USATFCCCA Preseason Poll (.pdf)

SAN ANGELO – If the season goes how the computers see it, Angelo State's men's track and field team is in for a good year. The Rams were picked fourth in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Outdoor Track and Field poll released Tuesday. The defending national champion Rambelles also debuted in the top-25 as the No. 20 team in the nation.

Both teams are off to a quick start with a combined 17 NCAA provisional qualifying marks through the first few weeks of the outdoor season. Angelo State's men return a majority of the squad that placed ninth at the 2010 outdoor championships and have posted nine provisional marks heading into this weekend's meet at Texas Tech. Angelo State sophomore Austin Slone has the third-best triple jump in the country this season at 50'4.5” and newcomer Trevor Rogers has the fifth-best long jump in the country at 24'8.5”. Wade Goode is also among the top five nationally, with the fourth best throw in the discus (174'7”).

The Rambelles have achieved eight provisional marks, with six coming in the field events. Newcomer Bree Bennett ran the fourth-fastest 100-meter hurdle time in 13.94 seconds and also joined teammates Makayla Myers, Theresa Sue and Tiffany Wilcox as qualifiers in the 4x100-meter relay. Another newcomer, Kelsey Wilson, owns the fourth-best pole vault in the country at 12'4.5” and has provisionally qualified with teammate Summer Sutherland.

Preseason computer rankings are compiled using performance data from both the current 2011 outdoor season and the past season. Past-season data will be used in conjunction with current data through week three in calculating team scores. The NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held May 26-28 in Turlock, Calif., on the campus of Cal State Stanislaus.

Angelo State continues its outdoor season Saturday at the Texas Tech Open.

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