Sept. 6, 2002

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Providence College women's cross country team is ranked 14th in the FinishLynx Division I Women's Cross Country Pre-Season Poll, released on Thursday, September 5. The Friars will compete in their first meet of the season on Friday, September 6 at the University of New Hampshire Invitational at 3:00 p.m.

Last season, the Friars placed 10th in the NCAA Championships in Greenville, S.C. on November 19, 2001. Their 10th-place finish marked the 12th time in 13 years that the Friars earned a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships.

Providence received 216 points to earn the 14th spot in the poll. Brigham Young, which won the 2001 NCAA Championships, is ranked No. 1 after receiving 12 first-place votes and 386 points. Georgetown (369 points), North Carolina State (358 points), Stanford (349 points) and Colorado (338 points) round out the top five.

This season, the Friars will be led by All-American Roisin McGettigan (Wicklow, Ireland). McGettigan placed 53rd in the NCAA Championships in 2001.

FinishLynx NCAA DIVISION WOMEN'S NCAA CROSS COUNTRY POLL
Pre-Season Poll: September 5, 2002
Rank	Team (First place votes)      Points
1	Brigham Young                   386
2	Georgetown                      369
3	North Carolina State            358
4	Stanford                        349
5	Colorado                        338
6	North Carolina                  319
7	Yale                            318
8	Boston College                  286
9	Arkansas                        281
10	Notre Dame                      275
11	Duke                            237
12	Michigan State                  229
13	Northern Arizona                221
14	PROVIDENCE                      216
15	UCLA                            201
16	Virginia                        165
17	Minnesota                       150
18	Colorado State                  145
19	Arizona State                   142
20	Marquette                       140
21	Texas A&M                       129
22	Villanova                       123
23	Cornell                         117
24	Georgia Tech                    102
25	Arizona                         77
26	Columbia                        71
27	Toledo                          48
28	Southwest Missouri State        43
29	James Madison                   34
30	Weber State                     28