The Colorado College men's cross country team was ranked No. 26 by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in its Division III preseason coaches' poll.
The Tigers received 84 points and are only seven behind Hamline and Heidelberg, which tied for No. 24, and are just 14 behind No. 22 Amherst College.
CC was third among teams from the West Region, trailing only No. 14 Claremont Colleges (181) and No. 17 Willamette University (138).
The only other Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference team in the national rankings is No. 31 Centre College.
The next national rankings will be released on Sept. 22
Fresh off a solid performance at last week's University of Colorado Time Trial, the Tigers will compete as a team for the first time at the 2010 CU-Colorado Springs Rust-Buster Invitational on Saturday at North Monument Valley Park.
