PELLA—A record-setting showing on the East Coast Saturday has propelled the Central College men's and women's cross country teams upward in the USTFCCCA Division III rankings.
           
The Dutch women jumped six spots to No. 17 nationally while the men vaulted seven spots to No. 19.
           
The University of Chicago continues at No. 1 in the women's rankings and is No. 1 in the Midwest Region as well. American Rivers foe Wartburg College is No. 3 overall and second in the region. Central is fourth in the Midwest and is the only other conference school in the national top-35.
           
The Dutch posted three of the four fastest 6,000-meter times in school history Saturday in taking second place in a 26-team Connecticut College Invitational field that featured 10 nationally ranked teams. Central finished behind No. 5 New York University. Caroline McMartin (senior, Pella) broke her own school record, placing fourth in 21:16.7, 33 seconds under the previous mark.
           
North Central College (Ill.) remains No. 1 in the men's rankings and also tops the regional rankings. Wartburg is again No. 7 overall. No. 19 Central is fourth in the Midwest Region while Loras College is No. 33 overall and sixth in the region.
           
Central was third in a 25-team field that included eight ranked squads at the Connecticut meet. Caleb Silver (5th-year, Conrad, BCLUW HS) took first place out of 199 runners and set a school 8,000-meter record of 24:13.4. He was named the American Rivers Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week.