Simpson men ranked in first national poll

NEW ORLEANS - The Simpson College men's track and field team was ranked 20th in the first edition of the USTFCCCA National Rankings this season.

The Storm are one of four American Rivers Conference members appearing in the poll, tied for the most of any conference (besides independents). It is the highest national rank the program has received since the preseason poll in 2018, where the team was also ranked 20th.

Simpson garnered 35.84 total points from performances by Max Cleveland and Spencer Moon. Points are awarded mainly based on time and how the time ranks across the entirety of Division III.

Moon earned 19.89 points after his record-setting performance at the Iowa State Cyclone Open on Saturday. The senior standout broke his own school record by 10 seconds and the conference record by over eight seconds. Moon's time of 8:04.91 was the sixth-fastest in Division III history and the second fastest in the country this season.

Cleveland added 15.95 points to the Storm's total. The Indianola, Iowa native broke the school record in the 60 meter hurdles back in December, running a blistering 8.00 in the event. The time is currently ranked fourth in the country. 

The Storm head to two events this week, with a group of athletes first competing in Pella, Iowa at the Dutch Winter Multi. The majority of the team will compete on Saturday at the Grinnell Invitational.

View the full rankings by clicking here.