Grand Canyon, NM State Picked to Win 2023 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships
ARLINGTON, Texas – The Grand Canyon men's and the NM State women's outdoor track and field teams are picked to win the team titles according to the 2023 TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Outdoor Track & Field Pre-Championship Coaches Poll that was released on Wednesday.
Grand Canyon, the two-time defending WAC men’s champion, was slotted ahead of Utah Valley, Abilene Christian, Tarleton and Stephen F. Austin in the men’s projected top five for the championship meet at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas. The Lopes earned the WAC Men's Indoor Track & Field title in February. NM State outpointed Stephen F. Austin, Grand Canyon, Utah Valley and UT Arlington in the top-five women’s squads entering the championship meet. The Aggies have not won the WAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field team championship during their history in the conference. Stephen F. Austin is the defending women's champion and captured the Women's Indoor Track & Field title in Feburary.
2023 WAC OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLLS
2023 WAC Men’s OTF Pre-Championship Coaches Poll
|
Rank
|
Team (1st place)
|
Points
|
|
1.
|
Grand Canyon (10)
|
100
|
|
2.
|
Utah Valley (1)
|
87
|
|
3.
|
Abilene Christian
|
74
|
|
4.
|
Tarleton
|
66
|
|
5.
|
Stephen F. Austin
|
63
|
|
6.
|
Southern Utah
|
55
|
|
7.
|
California Baptist
|
47
|
|
8.
|
UT Arlington
|
46
|
|
9.
|
Sam Houston
|
35
|
|
10.
|
UTRGV
|
20
|
|
11.
|
Seattle U
|
13
|
2023 WAC Women’s ITF Pre-Championship Coaches Poll
|
Rank
|
Team (1st place)
|
Points
|
|
1.
|
NM State (9)
|
136
|
|
2.
|
Stephen F. Austin (2)
|
127
|
|
3.
|
Grand Canyon (2)
|
121
|
|
4.
|
Utah Valley
|
114
|
| 5. |
UT Arlington
|
101
|
|
6.
|
Abilene Christian
|
88
|
|
7.
|
California Baptist
|
73
|
|
8.
|
Sam Houston
|
66
|
|
9.
|
Southern Utah
|
62
|
|
10.
|
UTRGV
|
43
|
|
11.
|
Tarleton
|
41
|
|
12.
|
Seattle U
|
19
|
| |
Utah Tech
|
19
|
GCU MEN LOOK TO THREE-PEAT
Grand Canyon won the 2022 WAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship with a team score of 155.5 at the meet in Seattle, Wash. The Lopes also took the title in 2021 with 263.5 team points in Edinburg, Texas. In 2016 and 2018 GCU was also the WAC outdoor men's team champions.
AGGIES WOMEN CHASING FIRST OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP
NM State placed sixth at the 2022 WAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Seattle, Wash. with a team score of 74. The Aggies women finished second in the two previous outdoor meets in 2021 and 2019 (2020 meet was canceled due to covid).
WAC IN THE REGIONAL RANKINGS
Grand Canyon is ranked twelfth in the West Region of the most recent USTFCCCA DI Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Regional Team Rankings that were released on April 17. Southern Utah checks in at number seven with Utah Valley eighth in the Mountain Region. Stephen F. Austin is number 15 in the South Central Region.
On the women’s side, NM State is number eight in the Mountain Region in the latest USTFCCCA DI Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Regional Team Rankings. Utah Valley is number ten in the Mountain Region. Stephen F. Austin ranks number 12 in the South Central Region.
BROADCAST INFO
The 2023 WAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be broadcast live on ESPN+ starting at 4:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday, May 11 and Friday, May 12. Coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. CDT on Saturday, May 13. Viewers must have a subscription to watch ESPN+. Fans outside the United States can watch on WACinternational.tv. This site does require a log in. Chase Merrell and Kyle Charbonneau will call the action.
--WAC--