347 17 15 Dordt 325 15 16 The Master's 292 12 17 Cornerstone 269 20 18 St. Francis (Ill.) 267 RV 19 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 264 16 20 Rocky Mountain 262 21 21 Huntington (Ind.) 255 23 22 Taylor 210 RV 23 Illinois Tech 123 RV 24 Cumberlands 113 RV 25 Indiana Wesleyan 106 18 Others receiving votes: Northwest 103; Oklahoma Baptist 96, Doane 81, Saint Xavier 78, Spring Arbor 43, Central Methodist 34, Shawnee State 29, Trinity Christian 23, Eastern Oregon 10, SCAD Savannah 10, Mount Mercy 5, Xavier 4, Lee (Tenn.) 4, Baker (Kan.) 3.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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