Highest cross country ranking ever for Central

Central College

PELLA — Coming off the most successful season in school history, the Central College men’s cross country team opens 2014 with its loftiest perch in the USTFCCCA preseason Division III rankings.

The Dutch are ranked No. 5, a notch better than their sixth-place finish at last year’s NCAA Division III championships in Hanover, Ind. Central was 12th in 2012. After never previously winning an Iowa Conference team title, the Dutch took the crown the past two seasons.

Central returns four all-conference and all-Central Region runners, including senior all-America honoree Eli Horton (Runnells, Southeast Polk HS), who placed fourth nationally.

Defending champion St. Olaf (Minn.) is No. 1 in this year’s rankings, followed by perennial power North Central (Ill.) and Williams (Mass.). Wis.-Eau Claire is No. 4, with Central, MIT and Johns Hopkins (Md.) next. Conference rival Loras is No. 14.

Central opens the season Sept. 6 with its own Central Dutch Invitational. A large field is expected as the Dutch are playing host to the Division III Central Regional Nov. 15 and teams can preview Central’s rugged on-campus course.

Central’s highest previous ranking was No. 7 in last year’s preseason poll. The Dutch dipped to as low as No. 31 in the third week of the season before climbing back to No. 9 and finished the regular season at No. 10.