Sept. 27, 2005

WACO, Texas -- The Baylor women's cross country team climbed to No. 13 in the latest FinishLynx NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country National Poll, the highest ranking for the women's team since the team was ranked No. 9 in the 1999 preseason poll.

"We are off to a good start and we are very pleased with the ranking," head coach Todd Harbour said. "The entire team has contributed and things are going along well. Brittany (Brockman) has been a model of consistency while Erin (Bedell) has done everything we have expected of her as a freshman. Lauren (Hagans) has improved tremendously and Monique (Ortega) and Lyndsy (Bedell) have provided the depth we need to be a top 15 team."

The Baylor women's cross country team is coming off a strong showing at the Roy Griak Invitational, where the Bears finished third and first among the Big 12 Conference schools that competed at the event. The Bears were led by junior Brittany Brockman, who finished sixth overall.

The performance at the Roy Griak Invitational gives the Bears a good shot at qualifying for their 10th appearance, and third consecutive, in the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Baylor defeated eight ranked teams at the Roy Griak Invitational; putting them in good shape for an at-large berth into the championships should the team fail to qualify automatically at the NCAA South Central Regional.

Baylor was one of four Big 12 schools ranked in the poll as the Bears trailed only Colorado, ranked second nationally, among conference schools. In the regional poll, Baylor was ranked second behind only Arkansas.

The Baylor women's cross country team will return to action on Saturday, October 15, when the Bears run in the Chile Pepper Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

FinishLynx NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL POLL
2005 Poll #6 - September 26, 2005
1. Duke (10) - 387
2. Colorado (3) - 379
3. Notre Dame - 362
4. Stanford - 345
5. Michigan - 340
6. Arizona State - 320
Brigham Young
8. Villanova - 290
9. North Carolina State - 286
10. Arkansas - 257
11. Minnesota - 255
12. Wake Forest - 243
13. Baylor - 221
14. Oklahoma State - 199
15. Tennessee - 194
16. Princeton - 182
17. UC - Santa Barbara - 176
18. Butler - 142
19. Providence - 139
20. Columbia - 134
Illinois
22. Marquette - 110
23. Virginia - 107
24. Missouri - 77
25. Yale - 61
26. Georgetown - 59
Northern Arizona
28. Florida State - 58
29. Michigan State - 52
30. Washington - 45