MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama men's cross country team moves up to No. 6 in the South Region of the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Poll released Tuesday afternoon. The Jaguars were ranked as high as No. 9 last season and were also ranked in the ninth spot in the preseason poll.  The men's team fell to No. 12 in the second poll of the year released Sept. 25.

The South Region is led, in this week's poll, by Alabama (17th nationally).  Following in the second through fifth slots respectively, are Florida (25th), Florida State (27th), Tennessee, and Belmont.

"This shows that our program is moving in the right direction," head coach Lee Evans said, "We will be more motivated now, as we strive toward the goals we set of performing well at the Sun Belt Conference Championship later this month and the NCAA Regional and National Championship Meets in November."

Competing in the Blue Division men's race at the Notre Dame Invitational this past Friday, the Jags finished 12th of 20 teams,  seven of whom were ranked in the Top-30 of the USTFCCCA National Poll.

Two-time cross-country All-American Tonny Okello placed sixth overall for the 8K (5 mile) distance with a time of 23:54.  The reigning NCAA South Region Champion now has the fourth fastest 8K in Jaguar history, passing All-Sun Belt Conference Performer Eli Keren's 1996 time of 24:12 at Little Rock, Ark.  Okello was fourth at this event in 2005.

Vincent Rono, who was tied for second here last year, also moved past Keren with a tenth place finishing time of 24:05.  This is just the second time in eight career cross country meets that Rono has failed to finish in the top five, the other being the 2005 NCAA Cross Country Championship where he was 138th of 253 competitors.

Newcomer Micah Tirop finished 28th with a time of 24:25, which is the ninth-best time by a Jaguar for this distance. He eclipses Richard Michael's 1977 time of 24:26.

Stephen Larubi (157th, 26:49) ran the second-fastest time in his collegiate career, while cross country newcomers Ryan Robinson (164th, 33:36), making his season debut, and David Dollo (165th, 33:37) rounded out the Jaguar finishers.

The men's and women's team will travel to Memphis, Tenn., for the Memphis Twilight Invitational on Saturday, October 7.  The women's 5K is scheduled to begin at 8:10 p.m. (CT) and will be followed by the men's 8K at 8:50 p.m.