Lincoln women's track team remains No. 1 in NCAA Division II

The Lincoln women's indoor track and field team remained the No. 1 program in the country after the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released its first regular season Division II poll Tuesday.

The Blue Tigers, who held the top spot in the USTFCCA's Division II preseason poll, were the only team to receive more than 200 points in this week's rankings.

Lincoln earned 212.39 points to claim the top overall ranking in the country, beating Grand Valley State, which is second with 195.36 points. Checking in at No. 3 is Adams State with 153.15 points, while Ashland (149.55 points) and Johnson C. Smith (79.94 points) hold the No. 4 and No. 5 spots, respectively.

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association was the second-ranked league, with four ranked programs combining to earn 436.93 points.

Lincoln, led by head coach Victor Thomas and assistant coach Ailene Smith, will get a chance to test itself against the No. 2 team in the country this weekend as the Blue Tigers compete in the Grand Valley State-hosted GVSU Five Way in Allendal, Mich.

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Lincoln sprinter Donna-Lee Hylton was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Women's Track Athlete of the Week on Tuesday after turning in one of the best times in the country in the 400 meters over the weekend.

Hylton recorded the third-best time in NCAA Division II, and the best in the MIAA this season, in the 400 at the Jayhawk Classic on Friday. Hylton clocked in with a provisional time of 56.43, finishing third in the race behind two NCAA Division I athletes.

Hylton also ran the 400-meter relay, joining Tamara Keane, Lovan Palmer and Yanique Ellington to take second place behind Kanas with a time of 3:53.07.

With this week's honor, Hylton becomes the fourth member of the Lincoln women's indoor track and field team to be selected as one of the MIAA's Athletes of the Week this season.

Hylton is the second track honoree, joining Ellington, who was honored during the first voting period of the season. Nickeisha Beaumont and Shakeisha Miller have both been honored in the field category.