FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 30, 2026) – Northern Arizona cross country dominated the 2026 Big Sky Conference Championships on Friday at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff, with both the men's and women's teams claiming conference titles in front of their home crowd.
The Lumberjack women captured their eighth consecutive Big Sky team championship, scoring just 16 points and placing seven runners in the top 10.
The men continued their conference power, securing their sixth consecutive title with 20 points, also placing seven runners in the top 10.
Ava Mitchell led the women's successful team performance, finishing in a time of 15:35.1.
On the men's side,
Erik Le Roux led Northern Arizona with a time of 23:50.9, helping the Lumberjacks secure another conference championship.
Both the men's and women's teams placed seven runners in the top 10, showcasing the depth of the Lumberjacks this season. The women also demonstrated their strength, competing without some of their top scorers from previous meets.
Both teams also claimed Freshman of the Year honors. On the men's side,
Derebe Ayele earned the recognition with a seventh-place finish in 24:13.8.
Addy Ritzenhein secured Freshman of the Year honors on the women's side after an impressive third-place finish in 15:58.4, further highlighting the young talent and depth within the Lumberjacks' program.
Competing at Buffalo Park, a common training location for the Lumberjacks, provided an opportunity to celebrate the programs' success with the Flagstaff community. Northern Arizona last hosted the Big Sky Championships in 2012, making the home conference meet a special occasion for the program and its supporters.
Following another successful championship performance, both teams now turn their attention to the NCAA Mountain Regionals Championships, set for November 13 in Albuquerque.
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