The University of St. Francis men's cross country team is beginning to get some notice.  And not just in Joliet.  The Saints just missed cracking the NAIA Top 25 rankings on Wednesday as they are the top team among others receiving votes in this week's national coaches poll.


In addition to the team's recognition, sophomore Sean Smith (Winnebago H.S./Winnbago, IL) became the second USF harrier to be named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Runner of the Week.  Smith led the Saints to a seventh-place finish overall and a fourth-place spot in the college division at last Friday's Illinois Intercollegiate Championships.  Smith covered the 8-kilometer course in 25:43 and finished ahead of 2009 CCAC Runner of the Year Kenny MacDonough of Olivet Nazarene.  USF's Ian McDowell (Lansing CC/Lansing, MI) was honored by the CCAC earlier this season.

The Saints have received votes in each of the last three polls and have moved up in the list of vote-getters each week.

USF's next competition is slated for Saturday, Oct. 2 when the Saints travel to Chicago to run in the Sean Earl/Loyola University Lakefront Invite.