The Central College men’s track and field team returned to the USTFCCCA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Team Rating Index at No. 25 in the third week of its release Tuesday.

Points in the National Team Rating Index are based off placement in the National Descending Order Lists. The higher an athlete sits on the list, the more points he or she adds to his or her team’s total. These points do not reflect placement or scoring at the NCAA Championships but is to show the individuals and teams that have the best chances at scoring well at said meet.

Central has three individuals in the top 20 of an event and six additional marks inside the top 50. High jumper Sam Beatty (senior, Mount Pleasant) is the Dutch student-athlete rated highest on the list, coming in at No. 3 (6 feet, 9.5 inches). Lucas Heitz (senior, Adel, ADM HS) is No. 9 in the heptathlon (4,811 points), Brody Klein (junior, Rainier, Wash.) is No. 10 (4,768 points), Jaxon Thompson (junior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) is No. 25 (4,591 points) and Reid Pakkebier (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) is No. 26 (4,585 points). Pakkebier is also No. 22 in the 60-meter hurdles (8.30 seconds).

Central is one of five teams from the American Rivers Conference to crack the top-25 and are also ranked No. 8 in the Midwest Region.

Most of Central’s roster is headed to the Darren Young Classic at Grinnell College on Saturday. A few distance runners are going to the David Hemery Valentine Invitational on Friday.