The Concord Men's Cross Country team's strong showings in back-to-back meets has drawn notice.
The Mountain Lions have risen three spots to #6 in this week's NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings, conducted by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Concord finished 5th out of 33 teams in the University 'Blue' Division at the Greater Louisville Classic last Saturday in Louisville, KY. All five Mountain Lions runners finished in the top 70 of the 331-runner field.
One of the teams that finished ahead of CU was Southern Indiana University, ranked #11 in the nation by the USTFCCCA.
September 26, Concord finished fourth in the University division of the 26th Annual Greensboro Invitational in Greensboro, NC. The Mountain Lions finished behind only one other Division II school (Mars Hill, #4 in this week's Southeast Region poll) and two Division I teams (VCU and Marshall).
Concord freshman Craig Pritt (Terra Alta, WV) finished 10th at Greensboro, and, as a result, earned the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week award.
The Mountain Lions were ranked #10 in the USTFCCCA pre-season poll, then moved up to #9 in the first regular-season rankings on September 15. CU remained at #9 in the polls of September 22 and 29.
Wheeling Jesuit is the only other WVIAC team in this week's Atlantic Region poll. The Cardinals are ranked #9.
The Mountain Lions' next scheduled meet is the Concord Invitational at Pipestem State Park October 17.