Upcoming Event: Cross Country versus Nuttycombe Invitational on October 17, 2025 at 9:30 AM
9:30 AM
Cross Country
vs Nuttycombe Invitational
Saturday, September 3
Logan, Utah
All Day
University of Utah
at
Utah State Open
Utah Cross Country Finishes Fourth at Utah State Open
9/3/2016 2:49 PM | Cross Country
True freshman Ashley Licata finishes in sixth place in Logan, Utah.
LOGAN, Utah – Led by true freshman Ashley Licata, the Utah cross country team finished in fourth place at the Utah State Open on Saturday as they began the 2016 season.
"Obviously we would like to finish higher in the overall point standings but we have a lot of young kids, a few getting in their first races and a few kids trying to improve themselves within our program. This first meet is a chance for some of our younger kids and developing kids to get on the course and earn their spots moving forward," head coach Kyle Kepler said.
Leading the pack for Utah was freshman Ashley Licata. In her first collegiate race, Licata finished the five-kilometer course in a time of 18:01.28 to claim sixth overall. Junior Sadie Wassum followed behind Licata placing 11th in a time of 18:21:03. Junior Shaylen Crook recorded a time of 18:22.98 to capture 13th place.
Rounding out the top-five team scores for Utah were senior Kate Stringfellow and freshman Jade Mulvey. Stringfellow finished in 19th-place in time of 18:30.96 and Mulvey placed 29th in a time of 18:49.88.
Junior Becky Sarmiento, junior Dakota Grossman, sophomore Caitlin Faust, freshman Nicole Griffiths, and sophomore Megan Spehar also competed for the Utes. Sarmiento earned 33rd with a time of 18:59.50, Grossman placed 37th in a time of 19:03.94, Faust finished in 43rd place in a time of 19:16.54, while Griffiths recorded 46th-place in a time of 19:25.18 and Spehar finshed in 56th place in a time of 20:27.90.
Boise State finished in first place, followed by Utah State in second, while Southern Utah placed third ahead of the Utes. Utah Valley and Westminster rounded out the team standings on Saturday.
Utah competes next at the Montana State Bobcat Invite on Sept. 17 in Bozeman, Mont.
"We feel good about where our kids are in terms of training. We will be excited to return back to racing in two weeks at Montana State where will continue to get more of our top runners in the mix. They are chomping at the bit to get out there and race," Kepler stated.
"Obviously we would like to finish higher in the overall point standings but we have a lot of young kids, a few getting in their first races and a few kids trying to improve themselves within our program. This first meet is a chance for some of our younger kids and developing kids to get on the course and earn their spots moving forward," head coach Kyle Kepler said.
Leading the pack for Utah was freshman Ashley Licata. In her first collegiate race, Licata finished the five-kilometer course in a time of 18:01.28 to claim sixth overall. Junior Sadie Wassum followed behind Licata placing 11th in a time of 18:21:03. Junior Shaylen Crook recorded a time of 18:22.98 to capture 13th place.
Rounding out the top-five team scores for Utah were senior Kate Stringfellow and freshman Jade Mulvey. Stringfellow finished in 19th-place in time of 18:30.96 and Mulvey placed 29th in a time of 18:49.88.
Junior Becky Sarmiento, junior Dakota Grossman, sophomore Caitlin Faust, freshman Nicole Griffiths, and sophomore Megan Spehar also competed for the Utes. Sarmiento earned 33rd with a time of 18:59.50, Grossman placed 37th in a time of 19:03.94, Faust finished in 43rd place in a time of 19:16.54, while Griffiths recorded 46th-place in a time of 19:25.18 and Spehar finshed in 56th place in a time of 20:27.90.
Boise State finished in first place, followed by Utah State in second, while Southern Utah placed third ahead of the Utes. Utah Valley and Westminster rounded out the team standings on Saturday.
Utah competes next at the Montana State Bobcat Invite on Sept. 17 in Bozeman, Mont.
"We feel good about where our kids are in terms of training. We will be excited to return back to racing in two weeks at Montana State where will continue to get more of our top runners in the mix. They are chomping at the bit to get out there and race," Kepler stated.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
Coach Kyle Kepler celebrates 20 years at the helm of Utah Cross Country/Track & Field
Monday, August 11
Utah Cross Country's McKaylie Caesar Feature - A Medical Miracle
Tuesday, April 29
Utes Insider – Cross Country Runner Bella Williams
Wednesday, November 17
2019 Track & XC - Meet the Teams
Thursday, September 05