Virginia Intermont Moves to #1 in National Cross Country Poll

BRISTOL, VA -- After taking the college title at the Winthrop Invitational, Virginia Intermont's men's cross-country team was named the top team in the latest NAIA National Rankings. The Cobras moved up to the top spot from fifth last week, capturing five of seven first place votes. VIC leads Simon Fraser with 171 rating points to 169. Malone dropped to third with 158 points, while Eastern Oregon and Azusa Pacific are fourth and fifth respectively, with 154 and 147 points.

This past weekend saw Virginia Intermont compete in Nike's Race of Champions at the Great American Cross-Country Festival in Cary, N.C. The Cobras went head-to-head with some of the best NCAA Division I teams in the nation and finished 7th, three points behind #23 Georgia and four points behind #18 Central Michigan. With a point total of 177, VIC easily defeated Virginia (8th with 228), #23 Northern Arizona, New Mexico (tied for 9th with 272), North Carolina and Duke.

"We've competed well early against some tough teams," said coach Scott Simmons, "but our main focus is the national championships in November and December. We need to be a better team by then and that has been, and will be, what we are working on."