NEW ORLEANS – The Kutztown University women's indoor track & field jumped three spots to No. 6 Atlantic Region Rankings by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
 
KU's leap was the largest of any of the team's ranked in the region and only four other regionally ranked schools in Division II made a larger jump in any of the eight regions.
 
The Golden Bears are also well represented in the individual rankings, with 12 KU competitors appearing in a total of seven different events.
 
High jumper Rachel Eshleman (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) is tied for first in the region after setting a school record by clearing 5-7 (1.70) over the weekend.  The sophomore earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Week honors for her performance.  Her height is also the 17th best in Division II this season.
 
Kutztown has been strong in the throws in the early going, where the team makes three appearances in the regional rankings, including No. 2 rankings for both April Doyle (Greenfield Twp., PA/Lakeland) (Greenfield Township, Pa./Lakeland) and Maria Hoover (Fivepointville, PA/Garden Spot) (Fivepointville, Pa./Garden Spot).
 
Doyle is second in the shot put after a best mark of 43-7 (13.28), a distance that also rates 29th in Division II. 
 
Hoover, meanwhile, has excelled in the weight throw.  Her mark of 48-5.5 (14.77) is the second best in the Atlantic Region.  Rosealine Farrell (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) joins her in the rankings at 14-11.75 (13.71), good for seventh.
 
Kutztown has two more Golden Bears ranked in the field events.
 
Kristen Slack (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) enters the rankings in the long jump with a mark of 17-3.25 (5.26) and is rated seventh.  Regina Ryan (Whites Crossing, PA/Lakeland) (Whites Crossing, Pa./Lakeland) is in a tie for eighth place in the regional pole vault rankings after reaching a best height of 10-10 (3.30).
 
Brittany Harman (Hanover, PA/Southwestern) (Hanover, Pa./Southwestern) posted a score of 2,933 in the pentathlon at Bucknell and is now ranked sixth in the region.
 
The distance medley relay consisting of Frances McNally (Drexel Hill, Pa./Springfield) (Drexel Hill, Pa./Springfield), Bria Evans (Philadelphia, PA/G.W. Carver of E&S) (Philadelphia, Pa./G.W. Carver Engineering & Science), Jill Kostishion (Hilltown, PA/Pennridge) (Hilltown, Pa./Pennridge) and Megan Reilly (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) ranks fourth after running a time of 12:28.43 over the weekend.
 
The Golden Bears are back in action on February 3-4 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational.