BLUE DRAGON CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS ENTER NATIONALS AS TOP 5 TEAMS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Fresh off a pair of Region 6 team championships, the Hutchinson Community College men's and women's cross country teams will go to the national championships next week both ranked in the nation's Top 5 teams.

The Blue Dragon men have been a Top 5 team all season and remained No. 2 in the final United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association rankings released Wednesday. They started the season ranked No. 4 and have been at No. 3 in the last three polls.

CLICK FOR FINAL USTFCCCA MEN'S RANKINGS
CLICK FOR FINAL USTFCCCA WOMEN'S RANKINGS

The Blue Dragon men tied a program record for consecutive weeks being ranked. The Dragon men have been in the rankings for the 18th-straight poll.

Hutchinson picked up a first-place vote for the first time this season. The Dragons continue to trail Iowa Western for the top spot.

Hutchinson's women jumped three spots to No. 5 this week after capturing a regional team title last week. The Blue Dragon women opened the season ranked No. 15.

This is the highest national ranking for the Blue Dragon women since the final poll of the 2023 season when the finished fifth.

Ahead of the Blue Dragons are Odessa, Iowa Western, El Paso and New Mexico Junior College.

The Blue Dragons will compete in the NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 8 in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Last season the Blue Dragon men tied for the best national finish in program history with a third-place performance. The Blue Dragon women finished sixth.