NEW ORLEANS, La. - West Chester University's women's cross country squad was ranked eighth in the Atlantic Region by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) it was announced Tuesday afternoon.
The Golden Rams are one of nine schools from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to appear in the preseason regional rankings. West Virginia Wesleyan University, out of the Mountain East Conference, is the only school not in the PSAC to appear in the Atlantic Region rankings. West Chester finished 12th in the team standings at the 2013 NCAA regional meet. However, a pair of returning all-conference runners, coupled with a pair of solid transfers, has expectations for the women much higher than in years past.
Edinboro, who won the regional meet a year ago, is the preseason favorite to take the team crown again. California (Pa.) is ranked second with perennial region power Shippensburg third. Seton Hill is fourth, and Slippery Rock ranks fifth. Bloomsburg lists sixth with West Va. Wesleyan seventh. Behind West Chester in ninth is Kutztown while Mansfield rounds out the Top 10.
West Chester opens its 2014 cross country slate next Saturday (Sept. 13) at the Division II Challenge hosted by Kutztown University.
2014 USTFCCCA Preseason Poll
Atlantic Region 1) Edinboro
 2) California (Pa.)
 3) Shippensburg
 4) Seton Hill
 5) Slippery Rock
 6) Bloomsburg
 7) West Virginia Wesleyan
 8) West Chester 9) Kutztown
10) Mansfield