WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue men's cross country team continues its best start in decades after the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the program as No. 11 in the nation.
The nod marks the best USTFCCCA poll ranking in program history during the modern era, surpassing its previous-best set a year ago, when the team checked in as high as No. 13. Moreover, it is the highest recognition the program received since finishing No. 6 in the NCAA Championships in 1950.
In addition to the national stage, the Boilermakers produced the top spot in the Great Lakes Region for the first time and are the highest-ranked program in the Big Ten.
The recognition followed an outstanding performance at Notre Dame's Joe Piane Invite, where Purdue out-ran eight of the top-29 programs in the nation to place fourth with 178 points. Jaret Carpenter led the way with a personal-record of 23:35.41 (13th-place), followed by Brody Smith (23:41.83, 16th-place) and Curt Eckstein (23:48.78, 20th-place). The top five Boilermaker runners all finished among the top-76 in a field that housed five top-15 ranked teams.
The Boilermakers have appeared on all five 2019 polls, including the preseason release. Among Big Ten men's programs, Purdue owns the highest ranking.
Purdue's next meet is set for Friday, Oct. 18 when the Boilermakers travel to Wisconsin for the esteemed Nuttycombe Invitational.
The nod marks the best USTFCCCA poll ranking in program history during the modern era, surpassing its previous-best set a year ago, when the team checked in as high as No. 13. Moreover, it is the highest recognition the program received since finishing No. 6 in the NCAA Championships in 1950.
In addition to the national stage, the Boilermakers produced the top spot in the Great Lakes Region for the first time and are the highest-ranked program in the Big Ten.
The recognition followed an outstanding performance at Notre Dame's Joe Piane Invite, where Purdue out-ran eight of the top-29 programs in the nation to place fourth with 178 points. Jaret Carpenter led the way with a personal-record of 23:35.41 (13th-place), followed by Brody Smith (23:41.83, 16th-place) and Curt Eckstein (23:48.78, 20th-place). The top five Boilermaker runners all finished among the top-76 in a field that housed five top-15 ranked teams.
The Boilermakers have appeared on all five 2019 polls, including the preseason release. Among Big Ten men's programs, Purdue owns the highest ranking.
Purdue's next meet is set for Friday, Oct. 18 when the Boilermakers travel to Wisconsin for the esteemed Nuttycombe Invitational.