Flagstaff, Arizona. (October. 17, 2025) – The Northern Arizona men's and women's cross country teams are set to return to the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course for the 2025 Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, the nation's most prestigious mid-season meet.
For over 15 years, Nuttycombe has served as the ultimate measuring stick for championship contenders, featuring elite programs from every major conference and region. This year's event, hosted by Wisconsin, will take place on Friday, October 17, and includes both championship and "B" races for men and women.
The Lumberjacks last raced in Madison in 2024, when both teams competed at Wisconsin Pre-Nationals before returning to the same course a month later for the NCAA Championships. That stretch marked one of the strongest combined seasons in program history.
At nationals, the women's team finished fourth overall with 206 points, the third-highest finish in program history, adding to a streak of three top-five national performances in the last four years. The men's team finished fifth, extending an extraordinary streak of 11 consecutive top-five NCAA finishes, a run unmatched in collegiate distance running.
At Pre-Nationals, the NAU women placed third behind BYU and Washington, led by Ali Upshaw's 19th-place finish, while the men finished fifth, paced by David Mullarkey in 21st. Both teams return to Madison this fall with unfinished business and plenty of depth across their rosters.
Nestled beside the University Ridge Golf Course, the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course remains one of collegiate running's premier stages. Its rolling terrain, wide grass lanes, and unpredictable fall weather combine to create one of the sport's truest tests of team strength and race execution.
This year's Nuttycombe fields once again mirror the competitive depth of the NCAA Championships with nearly every top-20 program toeing the line.
The No. 6-ranked Northern Arizona women will line up against one of the deepest fields in the nation at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, featuring 15 of the top 20 nationally ranked programs. The competition includes No. 1 BYU, No. 2 NC State, No. 3 Florida, No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 New Mexico, No. 7 Notre Dame, and No. 10 Colorado.
On the men's side, the No. 13 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks face an equally loaded field that includes 10 of the top 12 teams in the country, among them No. 1 Iowa State, No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 3 New Mexico, No. 4 Virginia, No. 5 Colorado, No. 6 BYU, and No. 7 Wisconsin, the host of this year's meet.
Racing begins on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 (MST), with the Women's 6K "B" Race at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Men's 8K "B" Race at 9:10 a.m., the Women's 6K Championship Race at 9:50 a.m., and the Men's 8K Championship Race at 10:30 a.m.
The Nuttycombe Invitational marks a crucial checkpoint on the road to the postseason, with the Big Sky Championships, Mountain Regionals, and NCAA Championships all on the horizon.
Fans can follow live results via PT Timing. Streaming meet updates Via https://www.runnerspace.com.
Stay up to date with Northern Arizona cross country by following the Lumberjacks on
X and
Instagram.
