Sept. 23, 2003

WACO, Texas - The Baylor women's cross country team is ranked among the nation's best in the first NCAA cross country poll of the 2003 season.

The women's team is ranked 27th in the first regular season FinishLynx/NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country National Poll. The Bears received 40 points in the poll, which was conducted by the Women's Intercollegiate Cross Country Coaches Association. The Bears were unranked in the preseason poll.

This marks the first time since the 2001 season that the women's team has achieved a national ranking. On October 2, 2001, in the second poll of the season, the Bears were No. 24.

Baylor appeared in the 2003 polls after a convincing win at the North Texas Invitational, scoring 32 points to take championship honors. Baylor runners took three of the top six spots in the race. Freshman Brittany Brockman and sophomores Lisa Cornelius and Angela Marvin placed second, third and sixth, respectively.

"The girls have worked extremely hard this season and I'm proud of what they've achieved in such a short time," said head coach Todd Harbour. "We have a chance to move up even higher with a good performance at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota this Saturday. Thirteen of the teams competing in Minnesota are ranked among the nation's top 30."

FinishLynx/NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country National Poll
(Conducted by the Women's Intercollegiate Cross Country Coaches Association)

2003 Regular Season Poll #1
September 22, 2003
Ranking Team (first place votes)-Points
1. Brigham Young (13) - 390
2. Stanford - 375
3. Notre Dame - 358
4. Colorado- 355
5. Providence - 333
6. Wake Forest - 316
7. Georgetown - 312
8. Villanova - 294
9. North Carolina - 269
10. Northern Arizona - 264
11. Arkansas - 261
12. Columbia - 252
13. Michigan - 244
14. North Carolina State - 224
15. Michigan State - 213
16. Duke - 180
17. Missouri - 175
18. UCLA - 156
19. Wisconsin - 144
20. Arizona State - 135
21. Indiana - 124
22. Penn State - 121
23. Boston College - 116
24. William & Mary - 85
25. Colorado State - 75
26. Marquette - 61
27. Baylor - 40
28. Virginia - 36
29. Southwest Missouri St. -33
30. Washington - 30

Other teams receiving votes: Pittsburgh 22, Tennessee 20, Texas A&M 12, Toledo 7, West Virginia 7, Auburn 3, New Hampshire 2, Brown 1.