Track & Field | 2/23/2011 3:36:49 PM

[Regional poll]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon men's track & field team received the No. 1 ranking in the West Region for the second week in a row, according to the USTFCCCA.

The men lead the West with 566.31 points. The Wolves have three individuals and their distance medley relay team leading their event in the region. Kyle Larson sits atop the 800m, while Chris Reed paces the mile and Jason Slowey in the shot put. Western Oregon also has 15 student-athletes ranked in the top three in their event.

The 566.51 points are the second most for any team in the country, trailing only Southern Connecticut with 642.46 points. The men's team is coming off its fourth straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship last weekend in Nampa, Idaho.

The women climbed two spots from last week, into No. 6 in the region with 214.85 points. Annan Applebee is first in the West in the 800m and Katie Pelchar sits second in the high jump.

This is the first season the USTFCCCA has adopted this new form of regional rankings. It is based on the idea of having a meet with all teams in the region and how each team would score in this meet format. This was meant to be a determination of the total strength of a team and not just those that would score at the national meet.