HAVERFORD, Pa. – After winning the Centennial Conference Championship, the Haverford College men's cross country team improved to No. 13 in the latest NCAA Division III National Coaches' Poll released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday. In the last poll, the Fords were ranked No. 14.
For the 19th time in 22 seasons, the Fords won the conference championship last Saturday on a rainy, cold afternoon on the Alumni Course on the campus of Haverford College. Junior Charlie Marquardt won the individual title (25:30.2) by nine seconds over his teammate senior David Roza. It's the 17th individual title for the Fords in the conference's history.
Senior Joel Christian was right behind Roza with a time of 25:41.2. Reigning Centennial Conference Runner of the Week Soren Rasmussen was sixth with a career-best time of 25:56.4 and sophomore Jimmy Gorman came in the ninth position (26.01.8).
The individuals finishing first through seventh were named first-team All-Centennial Conference, while ninth through 14th earned second-team all-conference accolades. By virtue of his individual championship, Marquardt was named the Centennial Conference Runner of the Year.
Johns Hopkins, who placed second in the conference championship, ranks No. 19 in the poll while Dickinson is No. 27.
The Fords will now move onto the Mideast Regional on Nov. 15 in Newville, Pa. before the NCAA Championships on Nov. 22 in Wilmington, Ohio.