FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona University cross country teams are headed to Cedar City, Utah, to compete in the 2015 Big Sky Conference Championships on Saturday, where both squads will look to defend 2014 conference titles.

The NAU men's team is vying for an unprecedented ninth-straight Big Sky championship, while the women team is aiming for back-to-back titles.

"The team is extremely motivated," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Eric Heins. "Sometimes you can have a sub-par performance and get depressed and down and not feel too good about yourself. But these guys, I think they believe they're better than what they showed at [Wisconsin] and they want to prove it this weekend."

Assistant coach Leah Rosenfeld echoes the same sentiments, stating the women have a real good shot this weekend despite the high-level of competition they'll be racing against.

"One of the greatest things that I've heard from numerous athletes since Wisconsin was just there perspective on that Wisconsin race and their reflection on it," said Rosenfeld. "They've picked out what they did good, what they need to work on, and we have addressed some of those things they need to work on. It's really encouraging to see them critiquing their race….they're taking responsibility and wanting to act on whatever they need to do to get better."

If the Lumberjack men are going to take home another conference title this year, a young squad is going to have to rely on the leadership redshirt-sophomore Cory Glines. Glines has been NAU's top-athlete in every race he's competed in this year, including a 38th-place finish at the adidas Invitational in Madison, Wis., earlier this month. The Ohio native also secured a first-place finish at the George Kyte Classic to begin the 2015 season, while notching 5th-place at the Cowboy Jamboree in Sept.

Freshman Tyler Day will look to make a large impact for the NAU men as well, if they are going to be successful this weekend. In his first collegiate season, Day has raced impressively en route to a third-place finish at the George Kyte Classic and placing 75th overall at the highly-contested adidas Invitational national meet.

The Lumberjacks will also travel with sophomores Harvey Nelson and Jarrick Wenslow, and freshmen Jackson Crose, Peter Lomong, Mike Lowrie and Jeffery Miller.

"Hats off to our guys, because once we decided to redshirt some of our upperclassmen, we didn't know how good we were going to be," said Heins. "This year, I think the excitement of the youth and the nativity of the group...they don't really know any better. They just know, "Hey, we're supposed to do what coach says and this is what we're going to do."

On the women's side, the Lumberjacks will be counting on the big four of senior Kayla Freeman, redshirt-junior Melanie Townsend, and sophomores Paige Gilchrist and Kylie Goo for strong showings. Just as was the case in 2014, Townsend has continued her successful cross country career at NAU this season with first-place finishes for the Lumberjacks at the Cowboy Jamboree (4th) and adidas Invitational (39th). In fact, at conference championships last year, Townsend was NAU's top-athlete, earning 4th place.

Freeman has also raced extremely well for NAU during her senior campaign, scoring in the top-three for NAU in three of her four races this season, including a 4th-place finish to begin the year at George Kyte. Gilchrist and Goo have been equally just as good, with both athletes notching two top-15 finishes in three races in 2015. Gilchrist even logged the top spot at George Kyte for the women.   

Also heading to Cedar City for the NAU women are seniors Caroline Hoegardh and Rolonda Jumbo, and freshman Mikayla Malaspina, Miranda Myers and Moa Rothman. 

"We need at least two, if not three, in the top-ten," said Rosenfeld. "In a competition where there are less than 100 runners--last year, there was only 88 total--you have to have some women that are way up. That's what wins championships at Big Sky. Team wise, I think in terms of depth, we're great. But in this type of race, looking at past years, depth doesn't always get you the championship."

The 2015 Big Sky Conference Championships will begin with the women's race at 9 a.m. MST/10 a.m. local. The men will follow at 10 a.m. MST/11 a.m. local time, with the awards ceremony slated for an 11 a.m. MST/12 p.m. start.

Keep up with all the action from conference championships by heading over to our Twitter page @nautrackfieldxc and following us for updates from Cedar City.