PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Following a string of personal-best performances at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational last weekend, the Plymouth State University men's cross country team has broken into the regional rankings.
 
After being unranked in the week one poll, Plymouth State jumped to eighth in the East Region in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) regional rankings.
 
The top three spots remain unchanged, with Tufts leading the way, followed by MIT and WPI. Plymouth State is the highest-ranked Little East Conference program – one spot ahead of UMass Dartmouth – while Keene State slipped from eighth to 10th.
 
Senior Max Goodman (South Salem, N.Y.) cut nearly a full minute off his personal best to lead the Panthers at UMass Dartmouth. He finished 29th in a field of more than 250 runners from all three NCAA divisions, finishing the 8k course in 25:23.79. Sophomore Noah Francis (Bethlehem, N.H.) also posted a significant PR to place 66th. As a team, Plymouth State finished 12th out of 32 programs, and third among Division III institutions.
 
The USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Coaches' Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams' strength with current season results in determining a rank-order of squad potential. Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible to receive a ranking.
 
Plymouth State is idle this weekend before returning to action at the Keene State Invitational on Oct. 4.