Ag XC makes a clean sweep
The USU men’s cross country team has won four WAC championships in four years, and the women have won two.
Last weekend in Las Cruses, N.M., the men and women each took first place, with junior Jason Holt finishing first with a time of 25 minutes, 34.80 seconds. Senior Ashley Johnson finished third for the women with a time of 18:29.80.
What are they putting in the water here in Cache Valley?
It isn’t the water, said USU head coach Gregg Gensel, but it’s a mixture of talent, hard work and dedication.
“The credit goes to them,” Gensel said. “These kids had a goal at the beginning of the year and worked hard to get in shape and get ready for the championship, and they accomplished their goal.”
This was the first race of the season for Johnson, who was planning on redshirting this year, having just returned from an LDS mission.
“I was going to sit out the season and run next season, but then things just worked out,” Johnson said. “I was running really well at practice and everything and I just felt like I needed to help the team out, so I told the coaches if they needed me I was there to run for them, and they took me up on it.”
The men’s team finished with 47 points, followed by Boise State with 56 and Fresno State with 65. The women finished with 69 points, followed by New Mexico State with 87, and Idaho with 91.
Behind Holt, senior Ben Kessen finished third with a time of 25:13.80, and junior Steven Strickland finished seventh in 26:13.80
On the women’s side, sophomore Kim Quinn followed Johnson to finish ninth with a time of 18:55.30, and senior Caroline Berry finished 10th with a time of 18:57.80.
The cross country team did not have an easy path to the WAC championship this year, Gensel said. The season was plagued with sickness and injury.
“It’s been up and down,” Gensel said. “With the girls we have had some health issues, not real serious, but we have got through them. On the men’s side we just had a lot of sickness and injuries. It took its toll on our team.”
Heading into the championship meet Gensel said he was not sure the men would even be able to finish.
“Going into the meet we were pretty banged up on the men’s side and we had a few question marks on the women’s side, but as they usually do the kids rose to the occasion,” Gensel said. “They gave it their best, and on this particular day their best was good enough.”
Gensel said he doesn’t want to take all the credit for the recent success of the team.
“My philosophy about all this is coaching is overrated,” Gensel said. “Their talent and their desire to perform is the most important factor.”
The Aggies heads to Fort Collins, Colo., Nov. 15 for the NCAA mountain regional. The Aggies have to finish in the top four in that meet to advance to the NCAA championships.
“It’s going to be a huge battle, it is going to be really tough, but I think we can pull it off,” Johnson said.
–p.d.k@aggiemail.usu.edu