KEENE, N.H. - Keene State College moved up 10 spots to 11th in this week's U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III Men's Cross Country Poll announced on Thursday. The Owls, which received 202 points, are second in New England behind Williams College, ranked sixth with 240 points.   

Keene State's ascent up the poll was the result of their first place finish at last weekend's UMass-Dartmouth Invitational.  The Owls topped the talented field the included perennial powers Amherst, Coast Guard, MIT, and Trinity.

Sophomore Jeff Trethewey (Merrimack, N.H.) and senior Sean Gavaghan (Monroe, Conn.) finished fourth and fifth respectively with the identical time of 25:14 to lead Keene State over the five-mile course.

Head Coach Peter Thomas called the race a good learning experience. "It was a good start, but I told everyone it's just one race, " he said.  "We have a long way to go."

The Owls achieved the ranking without the benefit of being at full strength. Top runners, sophomore Craig MacPherson of Derry and junior Jared Samuel of Londonderry, an NCAA qualifier last fall, are still recovering from injuries and hope to return to the trails in the next few weeks.  

"When Craig and Jared get back we should be able to widen are margin in team scoring," said Thomas.  "We're only going to get stronger as the season progresses."

Keene State will get an better indication of where they stand this weekend, when they compete at the Williams College Invitational on Saturday.  "It's going to be a huge test for us," said Thomas.

The Men's Division III Cross Country National Poll (first place votes in parentheses):

Others: Brandeis (5), St. Lawrence (5), Whitworth (4), Pomona-Pitzer (4), Wheaton-IL (3), Wisconsin-River Falls (2), and Carthage (1). Dropped Out: Brandeis, Whitworth, and Bethel