FARMINGTON, Utah (July 22, 2020) – In a vote by the conference head coaches, the Northern Arizona men's and women's cross country teams were voted the unanimous favorites to sweep the 2020 Big Sky championships in the preseason polls released on Wednesday.
The Lumberjack men and women were both picked to defend their conference championships, receiving all 11 first-place votes for 121 points in the Big Sky Preseason Polls. Head coaches were allowed to vote for their own teams in the polls.
The NAU men's team is coming off a 2019 season in which the Lumberjacks placed second overall at the NCAA Cross Country Championships following their fourth consecutive, and 29th all-time, Big Sky title. The Lumberjacks return six of their seven runners who competed at the national championships, including the All-American duo of
Drew Bosley and
Abdihamid Nur.
Bosley, the reigning Big Sky individual champion and Freshman of the Year, placed a team-best 22nd at the NCAA Championships and was followed by Nur, who came in 33rd.
Meanwhile, the NAU women's team return a pair of all-conference runners in
Pipi Eitel and
Taryn O'Neill off the Lumberjacks' 2019 conference championship team. Eitel and O'Neill placed fifth and sixth respectively at last year's Big Sky meet to lead the 'Jacks to their 21st all-time conference title and third in the last four years.
The Lumberjack women concluded the season at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, earning their first team bid since 2008. NAU placed 14th overall.
On the men's side, Weber State was voted second in the poll with 106 points followed by Montana State (97 points) and Southern Utah (94) to round out the top four.
Southern Utah's women's team is the preseason No. 2 with 100 points. Weber State (96) and Idaho (90) are third and fourth respectively.
The 2020 Big Sky Championships is currently scheduled to be hosted by Portland State on Oct. 30.
2020 Big Sky Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
1. Northern Arizona – 121 (11)
2. Weber State – 106
3. Montana State – 97
4. Southern Utah – 94
5. Idaho – 74
6. Idaho State – 57
7. Portland State – 55
T8. Eastern Washington – 35
T8. Montana – 35
10. Northern Colorado – 33
11. Sacramento State – 19
2020 Big Sky Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
1. Northern Arizona – 121 (11)
2. Southern Utah – 100
3. Weber State – 96
4. Idaho – 90
5. Montana State – 85
6. Idaho State – 59
7. Montana – 56
8. Portland State – 44
9. Sacramento State – 34
10. Eastern Washington – 24
11. Northern Colorado – 17
