MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama men's track and field team will go into this weekend's Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships as the 19th-ranked squad in the nation according to the Trackwire 25 Power Rankings released Tuesday.  Defending five-time SBC Indoor champion Vincent Rono remains the top-ranked men's miler in the accompanying Dandy Dozen standings.

The Jags are tied with Northern Arizona and Providence in the latest rankings, after being even with those two school last week.

South Alabama is the only ranked team in the Sun Belt and has the only ranked athlete in the rankings.  Rono, the NCAA Outdoor 1500m champion, has been in the top slot at the indoor equivalent for the fourth week in a row.  He began the 2007 year in third position, behind Tom Lancashire of Florida State (now second) and Leonel Manzano of Texas (third).

The men's team is unranked for the second week in the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association Poll, also released Tuesday afternoon.  South Alabama was the No. 20 side in the first poll of the calendar year (Jan. 30).

SBC Indoor Championships will begin on Saturday, Feb. 24, in Jonesboro, Ark., and last through Sunday.