NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Chico State women’s cross country team is evidently getting used to “top of the heap” status – already owning the No. 1 ranking in the West region and fresh off a first place finish in last weekend’s Willamette Invitational, the Wildcats are now – for the first time in the program’s history – the top-ranked school in the country, according to the latest poll by the U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

“It’s quite an honor to be recognized at that level,” Chico State cross country head coach Gary Towne said following the announcement. “We honestly don’t pay a whole lot of attention to rankings, but it’s great to be acknowledged as having one of the best women’s cross country programs in the nation.”

Click here for the complete USTFCCCA Women's Cross Country Top 25 national rankings.

The ’Cats vaulted to the top spot after being ranked third in the country the previous week. Towne said that though the Wildcats will enjoy their No. 1 status, “We still have a lot of work to do to maintain that high ranking.” The women’s cross country team has racked up top five finishes in all three of its meets this season, and was the top Division II school at the D-I dominated Stanford Invitational Sept. 26.

Chico State will be back in action Friday, traveling to the Bay Area to take part in the San Francisco State Invitational.