NEW ORLEANS – Following the first gold medal at the ASUN Championships for the Eastern Kentucky men's cross country team, they jumped one spot to No. 6 in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) Southeast Region Rankings. The EKU women remain at No. 15.

The EKU men also received votes in the National Coaches' Poll for the first time this season.
 
The men switched spots with No. 7 Duke from the previous rankings. They are also positioned ahead of other notable teams, including Virginia Tech (No. 9), in-state foe Kentucky (No. 10), and conference rival Liberty (No. 11).
 
The Colonels dominated at the ASUN Championships with 18 points and eight men finished in the top 11. Graduate student Ahmed Jaziri won the individual men's conference title for the third consecutive season (1 OVC, 2 ASUN), earning the ASUN Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year.
 
Seniors Nikodem Dworczak, Hakim Abouzouhir, Jackson Siddall, and Keeton Thornsberry joined Jaziri on the All-ASUN First Team. Graduate student Joan Tapias, senior Enock Kipchumba, and sophomore Nicodemus Rotich made the All-ASUN Second Team. Sophomore Ahmed Kadri earned All-ASUN Third Team honors.
 
Graduate student Jone Zabaleta Larranaga led the EKU women with a 5K time of 16:45.40 finishing in fourth place out of 115 runners, earning All-ASUN First Team honors for the second consecutive season. Senior Anouk van Gils made the All-ASUN Second Team while senior Grace Kilroy made the All-ASUN Third Team.
 
The EKU cross country teams return to action on Nov. 11 at the NCAA Southeast Regional at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.