Oct. 19, 2004
ALBUQUERQUE – Three days after knocking off six top-30 teams at the NCAA Pre-Nationals meet, the University of New Mexico men’s cross country team was rewarded with a No. 23 ranking in the national cross country coaches poll that was released this afternoon. New Mexico received 123 votes to earn its highest ranking in 15 years.
The Lobos had received at least one vote in every national poll this year, despite never having its top seven runners race together in the first three meets of the fall. UNM entered the Pre-Nationals receiving just four votes in the national poll, which was the equivalent of a No. 40 ranking.
Senior Matt Gonzales made a triumphant return from a knee injury, however, winning the Pre-Nationals Blue race a week after he was tabbed by Track & Field News as the favorite to win the NCAA Championship meet. More importantly, the Lobos’ five scoring runners ran a tight race with only 1:38 separating Gonzales, true freshman Shadrack Biwott, senior Ben Ortega, senior Sean Flaherty and junior Cameron Clarke.
Two years ago, the men’s team created an early season buzz in the national rankings, climbing as high as 27th in the country (44 votes) on Oct. 1 after winning three straight races to open the 2002 season. New Mexico finished the year ranked 34th with 14 votes. The Lobos last appearance in the top-25 came in 1989 when the team was ranked as high as 14th.
New Mexico’s men and women have a week off before returning to competition at the Mountain West Conference Championships on Oct. 30 in San Diego.
Men’s National Cross Country Coaches Poll – Oct. 19