NEW ORLEANS --- The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has announced its NCAA Division II Regional Cross Country Rankings with the Mississippi College women's cross country team ranked eighth in the South Region.
 
The poll marks the second time this season the Lady Choctaws have been ranked by the USTFCCCA this season. MC is one of seven teams from the Gulf South Conference in the top 10 ranking.

"The women's team definately earned the ranking this with with their strong showing in the conference championships. They came out and beat a couple teams that were ranked and had beaten us earlier this season. We hope to continue our improvement on Nov. 5 when we compete in the South Region Championships," said head coach Butch Ard. "We are really proud of what our teams have accomplished this season. Both teams finished sixth in the conference meet and ran themselves into qualifing for the NCAA South Region Championships."
 
The Lady Choctaws finished sixth at the 2016 Gulf South Conference Championships. Kaleigh Akers earned Second Team All-GSC honors as she led the Lady Choctaws.
 
Akers posted a collegiate-best time of 19:07.02 in the 5K race to finish 11th place. The top 10 runners based on time were awarded first team honors with 11-20 named second team. The Daphne, Ala., native became the first Lady Choctaw cross country runner to earn All-Gulf South Conference honors and the first to claim all-conference laurels since Jennifer Cooper finished third at the American Southwest Conference Championships in 2012.
 
The Lady Choctaws posted an average time of 19:45.81 with three runners posting times better than the average. Rachel Smith finished 29th in the event with a time of 19:40.73. Baylee Webb posted a time of 19:42.45 in 33rd.
 
Abbie Easter finished 40th with a time of 20:01.53 while Hannah Chamberlain was 47th with a time of 20:17.31. Keyana Boyd added a time of 20:35.56 in 52nd while Madeline Sawaya rounded out the Lady Choctaw runners with a 21:18.95 in 69th.
 
Union University is the top ranked GSC school in the poll in second followed by Lee University and West Alabama in third and fourth respectively. UAH sits sixth with Valdosta State in seventh. North Alabama and West Florida round out the ranking in ninth and 10th.
 
Sunshine State Conference member Saint Leo leads the poll with fellow conference member Tampa in fifth.
 
The MC cross country teams qualified for NCAA Division II South Regionals on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Saint Leo, Fla.