LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 19, 2019) - The Northern Arizona University men's and women's cross country program is headed to Terre Haute, Ind., this weekend for the John McNichols Invitational hosted by Indiana State University. The invite will take place at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course on Sept. 21 with the men's race starting at 9 A.M. (EDT) and the women's race slated for a 9:45 A.M. (EDT) start.
The men will compete in an 8K race, while the women will take on a 5K race. This year's field features an impressive three top-10 nationally-ranked teams on the men's side and four on the women's side battling for the invite title. Last season the Purdue men and Butler women claimed victory in Terre Haute.
The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course will welcome some of the best teams in the nation on both sides. There are a total of 46 teams competing this weekend, (22 men and 24 women), including nationally-ranked Northern Arizona (1), Iowa State (5), Stanford (7), Indiana (16) and Purdue (24) on the men's side, and Washington (3), Michigan (4), Arkansas (5), Stanford (8) and Indiana (28) on the women's side.
NAU has been the No. 1 ranked team in the country for 23 consecutive weeks heading into the weekend. The 'Jacks also sit atop the Mountain Region in the No. 1 spot.
Northern Arizona's men's squad is fresh off of a historic George Kyte Classic victory that featured the top distance school in Japan, Tokai University. Last time out the 'Jacks saw sophomore
Ryan Raff take first in the men's race at George Kyte. Raff was joined by several redshirt freshmen making their first appearances in the Blue & Gold;Â
Brodey Hasty,
Mitchell Small and
Theo Quax are all expected to race again on Saturday.
The NAU women will get their first look at NCAA Division I competition this season on Saturday. Lumberjack fans can expect Villanova transfer
Taryn O'Neill to make her debut for the program. The 'Jacks will be led by a strong junior class comprising of
Hannah Behunin,
Jenna McCaffrey,
Delaney Rasmussen and George Kyte first-place champion
Pipi Eitel.
The Lumberjack women received 21 votes in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches' Poll and are sitting just outside of the top-30. A successful team performance could propel the 'Jacks into the top-30 in the next poll. Currently NAU is the No. 4 ranked team in the Mountain Region.
You can follow all the latest up-to-date information on the NAU cross country program by following @NAUTrackFieldXC on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
