Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys No. 1 in Preseason Regional Rankings
August 27, 2012 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Aug. 27, 2012
STILLWATER - The Oklahoma State men's cross country team will begin the season No. 1 in the Midwest Region, according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association regional rankings released today.
The national rankings will be released tomorrow.
After winning their fouth-straight Big 12 Championship and their second-place finish at the NCAA Championships, the Cowboys picked up where they left off in the polls, holding off Oklahoma for this year's preseason top spot.
Expected to lead the way for Oklahoma State in 2012 is a trio of cross country All-Americans in Girma Mecheso, Tom Farrell and Shadrack Kipchirchir. Track All-American Fabian Clarkson (3,000 meter steeplechase) and All-Big 12 cross country performers Kirubel Erassa and Joseph Manilafashashould also factor heavily into the mix.
The Cowboys open the season this Saturday when they compete in the Hurricane Invitational in Tulsa, Okla.
Midwest Region
Rank School Location Conference 2011 Finish 1 Oklahoma State Stillwater, Okla. Big 12 1 2 Oklahoma Norman, Okla. Big 12 2 3 Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. Conference USA 3 4 Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. Big Ten 4 5 Iowa State Ames, Iowa Big 12 6 6 Missouri Columbia, Mo. SEC 7 7 Kansas Lawrence, Kan. Big 12 8 8 Illinois Champaign, Ill. Big Ten 5 9 Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Big Ten 9 10 Southern Illinois Carbondale, Ill. Missouri Valley 10 11 Drake Des Moines, Iowa Missouri Valley 12 12 UMKC Kansas City, Mo. Summit League 13 13 Wichita State Wichita, Kan. Missouri Valley 18 14 North Dakota State Fargo, N.D. Summit League 15 15 South Dakota State Brookings, S.D. Summit League 17
