UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After two quality early season competitions, the Nittany Lion women’s cross country squad continues to climb the national rankings, moving to No. 19 in the latest United States Track and Field/Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) poll. The Nittany Lions, who are idle until the Greater Louisville Classic on Sept. 29, are up four spots from a week ago, moving from No. 23 to No. 19.
The Nittany Lions have posted a pair of winning efforts thus far this fall, sweeping the first eight finishing spots on their way to victory at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals on Aug. 31, paced by a top individual finish by junior and eventual Big Ten Athlete of the Week honoree Rebekka Simko (Mentor, Ohio). Penn State would come back to take top honors in the team standings against stellar interregional competition a week later at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational on the Blue-White Golf Courses. Leading the Lions at home was junior Victoria Perri (Philadelphia, Pa.), who earned runner-up honors individually.
The Nittany Lions are also among the top echelon in the conference in the latest poll, trailing only Michigan (No. 11) and Michigan State (No. 13). The Lions currently sit ahead of conference foe Minnesota in 30th, as well as Wisconsin, and Iowa, who also received votes in this week’s rankings. Regionally speaking, Penn State is third among Mid-Atlantic teams in the standings, with defending NCAA Champion Georgetown in at No. 4, and perennial powerhouse Villanova appearing at No. 10. West Virginia and Princeton, who were both bested by the Lions at Spiked Shoe, are also in this week’s top 30 at 25th and 29th, respectively.
Penn State will take another weekend off before hitting the heart of its scheduled on Sept. 29, against a loaded field at Louisville. The Lions will then travel to Wisconsin for the Adidas Wisconsin Invitational on Oct. 12.
For more on Nittany Lion cross country, go to www.GoPSUsports.com, or follow on Twitter, @PennStateTFXC.
