Upcoming Event: Cross Country versus Gans Creek Classic on September 26, 2025 at 8:00 AM
8:00 AM
Cross Country
vs Gans Creek Classic
Friday, August 29
Sparks, Nev. (Shadow Mountain Park)
6:30 PM
University of Utah
at
Nature's Bakery Nevada Twilight Classic
Utes Finish Second at Nevada Twilight Classic
8/30/2014 12:00 AM | Cross Country
Aug. 30, 2014
RENO, Nev.- The University of Utah women’s cross country team wrapped up its season opener Saturday at the Nature’s Bakery Nevada Twilight Classic with four Utes finishing in the top ten. Led by the performance of senior Nicole Rietz, the Utes captured second place overall.
“We had some good individual performances,” Utah head coach Kyle Kepler said. “I especially thought our top four runners particularly ran well. However, I am certainly disappointed with the team result. I really thought we controlled the field for the first two-thirds of the race but couldn’t find a fifth scorer to finish high enough to beat Nevada on their home course.”
Leading the way for the Utes was Rietz who finished the 4,000-meter race in a time of 15:07 claiming fourth-place overall. Junior Lauren Mills finished second for the Utes and fifth overall with a time of 15:08. Making her collegiate debut, was true freshman Shaylen Crook earning sixth with a time of 15:11. The fourth Ute to cross the line was Jessica Sams with a time of 15:17.
Another true freshman Dakota Grossman started strong, staying in the top ten for the first half of the race, but couldn’t hold on, finishing 21st overall with a time of 15:46. Sadie Wassum (25th), Dana Snell (27th), Andrea Chavez (28th) and Makenzie Clark (31st) also competed for the Utes.
Overall the Utes finished second with a combined team score of 43 points. The University of Nevada narrowly defeated the Utes with 34 points.
“It’s early in the year,” Kepler said. “Having our top kids would of played a huge difference tonight, but we now have a baseline and we know what we need to do, which is get a little bit tougher mentally. We will certainly go to work this week in practice as we get ourselves ready to go for our home meet a week from tonight.”
The Utes return home next week as they are set to host the Utah Open on Sept. 5 at Murray Park in Salt Lake City.
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