NEW ORLEANS – The Shippensburg University men's outdoor track and field program garnered its first national ranking of the season in the latest computer data released on Tuesday by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). SU is ranked No. 22.

Shippensburg improved 15 spots from last week's edition of the rankings and is the only PSAC institution currently ranked among the nation's Top 25 squads.

SU currently boasts nine season-best performances that have satisfied the NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying standards for Division II.

Sophomore Cody DeBoer has met the automatic qualifying standards for the long jump – his mark of 24 feet 9 inches in Richmond ranks seventh in Division II. Freshman Herman Kirkland posted a mark of 24 feet 7 ¼ inches that ranks eighth in Division II. Kirkland also ranks 20th in Division II in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.56 seconds.

Sophomore Matt Gillette and senior Bryan Beegle are among the nation's Top 8 runners in the 1,500 meters. Gillette's time of 3:48.24 from Princeton ranks sixth in Division II while Beegle's mile-adjusted time of 3:49.11 in Richmond ranks eighth.

Senior Sean Stetler ranks seventh in the 10K with a time of 29:44.64 at the Bison Outdoor Classic. Junior Stephen Schelander is among the nation's Top 25 in the 5K. Stetler, Beegle and Schelander will be running in the 5K tomorrow night at the Penn Relays.

Sophomore Marcus Line has met the provisional standards in the 400-meter hurdles on multiple occasions this season. Line's season-best effort of 53.57 seconds ranks 22nd in Division II.

Senior Jake Sitler will be competing in the steeplechase tomorrow at the Penn Relays. Sitler has already satisfied the provisional standard with a time of 9:19.64 at Bucknell.

The 4x100-meter relay squad of freshman Jon Eisemann, senior Kevin Marshall, Kirkland and sophomore Romarr Mayne has the potential for a great time before the regular season concludes. The quartet ran together for the first time last weekend and posted a provisional time of 41.33 seconds.

In the field, senior Josh Hostetler unleashed a javelin throw of 202 feet 3 inches that ranks 12th in Division II.

The Raiders have currently qualified 46 men to compete the PSAC Championships in May. SU currently boasts the top marks in the 100, 1,500, 4x800-meter relay and the shot.

Today, Shippensburg has multis competitors finishing up at the Penn Relays. Select distance runners will compete Thursday at the Penn Relays while the whole squad will be in action on Saturday at home in the Paul Kaiser Classic.