Aggie track and field among top 10 in preseason indoor rankings
COLLEGE STATION - Preseason indoor track and field rankings have Coach Pat Henry's Texas A&M squads listed among the top 10 with the men ranked No. 4 while the women are No. 6. In addition, Track & Field News has renewed its dual meet rankings this season and the Aggie men and women each rank No. 2 in the initial poll.
Texas A&M returns to action this Saturday as they play host to a 12-team Invitational at Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. The following weekend the Aggies host a triangular with nationally ranked Arkansas and LSU.
The A&M men are ranked second in the dual meet rankings behind Arkansas while the Aggie women are second behind LSU. Arkansas women rank No. 5 while the LSU men are No. 8. Those are the only three teams from the SEC selected to the top 10 of the T&FN dual meet rankings.
In the men's computer projections compiled by United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) there are seven SEC schools among the top 25. No. 1 Arkansas leads the SEC group, followed by No. 2 Florida, the three-time defending team champion. Behind Texas A&M at No. 4 are No. 10 LSU, No. 11 Auburn, No. 20 Mississippi State and No. 23 Mississippi.
Six SEC women's teams are listed in the top 25, topped by No. 4 LSU with Florida No. 5. Following the No. 6 Aggies are No. 7 Arkansas, No. 17 Georgia and No. 24 Auburn.
The preseason rankings are based largely on the top returners from each school and early performances from this season. The first regular season rankings will be announced on January 22.
The teams competing at Texas A&M this weekend include Baylor, Houston, North Texas, Prairie View A&M, Rice, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State, Texas Southern, Texas-Arlington, Texas-San Antonio. Field events begin at noon with running finals starting at 2 p.m.
USATFCCCA PRESEASON RANKINGS - January 8, 2013
MEN
1. Arkansas
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. Texas A&M
5. Oregon
6. Arizona State
7. Indiana
8. Minnesota
9. Arizona
10. LSU
11. Auburn
12. Wisconsin
13. BYU
14. Virginia Tech
15. Stanford
16. Florida State
17. NC State
18. Penn State
19. UCLA
20. Mississippi State
21. Northern Arizona
22. Kansas State
23. Mississippi
24. Oklahoma
25. Pittsburgh
WOMEN
1. Clemson
2. Kansas
3. Oregon
4. LSU
5. Florida
6. Texas A&M
7. Arkansas
8. Iowa State
9. California
10. Washington
11. Central Florida
12. Arizona
13. Stanford
14. Texas
15. Baylor
16. Wisconsin
17. Georgia
18. Indiana State
19. Michigan
20. San Diego State
21. Nebraska
22. Illinois
23. Michigan State
24. Auburn
25. Illinois State
TRACK & FIELD NEWS DUAL MEET RANKINGS
MEN
1. Arkansas
2. Texas A&M
3. Texas
4. Nebraska
5. Michigan
6. North Carolina
7. Akron
8. LSU
9. Oklahoma
10. Indiana State
WOMEN
1. LSU
2. Texas A&M
3. Kansas
4. Nebraska
5. Arkansas
6. Michigan State
7. Indiana State
8. Michigan
9. Indiana
10. Princeton
