Up to No. 1 in the country: LU women top D-II track rankings

The Lincoln women's track and field team is at the top of the list.

After winning their fourth consecutive Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Championship on Sunday, the Blue Tigers are now the No. 1 team in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's Division II national rankings, released Tuesday.

Lincoln collected 233.44 points and became the first team this season to overtake Grand Valley State, which dropped to No. 2 with 225.14 points. Lincoln added more than 80 points from last week's rankings when the Blue Tigers came in at No. 4.

This marks the third year since the inception of the USTFCCCA Division II national outdoor track and field rankings Lincoln has been ranked No. 1. The previous two years were 2011, when Lincoln finished second at the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships, and last season, when the Blue Tigers finished third at nationals.

Adams State is ranked No. 3 with 166.97 points, while Johnson C. Smith (154.23) and Ashland (151.62) round out the top-five teams on the women's side.

Lincoln is also one of four MIAA programs ranked in the women's poll, tying the league with the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference for the most ranked teams from one conference.

Two other MIAA programs are in the top 10, including No. 7 Central Missouri (132.00) and No. 10 Pittsburg State (88.15 points). Lindenwood, making its first appearance in the rankings this season, checks in at No. 25 with 35.61.

Lincoln also became the MIAA's highest-ranked team in the men's rankings, moving up from No. 11 to No. 6 with 124.26 points. That places the Blue Tigers two slots ahead of No. 8 Pittsburg State (94.93), despite the Gorillas winning the league championship last weekend.

Four teams represent the MIAA in this week's rankings, including Central Missouri at No. 10 with 85.70 and Emporia State at No. 24 with 20.17.

Saint Augustine's continues to hold a significant lead in the men's poll, holding down the top spot with 315.79 points.