2011-12 Collegiate Rankings Updated with Cyclo-cross Points
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Print Division I
After narrowly missing the top step of the podium at the 2012 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, Fort Lewis College further solidified its first place ranking, with a healthy lead over second place Lees McRae College, 59 points behind in the yearlong competition with a maximum of 400 points available. Jumping to third place from fifth on the heels of their victory at Cyclo-cross is Marian University, who will hope to gain another spot or two when the fourth national championship that counts toward the rankings, USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships, takes place in Ogden, UT, in May.
Dropping one spot despite a strong fourth place finish at Cyclo-cross, is Lindsey Wilson College, which now sits in fourth place overall, a healthy 67 points ahead of University of Colorado-Boulder, which did not contest Cyclo-cross Nationals. Only 7 points separate second through fourth place, however, so the final rankings are truly up in the air.
Places sixth through ninth are made up of a tight race between stalwarts of the Division I field, Lindenwood, Colorado State, Midwestern State, and University of Vermont. Lindenwood, CSU, and UVM have put in solid performances at each of the three collegiate national championships held so far this academic year, and will most likely all do well at Road Nationals in May, as well. Midwestern State is still riding strong atop their commanding third place performance at USA Cycling Collegiate Track National Championships last fall, and could also be a major threat to the podium in Ogden. Rounding out the top ten is Appalachian State University, which is expected to put in a strong performance this May.
A lot is riding on these teams’ results at the 2012 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships as they compete to be the number one all around collegiate cycling team in Division I.
Full standings can be found here.
Division II
Among Division II schools, Mars Hill College, the top ranked team of the 2010-11 year, is on track to repeat for 2012, but not without having to fend off a tight battle with Cumberland University, currently sitting in second place, just 26 points behind. Not to be discounted, though, is the US Military Academy, which sits a scant 14 points back from Cumberland; the West Point team placed fifth last year at Road Nationals, and could put in another strong podium performance this year.
In fourth place is perennial DII powerhouse, MIT, a school that has not finished off the collegiate road nationals podium in recent memory. Completing the virtual podium is Western State College of Colorado, which boasts a program we will most likely be seeing more of in the coming years, thanks to new funding and more robust support that started to take shape this past year.
Overall, however, the Division II field is wide open for a shake-up in Ogden, with close scores and lots of exciting racing ahead!
Full standings can be found here.
This Article Published February 1, 2012 For more information contact:
