Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

And there are plenty of Kentucky connections on the pre-season rankings compiled by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Kentucky is No. 6 in the men’s team rankings, 41st on the women’s side. Louisville is No. 24 in both men’s and women’s rankings. (See chart at the end of this post.)

UK is at the Florida Relays this weekend. U of L has split squads between the Texas Relays and Purdue.

Here’s a look at top 20-ranked individuals from the commonwealth.

MEN

Jose Acevedo

100 meters –

tie 11. Gordon McKenzie (UK) 10.23 seconds.

200 – 9. Jose Acevedo (UK) 20.58; t16. Shannon Davis (Eastern Ky.) 20.68.

10,000 – 6. Michael Eaton (U of L) 28:41.96.

110 hurdles – 3. Mikel Thomas (UK) 13.57.

4-x-100 relay – 17. Kentucky 39.69.

4-x-400 relay – 3. Kentucky 3:02.00; 18. Western Ky. 3:05.93.

Andre Black

Long jump –

t 9. Rudon Bastian (U of L) 25-10; 11. Andre Black (U of L) 25-9 1/2.

Triple jump – 1. Andre Black (U of L) 54-7 1/2.

Shot put – 5. Rashaud Scott (UK) 62-1 1/4.

Discus – 3. Chase Madison (UK) 202-9; 6. Rashaud Scott (UK) 199-10; 20. Josh Greenwald (U of L) 182-4.

WOMEN

Ashley Trimble

100 hurdles –

t 15. Ashley Trimble (UK) 13.40.

4-x-400 relay – 19. Western Kentucky, 3:35.37.

High jump – t 8. Rachel Gehret (U of L) 5-11 1/4; t 19. Victoria Dunlap (UK) 5-10.

Triple jump – 12. Seidre Forde (U of L) 43-9 3/4.

Shot put – 6. Jere’ Summers (U of L) 55-5 1/2; t 16. Ashley Muffet (UK) 52-6.

Discus – t 2. Jere’ Summers (U of L) 189-3; 12. Emilee Strot (UK) 174-7; 17. Ashley Muffet (UK) 170-0.

Hammer throw – 9. Jere’ Summers (U of L) 200-6.

Heptathlon – 16. Danielle Sampley (UK) 5,377; 19. Ashley Trimble (UK) 5,295.

2009 Outdoor, Pre-season

WOMEN

1. Texas A&M; 2. Virginia Tech; 3. Oregon; 4. Tennessee; 5. Penn State; 6. LSU; 7. Southern California; 8. UCLA; 9. Arizona State; 10. Michigan.

11. Florida; 12. Minnesota; 13. Auburn; 14. Texas; 15. Oklahoma; 16. Miami (Fla.); 17. South Carolina; 18. Texas Tech; 19. Arkansas; 20. Baylor.

21. Texas Christian; 22. Arizona; 23. North Carolina; 24. LOUISVILLE; 25. Nebraska.

Also: 41. KENTUCKY; 108. WESTERN KENTUCKY; 182. MURRAY STATE.

Granted, Kentucky-Louisville basketball and football rivalries are what get the average fan anxious.

That doesn’t mean that athletes in other sports are any less passionate about beating their in-state competition.

If pre-season predicitions are anywhere close to accurate, look for some intense battles during the indoor track and field season.

Both the men’s and women’s teams from Kentucky and Louisville are among the top 25 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division I rankings.

The Louisville men open the season at No.9, Kentucky at No. 11.

On the women’s side, UK checks in at No. 22, U of L at No. 25.

Oregon, 19th in last year’s NCAA Championships, is the top-ranked men’s team. The Ducks have a pair of Olympians in Galen Rupp and Andrew Wheating, as well as two All-Americans in Andrew Acosta and Ashton Eaton.

Defending NCAA champ Arizona State is No. 2.

U of L is especially strong in the jumps, with Tone Belt, Andre Black, Rudon Bastian and transfer Michael Johnson Jr. Belt won the NCAA long jump in 2007, while Black won the triple jump.

The Cardinals also return Steve Hnat in the shot put and distance runner Corey Thorne.

UK, which will play host to the Southeastern Conference Championships, features a pair of Olympians in sprinter Jose Acevedo (Venezuela) and hurdler Mikel Thomas (Trinidad & Tobago). The Wildcats likely will continue their recent run of excellent showings in the 4-by-400 relay and are deep in the weight events with Rashaud Scott, Chase Madison and Colin Boevers leading the big guys.

UK is among six SEC men’s teams ranked in the top 20, and among six SEC women’s teams in the top 25.

Texas A&M tops the women’s list, followed by 2008 NCAA runner-up LSU.

A&M is led by sprinter Porscha Lewis and 400-meter champion Jessica Beard.

LSU is paced by defending 800-meter champion LaTavia Thomas.

Defending champion Arizona State is rated No. 6.

UK’s top threats include Jenna Martin (400) and Ashley Muffet (throws).

U of L features Jere’ Summers (throws), Seidre Forde (triple jump) and transfer sprinter Saravia Richardson.

The NCAA Championships are set for March 13-14 at College Station, Texas.

USTFCCCA Division I indoor pre-season rankings

MEN

WOMEN