HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's cross country team was ranked 13th in the NCAA Division III National Coaches' Poll as released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Fords garnered 181 voting points in the poll that ranks 35 teams overall.
The Fords started last season ranked 12th in this same poll during the preseason period. The last time Haverford was ranked as high as No. 13 came during week five's poll last year. Haverford finished 17th in the team standings last year at the NCAA Championship and returns four of its top five finishers from that race.
Haverford is coming off of back-to-back top 20 finishes in the national championships with a 13th-place finish in 2012. The Fords have been represented as a team at the NCAA Championship 14 times in program history, including each of the past five years. The Fords have registered six top 15 finishes in program history. The best ever finish in team history came during the 1993 season when Haverford placed 10th overall in the team standings.
In addition to Haverford, three other teams from the Centennial Conference are ranked in the preseason poll. Johns Hopkins tops the NCAA preseason rankings. Dickinson edged out Haverford for the 12th spot in the national poll. The Fords were ranked second in the Centennial Conference preseason poll, while Dickinson was third. These same two teams swapped positions in the regional rankings. Swarthmore is tied for 32nd in the preseason national rankings.
Women's cross country opens its season this Friday evening at 5 p.m. with the Haverford Open. That race will be one of five chances to catch the team on its home course in 2014.