NEW ORLEANS, La. — Fresh off of its top four regional ranking earlier this week, the Wilmington College men’s cross country team has achieved a national ranking for the first time in program history, checking in at No. 26 in the most recent United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coaches’ Poll.

The Fightin’ Quakers, under the direction of long-time head coach Ron Combs, accumulated 89 points in the poll after a stellar showing at the Pre-Nationals Meet in Lansing, Mich., over the weekend. There, Wilmington placed eighth and finished ahead of several teams that were ranked nationally including multiple-time national champions Calvin University and fellow Ohio Athletic Conference member Mount Union.

Wilmington sits ahead of the University of Chicago (87 points), New York University (83 points) and the State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo (80 points). Pomona-Pitzer (California) tops the poll with 350 points while John Carroll University (15th) and Otterbein University (19th) are just ahead of Wilmington.

The Quakers have a week off before hosting the JennaStrong Fall Classic Oct. 14.