Lumberjacks Compete at John McNichols Invitational in First Road Meet of the Season

Lumberjacks Compete at John McNichols Invitational in First Road Meet of the Season
 
TERRA HAUTE, Ind. (September 19, 2026) - Northern Arizona cross country competed in its first road meet of the 2026 season at the John McNichols Invitational, hosted in Terre Haute, Indiana. Both the men's and women's programs competed against a strong field of nationally ranked teams as the Lumberjacks continued their preparations for the remainder of the season.
 
"I was really pleased with our first travel competition of the season." said Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Jarred Cornfield. "It was largely highlighted by our women's team, getting a victory against some nationally ranked opponents at the course that we will run the national championship on, even with resting some of our prominent athletes."
 
The women's championship race kicked off the competition with a six kilometers course featuring nine NAU runners. Ava Mitchell led the Lumberjacks across the finish line, placing seventh overall in a time of 20:00.2. Elsa Sundqvist followed closely behind in ninth, while freshman Eleanor Voykin delivered a strong performance to finish 12th.
 
Grace Copeland placed 14th, and Emma Stutzman rounded out the team's top five scorers in 19th place. Addy Ritzenhein, Payton Godsey, Makenzie McRae and Ayala Harris also competed in the championship race.
 
"We had top to bottom fantastic performances and our team outcome really showed that today. Elsa Sundqvist and Eleanor Voiken were big highlights, as was Addy Ritzenhein, just some fantastic contribution from young athletes already at a high level." Cornfield added.
 
The women finished with an impressive team score of 61 points, securing first place for the team.
 
"She would beat the number two teams, number two runner. That's the depth that we had out there today." Cornfield added of Ritzenhein. "So fantastic and we're really excited to plug in some more pieces with other athletes that we have on the team." 
 
The men's championship race followed shortly after, with the Lumberjacks competing over eight kilometers. Erik Le Roux led the way for NAU, finishing 15th overall in a time of 24:02.5. Ethan Godsey followed in 32nd, while Manny Perez placed 36th.
 
Aidan Puffer, Derebe Ayele, Clay Shively, Broen Holman, Zack Munson and Isaac Benjamin also represented NAU in the championship race.
 
"The men's races were solid." said Cornfield. "We've got some work to do and are excited to do it. Three weeks from now, we're traveling to Madison, Wisconsin, to get in some good competition at an even higher level." 

Cornfield also noted that the team will be adding more pieces down the road and highlighted his excitement for the rest of the season.

The Lumberjacks also competed in the open races, providing opportunities for additional athletes to gain valuable racing experience. 

Fans can see comprehensive results from the meet through Midwest Timing at this link. 

Overall, the competition marked another step forward for NAU as the Lumberjacks continue to build toward the championship part of the season. The course at Terre Haute will also serve as the site of the NCAA Cross Country Championships later this fall, giving athletes familiarity early in the season with the championship course.
 
Northern Arizona will return to competition in October at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in Madison, hosted by Wisconsin.

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