LU Women No. 2 in the Country, Men Are No. 13 Following MIAA Championships

The Lincoln Women Are Less Than Nine Points Behind Adams State In The USTFCCCA Rankings

Yanique Ellington was the Women's High Point
 Scorer at the MIAA Indoor Championships

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri  --  Following its fourth-consecutive MIAA indoor title, the Lincoln women's track & field team moved up to No. 2 in the country while the LU men are now No. 13. Both Blue Tiger teams moved up in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division II national rankings, which were released Monday evening (March 3).

The LU women, who were No. 3 in the past two ranking releases, moved up to No. 2 after winning five events en route to claiming the 2014 MIAA Indoor Championship. Yanique Ellington played a big role in Lincoln's move up the rankings, as the MIAA Championships' High-Point Scorer improved her times in both the 60m and 200m while winning both events at last weekend's league title meet (Feb. 28-March 2). The Blue Tigers are well within striking distance of No. 1 Adams State, as Lincoln (195.66) is less than nine points behind ASU (204.56) in this week's rankings. Rounding out the top five are No. 3 Grand Valley State (179.95), No. 4 Ashland (126.88) and No. 5 Johnson C. Smith (110.37).

Four MIAA programs earned a mention in this week's women's rankings, tying the conference for the second-most teams in the poll. Central Missouri made one of the biggest leaps in the poll, climbing from No. 15 to No. 7 after receiving 73.11 points. A pair of MIAA squads round out this week's poll, with No. 24 Nebraska-Kearney collecting 34.94 points and No. 25 Southwest Baptist garnering 34.50 points.

In the men's poll, Lincoln is one of six ranked MIAA programs, giving the conference the most teams listed in the weekly poll of any Division II league. The Blue Tigers, who were No. 17 last week, received 52.97 points this week to climb up to No. 13. Pittsburg State, which won the MIAA men's championship by 1.5 points, is the league's highest-ranked program, checking in at No. 7 with 79.66 points. Missouri Southern, the squad that PSU edged out for the league title, is right behind the Gorillas in the national rankings, coming in at No. 8 with 76.52 points. Also ranked from the MIAA are No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney (62.95), No. 16 Southwest Baptist (48.73) and No. 25 Central Missouri (28.54).

Adams State is also No. 1 in the men's poll, with ASU (283.66) holding a commanding lead over No. 2 Saint Augustine's (206.37). Ashland is No. 3 after earning 189.87 points while Grand Valley State is No. 4 with 133.52 points. Minnesota State rounds out the top five after collecting 119.46 points.

According to the USTFCCA website, the organization compiles its national team rankings by "mathematical formulae based on national descending order lists and data taken from previous seasons. For the preseason ranking and early-season rankings, data will be taken from previous seasons as well as the current season. The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national-team race."

Both Blue Tiger track & field teams, which are led by head coach Victor Thomas and assistant coach Ailene Smith, will have athletes competing in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships from March 14-15 in Winston-Salem, N.C. Lincoln's women's team, which was the national runner-up a year ago, will be seeking its fifth all-time indoor title and its first since 2011.

For the fourth-straight year, Lincoln head coach Victor Thomas has been named the MIAA's Women's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year. The MIAA announced the honor on Tuesday (March 4).


Victor Thomas Named 2014 MIAA Women's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year


COACH VICTOR THOMAS

Thomas led Lincoln to its seventh-consecutive league championship, and its fourth-straight indoor title, last weekend, as the Blue Tiger women won the 2014 MIAA Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship last Sunday (March 2).

Since Lincoln rejoined the MIAA in 2010-11, the LU women have gone undefeated in league title meets, winning three-straight outdoor championships and four-consecutive indoor titles. With Lincoln's victory on Sunday, the Blue Tiger women became the first MIAA women's program in history to win four-straight league championships.

The four titles also tie Pittsburg State and Truman State for the second-most by an MIAA program in league history.

Under Thomas' direction, the Blue Tigers scored 153 points, won five events and set meet and building records at the MIAA Championships. 13 members of the Lincoln women's track & field team combined to qualify 17 individual entries and one relay team entry to the 2014 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Championships, which will be held in Winston-Salem, N.C. from March 14-15.

Lincoln athletes own the MIAA's best marks in seven events, and Blue Tigers have been honored as MIAA Athletes of the Week nine times this season.
 
The Blue Tiger women are currently ranked No. 2 in the country according to the most recent United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's Division II National Poll, putting Lincoln in great shape heading into the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. The Blue Tigers, who were the pre-season No. 1 team in the country, are less than nine points behind No. 1 Adams State in the latest USTFCCCA poll.


Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCON UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS