FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November. 12, 2025) - Northern Arizona Cross Country is back on the postseason stage Friday morning, heading to Salt Lake City for the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships. The meet, hosted by the University of Utah, will take place at the Regional Athletic Complex with the women racing 6K at 10:30 a.m. MST and the men following with a 10K at 11:30 a.m.
The Mountain Regional is one of nine NCAA Division I qualifying meets held nationwide, with top programs from the Great Lakes to the West competing for championship berths. The top two teams in each region automatically advance to the NCAA Championships, while additional at-large selections are determined by the NCAA committee based on season performance and regional results.
In Salt Lake City, the men's field features some of the strongest lineups in the country, including New Mexico, Colorado, BYU, Air Force, and NAU, all ranked inside the national top 10 throughout the fall. On the women's side, BYU, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and NAU headline a deep regional that consistently produces national contenders.
Last season, the Lumberjack women finished second at the Mountain Regional in Reno to earn an automatic bid to nationals, while the men placed third, narrowly missing an auto-qualifying spot but later receiving an at-large selection.
The stakes remain the same this year: place among the top two to punch a guaranteed ticket to the NCAA Championships or rely on a strong season resume to carry through the selection process.
Friday's races mark the final step before nationals, with both NAU squads poised to extend their postseason runs on one of the toughest and most competitive courses in the country.
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