NEW ORLEANS, La. – Following strong performances this past week as the Wichita State University Invitational, the Cloud County Community College track and field teams continue to hold down spots within the top-10 of the latest United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association Top 25 Polls released on Wednesday.
Making a move up three spots this week would be the Cloud County men as the T-Birds are ranked number four with 188.69 points, nearly 28 points better than last week's poll. Only Iowa Central (475.60 points, Barton (274.13 points) and South Plains (208.79) are ranked ahead of CCCC, as all three held their spots from last week to keep an unchanged top-three amongst a very different top 10.
Nearly doubling their number of national qualifying marks last week, the T-Birds currently have eight athletes that have punched their tickets to the national meet with 11 total national qualifying marks while four other potential national qualifiers in the heptahlon (the top-16 heptathlon scores at the end of the regular-season qualify for the national meet). Courtney Lawrence remains atop the shot put with a mark of 17.68 meters (58 ft. - 0.25 in.) and Santino Kenyi has the top time in the 1,000 meters (2:26.18). Kenyi also has the third-best mark in the 3,000 meters (8:15.72) while Richard Newman ranks fifth in the high jump (2.05 meters, 6 ft. - 8.75 in.).
There would be little change inside the top-10 of the women's poll as eight teams from last week's top-10 held their spots with only Barton and South Plains swapping spots at three and four. Cloud County would maintain their number six ranking with 209.45 points but make ground on number five Bryant & Stratton Virginia who managed to hold onto the number five ranking with 212.29 points. New Mexico Junior College added to their hold on the top spot by scoring 383.49 points in this week's poll, followed by Iowa Central with 330.98 points. Barton would make a big jump into number three with 310.48 points followed by South Plains (235.80 points) at number four.
In individual events, Cloud County has the top time in the 200 meters (Mercy Ntia-Obong) and the 4x800 meter relay (9:48.23) while also having second-best mark in the long jump (Jacqueline Pokuaah). Grace Chinonyelum is right behind Pokuaah in the long jump with the third-best mark in the NJCAA while sophomore Maryse Mbenoun is in good position to qualify in the pentathlon by currently holding the top overall score posted in the multi-event. Through the first month of the season, the T-Birds have put up 12 national qualifying marks.
--cloudtbirds.com--