NIACC men ranked 8th in latest poll

MASON CITY - The NIACC men's cross country team moved up a spot to eighth in the fourth USTFCCCA NJCAA Division II poll.

The Trojans, who were ranked ninth in the Oct. 6 poll, placed third at the Indian Hills Invitational on Oct. 15 in Ottumwa.

NIACC was led by Melvin Kipkemboi's second-place finish in personal best 24:50 in the 8-kilometer race, earned its third-place finish at the Indian Hills Invite with 80 points.

Also for NIACC at the Indian Hills Invite, Christian Rodriguez placed 18th in a personal best time of 27:53, Peyton Seiler was 19th in a personal best time of 28:07, Richard Marcoux was 22nd (28:26) and Pudens Kipkosgei was 23rd (28:27). The Trojans' Bryden Juelsgaard was 30th in a personal best time of 28:56 and Maxwell Deeter was 60th in a personal best time of 32:36.

Cowley County CC is ranked No. 1. Mesa CC is ranked second and Daytona State (Fla.) is ranked third.

Hawkeye CC is ranked 11th and is the only other ICCAC school ranked in the NJCAA Division II poll.

NIACC returns to action Oct. 29 at the NJCAA Region XI Division II championships in Waterloo where the Trojans will defend their regional title.

USTFCCCA NJCAA Division II men's cross country poll (Oct. 20, 2021)

1. Cowley County CC; 2. Mesa CC; 3. Daytona State; 4. Heartland CC; 5. Lansing CC; 6. Carl Sandburg; 7. Grand Rapids CC; 8. NIACC; 9. Paradise Valley CC; 10. St. Clair County CC; 11. Hawkeye CC; 12. Wallace State CC; 13. Southeast (Neb.) CC; 14. Lake-Sumter State; 15. Northwest Arkansas CC; 16. Oakland CC; 17. Southwestern Michigan; 18. Moraine Valley CC; 19. Tallahassee CC; 20. Jackson (Mich.); 21. State Fair (Mo.); 22. UA Rich Mountain; 23. Marion Military Institute; 24. Kaskaskia (Ill.); 25. Metropolitian CC; 25. Florida State-Jacksonville.