NEW ORLEANS -- Point Park men's and women's cross country were both ranked in the sixth US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II Atlantic Region Poll, the association announced Tuesday. Point Park's women's team was ranked fourth, and the men were ranked fifth.

Cassondra O'Connor led the women, who moved up from sixth to fourth, finishing the Go Fast River Run in 21:44.2 for an 11th-place finish. Anna Babinyecz finished the 6K race in 17th with her time of 22:00.2, and Paige McMahon (39th), Zabine von Westernhagen (41st) and Aubrey Smith (44th) rounded off the team's top five.

The Pioneer women finished second among all ranked Atlantic Region teams, finishing higher at the race than Kutztown, Slippery Rock and Bloomsburg. 

Luke McKenna finished in 23rd place for the men, who placed seventh as a team in the 8K. Chase Bowen (54th) and Ari Snyder (57th) turned in top-60 finishes, while Canaan Thomas and Ethan Syner took 69th and 78th places, respectively.

West Chester was the lone ranked team in the Atlantic Region to finish better than Point Park did. The Pioneers turned in better finishes than Kutztown and Slippery Rock did.

The Pioneers will set their sights next on the MEC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Bethany College Soccer and Equestrian Complex in Bethany, W.Va.