Aug. 29, 2007

The Wayne State University women's cross country squad was ranked ninth in the 2007 Division II Pre-season Cross Country Regional Rankings released yesterday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The eight regions were ranked as determined by eight regional representatives selected by the coaches in those regions.

The USTFCCCA rankings for all eight regions.

WSU head coach Rick Cummins enters his 11th season guiding the Warrior cross country programs. Last year, the WSU women finished the season with five top-five finishes and six top-10s as a team. Sophomore Rachelle Malette won three races in 2006 and earned a spot at Nationals where she finished 14th, the second-best finish in the program's history behind Shelly Vickery's 12th-place finish in 2002. Malette earned her first All-America honor.

Wayne State begins the 2007 campaign this Saturday at the Bob Timmons Invitational hosted by Kansas. The Jayhawks' only home meet of the fall will take place at Rim Rock Farm with the women's 6K starting at 9 a.m., followed by the men's 8K race at 10 a.m. (both times are Central).

Those competing on Saturday will be men's and women's teams from host the University of Kansas, Allen County CC, Butler County CC, Emporia State University, Friends University, Garden City CC, Haskell Indian Nations, Hillsdale College, University of Missouri-Rolla, Oral Roberts, Pittsburg State, UMKC and Wayne State. NCAA Division III Grinnel College will be sending their women's team.