FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 8, 2020) – Despite the Big Sky Conference's fall sports postponement, the Northern Arizona University's men and women's cross country teams will compete next Saturday, Oct. 17 at the OSU Invitational in Stillwater, Okla.
A proposal from the conference head coaches was approved by Big Sky athletic directors and then school presidents allowing each team in the conference to compete in up to two meets this fall season.
Oklahoma State University is hosting the OSU Invitational at the OSU Cross Country Course next Saturday with the men running at 7 a.m. MST and the women at 7:50 a.m. MST. The OSU men and women's cross country teams placed fifth and fourth respectively in the Midwest Region last year.
The Northern Arizona men placed second at the NCAA Championships last year with 163 points. Although NAU will no longer feature Geordie Beamish, a three-time All-American, the squad returns this season with last year's top scorers, sophomores Drew Bosley and Abdihamid Nur, who placed 22nd and 33rd respectively at the national championships. Both Bosley and Nur earned All-American honors in 2019.
The Lumberjack women placed 14th at nationals. Their leading scorer, Mikayla Malaspina, at last season's NCAAs will not return, but senior Pipi Eitel and juniors Taryn O'Neill and Bryn Morley will compete this season. Eitel and O'Neill were fifth and sixth respectively at last season's conference championships, earning all-conference honors.
All student-athletes and staff who are traveling must adhere to strict COVID-19 testing protocol, and masks are required for those attending at all times with the exception of participating athletes.
Stay tuned for more information on this meet next week.
Get all the latest up to date information regarding the NAU XC program by following @NAUTrackFieldXC on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
