Upcoming Event: Cross Country versus Big 12 Championships on October 31, 2025 at TBD
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Cross Country
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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Cross Country At Mountain West Conference Championships
10/28/2003 12:00 AM | Cross Country
Oct. 28, 2003
Mountain West Conference Cross Country Championships:
The Utah cross country program will compete at the conference championships this Saturday, Nov. 1, at the University of New Mexico's North Golf Course in Albuquerque, N.M. The race was originally scheduled to take place in San Diego, Calif., at Morely Field in Balboa Park. However, due to the fires burning in the San Diego area, the MWC Championships Committee decided to relocate the venue.
The Utes will have their hands full this weekend. Several MWC teams are ranked in the latest USCCCA Top 30 polls.
Previewing The Men's Race:
The men will kick things off, running an 8K beginning at 10:00 a.m. On the men's side, No. 9 Air Force, No. 10 Colorado State and No. 12 Brigham Young will be the favorites.
With the redshirting of several top runners on the men's side, Utah is in line for a possible fifth-place finish. Senior Jeff Davidson should pilot the men's team, followed by freshmen Nick McKay and J.P. Rooney.
Previewing The Women's Race:
The women will run a 6K beginning at 11:00 a.m. Returning NCAA Champion and No. 2 ranked Brigham Young, along with No. 22 Colorado State are favored.
Elise Greenwood, an America Fork, Utah, native, has been the top Ute finisher on the women's side in five of the six races she has competed in this year. Only a sophomore, Greenwood has progressed into one of the best female runners Ute fans have seen in awhile. Utah is looking for a top-10 finish from Greenwood and top 20 finishes by Jennifer Brusch and Nellie Hammons this weekend.
The Course:
The North Golf Course is located on the University of New Mexico's campus. The Lobos hosted the Mountain Region Championships on the course last year. Utes Jennifer Brusch, Nellie Hammons and Jeff Davidson competed at those championships, giving them the advantage of having competed on the course. The course is considered a flatter course.
Quoting Head Coach Brian Appell:
"We are very excited about the upcoming Mountain West Conference Cross Country Championships," notes Appell. "We had been training all year for the hilly San Diego course, but we will now have to adjust our strategy because of the elevation and flatness of the New Mexico course.
"I am confident that the athletes will bring their best efforts to the event regardless of which course we run. They are prepared and ready to run. On the women's side, we are expecting a tight battle for third between Air Force, San Diego State and ourselves. It should be quite exciting."
Mountain West Conference Site:
MWC Championship Site
Future Meets:
Next, the Utes will compete in the Mountain Region Championships on Nov. 15. The meet will be hosted by Weber State in Ogden, Utah.
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