Women of Utah Open Up 2023 Campaign Friday at UVU Invitational

Friday, September 1

Orem, UT

10:30 AM

University of Utah

UVU Invitational

Women of Utah Open Up 2023 Campaign Friday at UVU Invitational

8/29/2023 2:36 PM | Cross Country

Course Map Live Results

The 2023 cross country season officially begins this Friday, Sept. 1, for the Women of Utah at the UVU Invitational.

SALT LAKE CITY – The 2023 cross country season officially begins this Friday, Sept. 1, for the Women of Utah as they compete at the UVU Invitational – which is held in a new location this season in Scera Park (600 S State St, Orem, UT 84058). Gun is slated to go off at 10:30 a.m. (MT) for the women followed by the men.

UVU INVITATIONAL
DATE: Friday, Sept. 1
WHERE: Scera Park (Course Map)
WHEN: 10:30 a.m. (MT)
LIVE RESULTS: www.runnercard.com
PARTICIPANTS: Idaho State, Salt Lake CC, Southern Utah, Utah, Utah Tech Utah Valley (Host), Weber State
UTAH PARTICIPANTS: Saydi Anderson, Caroline Fischer, Ellie Lundgreen, Brooke Manson, Grace Moroney, Anna Peters, Maddie Reed, Bri Rinn, Claire Rusovick

OFF THE BLOCKS
Utah is slated to send nine runners to its season-opening meet this Friday, Sept. 1, when it competes at the UVU Invitational. The race will take place at Scera Park with the women starting at 10:30 a.m. (MT) – which is a change from its usual location and time in years past.

The nine competing will be a mix of returners, newcomers and freshmen making their collegiate and Utah debut. Of the nine, Caroline Fischer, Ellie Lundgreen, Brooke Manson, Maddie Reed and Claire Rusovick have all competed at the UVU Invitational at least once in the last two seasons. Among the newcomers, Grace Moroney and Anna Peters will be making their collegiate debut while Saydi Anderson makes her Utah debut in addition to Bri Rinn making her first cross country start.

FRESH FACES
The cross country squad welcomes in nine newcomers this season with four freshmen, four grad transfers and one undergraduate transfer. Utah's freshmen class includes, Kyla Martin, Grace Moroney, Katarzyna Nowakowska and Anna Peters. Head coach Kyle Kepler also balanced his freshmen class out with transfers, four of which are grad transfers in Saydi Anderson, McKaylie Caesar, Clara Mayfield and Courtney McAlindon in addition to undergraduate transfer Lindsey Peters.

Martin is the younger sister of Emily Martin, who is a sophomore with the Utah track team, and comes to SLC with a plethora or international experience. She most recently represented Canada alongside her sister at the 2023 U20 Pan American Games in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, capturing gold in the 800m and bronze in the 1500m races.

Moroney will make her collegiate debut after winning both the individual and team title in cross country her senior year at Silver Creek High School. In addition, the Longmont, Colo., native was also crowned the 800m and 1600m league champion her senior year while finishing third and second at her state meet, respectively.

The international pipeline for Utah continues with the addition of Nowakowska, who joins the Women of Utah from Poland. The freshman was a stalwart in her home country throughout her prep career, winning titles in the 1500m and 1000m races at the Polish National Championships.

A. Peters comes to Utah with a laundry list of accolades that includes the 2022-23 Gatorade Idaho Cross Country Player of the Year after becoming the first Idaho female to break the sub-17 mark in the 5k after posting a 16:56.1 at the state cross country championships her senior year. Peters had a senior season to remember, capturing victories in all seven meets she competed in– including the Nike Twilight XC Invitational, XC district championship and Idaho State XC Championship. She also saw the same success on the track, claiming titles in the 1600m and 3200m while also helping the 4x800m relay team earn the 2021 regional championship.

Anderson, a grad transfer from local Westminster, brings a ton of experience for the Utes. The Rupert, Idaho, native claimed the RMAC 10000m championship this past spring and earned multiple All-RMAC honors in cross country and track. In addition, Anderson also owns the school record in the indoor 3000m and 5000m events as well as the outdoor 10000m. She started her career on the women's basketball team with the Griffins before transitioning to cross country and track & field.

A late addition to the roster, Caesar is a two-time All-Big West honoree in the outdoor 5000m and 10000m during her undergrad career at Cal State Fullerton. The Lindsey, Calif., native is also a two-time NCAA West Region participant in cross country.

Mayfield is as decorated of an athlete as they come joining Utah from the DIII ranks at Carleton College where she was an 11-time All-American between cross country and track. In addition, she is also a five-time MIAC Champion in the mile, 3000m, 5000m, 10000m and DMR on top of her long list of accolades that include multiple all-region honors, all-conference honors, athletes of the week awards and much more.

Like Anderson, McAlindon also comes to Utah from Westminster after a solid career with Griffins. And, also like Anderson, she also started her collegiate career with a different sport – alpine skiing. Hailing from Ada, Mich., McAlindon has garnered multiple all-conference honors as well as multiple all-academic awards while competing in multiple NCAA Championships in her career. She also leaves Westminster as the program leader in the indoor mile, outdoor 1500m and outdoor mile.

Last, but not least, is two-time transfer L. Peters – who comes to Utah from New Mexico via Air Force Academy. She was named to the all-region team in cross country her sophomore year and was the top-finisher for AFA at the NCAA Mountain Regionals her freshman year. She was a mid-year transfer to New Mexico before joining the Utes this fall.

UP NEXT
The Women of Utah will defend their Roy Griak Invitational title on Friday, Sept. 22, when it heads to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The Utes will have to do so without four of their five scorers from last year with now sophomore Erin Vringer the only one returning from a year ago. Karli Branch, Morgan Jensen, Brooke Manson, Kylie Hartnett and Maddie Reed join Vringer on the list of returners last season that competed for Utah at the Roy Griak Invitational.

For the latest news and information on the Utah cross country and track & field programs, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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