NIACC men's cross country team ranked 6th in initial poll

MASON CITY - The NIACC men's cross country team is ranked No. 6 in the first USTFCCA NJCAA Division I rankings released on Wednesday.

The Trojans are one of three ICCAC teams ranked in the top 20. Iowa Central is No. 1 and first-year program Hawkeye CC is No. 17.

It is the seventh straight poll that the Trojans have been in the top 10. They were ranked in the top 10 in all six of the polls in 2016, including being ranked eighth in the first and last polls of the season.

NIACC is coming off a fourth-place finish at Grinnell's Les Duke Invitational on Sept. 9. Freshman Brian Jacques led the Trojans with a 11th place finish in 25 minutes, 59 seconds on the 8-kilometer course. Sophomore Blake Keller was 17th in 26:16.

NIACC returns to action Saturday at the University of Minnesota's Roy Griak Invitational.

USTFCCCA NJCAA Division I rankings

Iowa Central, Central Arizona, Allen CC (Kansas), South Plains (Texas), Butler CC (Kansas), NIACC, Lansing CC (Michigan), Mesa CC (Arizona), Vincennes (Indiana), Louisburg (N.C.), Monroe (N.Y.), Ranger (Texas), Grand Rapids CC (Michigan), El Paso CC (Texas), Colby CC (Kansas), Cloud County CC (Kansas), Hawkeye CC, Highland CC (Kansas), Cowley County CC (Kansas), Gillette (Wyoming), Macomb CC (Michigan), Hutchinson CC (Kansas), Waubonsee CC (Illinois), Moraine Valley CC (Illinois), Trinidad State JC (Colorado).

NIACC MEN'S RECENT HISTORY IN THE POLLS

2017

Sept. 20 - 6th

2016

Sept. 14 - 8th

Sept. 21 - 10th

Oct. 5 - 9th

Oct. 19 - 9th

Nov. 2 - 9th

Nov. 9 - 8th

2015

Sept. 16 - 10th

Sept. 30 - 16th

Oct. 14 - 18th

Oct. 28 - 21st

Nov. 11 - 19th