Bulldog Men Appear in National Poll for First Time
10/2/2018 11:33:00 AM | Cross Country
Gonzaga received three votes in this week’s USTFCCCA ranking
SPOKANE, Wash. – The Gonzaga men's cross country team received three votes in the USTFCCCA national poll Tuesday. The Zags were ranked eighth for the third straight week in the West Region poll.
This is the GU men's team first-ever appearance in the national poll. The Bulldogs have opened the 2018 season with three straight first place team finishes.
Last week, Kyle Thompson's first place overall finish at the Montana Invitational led the Gonzaga men to the team title. The Zags placed eight runners inside the Top-10 on the University of Montana Golf Course last Friday. GU's top seven runners were all in the top eight finishers of the race.
Thompson crossed the line at 25:11.7, and he was followed by teammate Ciaran O'Leary in second at 25:19.9. Yacine Guermali placed fourth with a time of 25:24.0. Bennett Gagnon (25:29.6) and Andrew Clusserath (25:29.8) were fifth and sixth. Kellen Manley (25:30.6) and Stefan Bradley (25:32.2) were right behind in seventh and eighth.
The Zags travel to Madison, Wis., for the NCAA Pre-Nationals on Oct. 13. Gonzaga will run against the nation's best on the same course that will host the national championships on Nov. 17.
USTFCCCA Cross Country Men's Top 25
Oct. 2
This is the GU men's team first-ever appearance in the national poll. The Bulldogs have opened the 2018 season with three straight first place team finishes.
Last week, Kyle Thompson's first place overall finish at the Montana Invitational led the Gonzaga men to the team title. The Zags placed eight runners inside the Top-10 on the University of Montana Golf Course last Friday. GU's top seven runners were all in the top eight finishers of the race.
Thompson crossed the line at 25:11.7, and he was followed by teammate Ciaran O'Leary in second at 25:19.9. Yacine Guermali placed fourth with a time of 25:24.0. Bennett Gagnon (25:29.6) and Andrew Clusserath (25:29.8) were fifth and sixth. Kellen Manley (25:30.6) and Stefan Bradley (25:32.2) were right behind in seventh and eighth.
The Zags travel to Madison, Wis., for the NCAA Pre-Nationals on Oct. 13. Gonzaga will run against the nation's best on the same course that will host the national championships on Nov. 17.
USTFCCCA Cross Country Men's Top 25
Oct. 2
| RANK | SCHOOL | POINTS | PREVIOUS RANK |
| 1 | Northern Arizona (11) | 330 | 1 |
| 2 | BYU | 318 | 2 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 299 | 9 |
| 4 | Portland | 295 | 3 |
| 5 | Stanford | 294 | 4 |
| 6 | Iowa State | 277 | 5 |
| 7 | Boise State | 257 | 26 |
| 8 | Syracuse | 245 | 8 |
| 9 | Colorado State | 239 | 10 |
| 10 | Air Force | 217 | 17 |
| 11 | Colorado | 214 | 7 |
| 12 | Washington | 203 | 12 |
| T-13 | Purdue | 181 | NR |
| T-13 | Oregon | 181 | 11 |
| 15 | Southern Utah | 166 | 14 |
| 16 | Arkansas | 161 | 13 |
| 17 | Washington State | 152 | 15 |
| 18 | Eastern Kentucky | 131 | NR |
| 19 | Virginia | 123 | 18 |
| 20 | Michigan | 115 | NR |
| 21 | Indiana | 97 | 29 |
| 22 | Ole Miss | 85 | 20 |
| 23 | Alabama | 82 | 6 |
| 24 | Oklahoma State | 78 | 22 |
| 25 | UCLA | 69 | 23 |
| 26 | North Carolina State | 56 | 25 |
| 27 | Iona | 51 | 16 |
| 28 | Middle Tennesee State | 44 | 19 |
| 29 | Georgetown | 33 | NR |
| 30 | Virginia Tech | 28 | NR |
| Receiving Votes: Utah State 26, Princeton 14, Villanova 13, Michigan State 13, Texas 5, Columbia 5, Army West Point 4, Duke 3, Tennessee 3, Gonzaga 3, Minnesota 3, Tulsa 1. | |||
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
Tuesday, June 30
Monday, June 29
Monday, June 29
Friday, June 26
