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NEW ORLEANS – Fresh off a strong performance at the NCAA Pre-Nationals Invitational last weekend in Terre Haute, Ind., the Eastern Kentucky University women's cross country team rose one spot to No. 8 in the NCAA Southeast Region poll released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Monday.
 
EKU finished 21^st in a strong field of 43 teams last Saturday at the La Vern Gibson Championship Course, the host of this year's NCAA Championships. The Colonels defeated Furman, who was ranked No. 8 in the Southeast entering last weekend, as well as the likes of Connecticut, Missouri, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Purdue and Kentucky.
 
Senior All-American Ann Eason led the way for Eastern, finishing 39^th out of 293 competitors with a 6K time of 21:26.3.
 
EKU is now ranked just behind No. 5 Virginia Tech, No. 6 Wake Forest and No. 7 Duke and just ahead of such schools as No. 11 Kentucky, No. 12 Clemson, No. 13 Louisville and No. 14 Western Kentucky.
 
The Colonels have this weekend off before returning to action at the OVC Championships on Saturday, Nov. 1, in Oxford, Ala. The EKU women have won seven of the last eight OVC titles.