Lumberjack Women Claim Team Title at Notre Dame Invitational, Men Finish Second

Men's Results
Women's Results

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Oct. 4, 2024) – In its first big test against nationally ranked competition, the Northern Arizona University cross country teams proved once again it belongs. The NAU women claimed the team title at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Friday morning, placing all top five scorers in the top 15 of the Blue 5k with 52 points. On the men's side, the Lumberjacks battled to a second-place finish in the Blue 8k with 68 points with the entire top five placing in the top 20.
 
The Northern Arizona women checked in tied for No. 1 in the national rankings this week, while the Lumberjack men earned a No. 4 ranking. Karrie Baloga (7^th) and David Mullarkey (4^th) were the top finishers for the men and women today.
 
The Lumberjack women took home the team title with 52 points, topping No. 5 BYU who placed second with 65 points and No. 3 Notre Dame who finished third with 70 points. Liberty (4^th, 189) and Boise State (5^th, 204) rounded out the top five.
 
All five scorers placed inside the top 15, led by Baloga who placed seventh with a time of 16:16.2. Maggi Congdon earned a ninth-place finish in 16:23.3. The next three Lumberjacks finished consecutively in spots 11 through 13. Nikita Moore crossed the line in 16:26.6, while Alex Carlson and Ava Mitchell clocked nearly identical times of 16:31.1 and 16:31.3, respectively.
 
Alyson Churchill (17^th, 16:38.4) and Hayley Burns (35^th, 16:48.4) rounded out the top seven for NAU.
 
Through 1k, the women were in second place behind Notre Dame with Baloga and Congdon pacing the pack in fifth and sixth place. By the mile mark, NAU had moved up to first by occupying places five, six, 10, 11 and 16. The Lumberjacks never looked back, as they led Notre Dame by 26 points by the time they crossed through the 3k mark.
 
As a team, Northern Arizona has won the women's team title at all three meets so far this season including the George Kyte Classic and the Dave Murray Invitational.
 
The Lumberjack men claimed second place with 68 points, finishing behind No. 9 Notre Dame who won the team title on its own home course with 55 points. Cal Baptist (3^rd, 112), Wyoming (4^th, 150) and Michigan State (5^th, 167) completed the top five.
 
Mullarkey was the top-finisher for the men for the second time this season, placing fourth with a time of 22:36.9. NAU would place all five scorers in the top 20, as Justin Keyes placed 13^th with 22:54.9 and he was followed by Kang Nyoak (15^th, 22:56.3) and Corey Gorgas (16^th, 22:58.2). Colin Sahlman completed the top five by finishing 16^th in 22:58.2.
 
Cael Grotenhuis finished 21^st after clocking a time of 23:09.1 and Manny Perez rounded out the top seven with a 27^th place finish in 23:12.8.
 
The men's race was closely contested, as the Lumberjacks found themselves in second place behind regional rival Texas Tech through 1k. Still holding strong through the mile mark, Mullarkey had moved up from sixth to ninth and NAU occupied spots 17, 18, 22 and 23 to remain in second place behind the Red Raiders.
 
Northern Arizona had made a few gutsy moves and taken over first place with 57 points through 3k, holding strong as a pack in spots six, 11, 12, 13 and 15 led by Mullarkey. Still showing no letup, the Lumberjacks were still in first at the 6k mark but only by five points over Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish held spots 11 through 15 while NAU had runners in fourth, ninth, 10^th, 18^th, and 19^th.
 
At the finish, it was Notre Dame who had prevailed, taking spots eight, 10, 11, 12 and 14 to win the men's title.
 
The Lumberjacks have a week off before resuming competition in Wisconsin for Pre-Nationals on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Zimmerman Championship Course in Madison.