NEW ORLEANS – After entering the regional rankings for the first time this season, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s cross country team moved up one spot to No. 14 in the South Central Region as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I Regional Cross Country Rankings were released on Monday.
 
Louisiana, one of three Sun Belt schools ranked among the nine regions and one of two in the South Central Region, earned a second-place finish on Sept. 27 at the McNeese Cowboy Stampede in Lake Charles. The Ragin’ Cajuns finished behind team champion McNeese, currently ranked No. 8 in the South Central Region.
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns were joined in the South Central Region by UT Arlington, ranked No. 7. Appalachian State, ranked No. 13 in the Southeast Region, was the third Sun Belt school to earn regional rankings.
 
The top four teams in the South Central Region – Arkansas, Texas, Lamar and Texas A&M – maintained their rankings with North Texas rounding out the top-5. Stephen F. Austin, UTA, Rice, McNeese State and Baylor were ranked in the top 10 with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston, Central Arkansas, Louisiana and LSU finishing out the poll.
 
Louisiana will return to action on Friday when it travels to Tallahassee, Fla., to compete in the FSU Invitational. The meet is hosted by Florida State, ranked No. 1 in the South Region and No. 25 overall.
 
USTFCCCA South Central Region
(Rank, School, Conference, Last week)
1. Arkansas, SEC, 1
2. Texas, Big 12, 2
3. Lamar, Southland, 3
4. Texas A&M, SEC, 4
5. North Texas, Conference USA, 7
6. Stephen F. Austin, Southland, 5
7. UT Arlington, Sun Belt, 6
8. Rice, Conference USA, 9
9. McNeese State, Southland, 8
10. Baylor, Big 12, 10
11. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Southland, 11
12. Houston, American, 12
13. Central Arkansas, Southland, 13
14. Louisiana, Sun Belt, 15
15. LSU, SEC, NR