By Kelly Tuckwiller for MSNsportsNET.com
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The No. 22 West Virginia University track and field team remains at No. 2 in the Mid-Atlantic Regional poll for the second-consecutive week, announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Penn State leads the pack, while the 2010 BIG EAST indoor champion Villanova is No. 3, Georgetown is No. 4 and Princeton is No. 5.
The Mountaineers returned to the top 25 in the national polls this week at No. 22, after their fourth-place showing at the last weekend’s conference championships.
Next, WVU is set to compete in the Alex Wilson Invitational on March 5-6, in South Bend, Ind., before competing at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., on March 12-13. So far, the Mountaineers have seen three student-athletes meet automatic qualifying standards in seniors Marie-Louise Asselin (5,000 meter), Clara Grandt (5,000 meter) and junior Chelsea Carrier (pentathlon).
WVU’s distance medley relay team of Kaylyn Christopher, Keri Bland, April Rotilio and Jessica O’Connell are also vying for a spot at NCAA’s after posting a provisional time of 11:14.95 at BIG EAST. The team is currently at No. 9 on the national top performers list for the event.