Once a staple of the college season, the dual meet did a disappearing act in the ’90s, and with it went T&FN’s annual Dual Meet Rankings, compiled by John Wenos.
The T&FN definition of a “dual” is a scored meet between four or fewer teams. Teams are ranked on their record and marks achieved during the regular season. Bonuses can be earned through a tough and/or extensive dual-meet schedule. Rankings and records reflect a combined indoor/outdoor season.
But duals have made a little bit of a comeback in recent years, partly due to the current NCAA Championships qualifying system which has removed the pressure to achieve big marks and partly because some forward-thinking major-program coaches have recognized the value to the health of the sport of true team competition.
I thought it was high time to bring the Dual Meet Rankings back. Yesterday we did the women’s top 25; here’s the men’s.
Oregon’s Pepsi Team Invitational was the deciding meet, as the Ducks defeated runner-up Texas A&M.
#3 Arkansas has already committed to meeting #1 Oregon in a dual meet next year, to be held in the middle of the Oregon Relays, with the national dual-meet title possibly on the line.
1. Oregon (3-0)
2. Texas A&M (3-1)
3. Arkansas (1-0)
4. Wisconsin (3-0)
5. Ohio State (1-0)
6. Nebraska (3-0)
7. Arizona State (2-0)
8. Washington State (3-0)
9. UCLA (3-4)
10. LSU (0-1)
11. Washington (1-3)
12. Indiana (1-0)
13. Texas (0-2)
14. Arizona (1-1)
15. BYU (2-0)
16. Illinois (2-1)
17. Kansas (1-0)
18. Princeton (2-0)
19. Boise State (1-1)
20. Stanford (1-0)
21. Southern Cal (0-2)
22. Michigan (3-1)
23. UCSB (9-1)
24. Indiana State (5-0)
25. Long Beach State (3-0)
May 23, 2012