SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University track and field teams are ranked in the West Region of NCAA Division III in the outdoor rankings released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) this week. The Bearcat women's team is ranked #2 in the West Region, while the Willamette men's team is ranked #9.

At the top of the West Region women's rankings is George Fox University with 511.44 points. Willamette is #2 with 405.30 points, while California Lutheran University is #3 at 369.06. Whitworth University is #4 at 364.91 and the University of La Verne (Calif.) is #5 at 344.74.

La Verne holds a slim advantage over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.), which is sixth at 343.61.

GFU, Willamette and Whitworth give the Northwest Conference three of the top four spots in the women's rankings. Also ranked in the West Region from the NWC are Linfield College at #7, University of Puget Sound at #8 and Pacific Lutheran University at #9.

In the men's West Region rankings, Whitworth holds first place with 479.76 points. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is #2 at 441.14 and University of Redlands (Calif.) is #3 at 413.34. La Verne is listed at #4 with 327.65 points and Pacific University is #5 at 240.37. Willamette is #9 at 190.41.

The NWC has a total of four men's teams in the rankings. In addition to Whitworth, Pacific and Willamette, George Fox is listed eighth.

In the women's national rankings, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is the #1 team with 172.95 points. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is the #2 team with 161.74 points and Wartburg College (Iowa) is #3 at 147.95. Wheaton College (Mass.) holds the #4 spot at 119.61, while California Lutheran University is #5 at 100.37.

The men's national rankings also are led by UW-Lacrosse, which has 233.83 points. University of Mount Union is #2 with 132.60 points and UW-Oshkosh is #3 with 122.60. Augustana College (Ill.) is #4 at 118.50. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is #5 at 104.43.

Willamette will compete at the Northwest Conference Championships this weekend in Tacoma, Wash. Action is set to get underway at Baker Stadium on the Puget Sound campus on Friday, April 25 at 10 a.m. (PDT). The NWC Championships will continue on Saturday, April 26, starting at 10:30 a.m.