Blue Devil men's, women's cross country teams open with regional rankings

Men's Regional Rankings | Women's Regional Rankings

MENOMONIE (August 28, 2021) - The UW-Stout men's and women's cross country teams earned regional rankings in the preseason Regional Rankings for the 2021 season by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The rankings now include the new, 10-region model that goes into effect on September 1. The new regions that will be used are the East, Great Lakes, Metro, Mid-Atlantic, Mideast, Midwest, Niagara, North, South, and West. UW-Stout and the other Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) schools will be in the North Region in both cross country and track. The North Region is made up of Wisconsin and Minnesota schools. 

The Blue Devil men opened the ranking season with a place entry, while the women's team ranked 10th. Five WIAC men's teams were ranked in the top 10 of the region, while five conference women's teams were ranked in the top 10. 

The men's team has qualified to the NCAA Division III Championship the last three years the meet was held - 2017, 2018, 2019. The 2020 national championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, the Stout men placed second at the WIAC Championship and fifth at the NCAA Midwest Regional.

The women's team placed fifth at the 2019 WIAC Championship and 14th of 36 teams at the NCAA Midwest Regional. 

The Blue Devils will hold their 19th annual Jamie Block Alumni/Intra-squad Meet, Saturday, Sept. 4, then will get the competitive season underway by competing at the UW-River Falls Invitational, Friday, Sept. 10 at Kilkarney Golf Course just outside of River Falls. 

Matt Schauf will begin his 15th season as the Blue Devil coach. He will be assisted by Abigail Fouts and Logan Gullickson. Stout hosts the 2021 WIAC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, Saturday, Oct. 30 at Whitetail Golf Club south of Colfax.