Cross Country sweeps in season opener
USU Cross Country opened its season on Saturday, September 2, 2023, with the Sagebrush Invitational. Both men’s and women’s teams came out on top sweeping the team competitions at the Steve & Dona Reeder Cross Country Course.
“Both teams followed their race plans really well. For the guys, I thought they did a good job. There was a little bit of shifting back and forth in the middle of the race. We had one of our alumni guys kind of open up a gap and then one of the UVU guys opened up a gap but our guys stayed patient as a group like we told them and then they were able to move at the end and in the last mile really dominate the race,” head coach Artie Gulden said.
The USU men’s team finished first with 20 points followed by a USU Alumni team with 72 points and Westminster in third with 106 points.
Junior Brennan Benson placed first overall with a time of 21:25. Freshman Drew Hogan placed third with a time of 21:31 and sophomores Caleb Armstrong and LJ Floyd took fourth and fifth, respectively, with times of 21:32 and 21:34. Junior Eric Nelson was the fifth Aggie across the line in seventh place with a time of 21:45.
In the women’s race, former Aggie Katie Haviland placed first overall with a time of 18:16. Amanda Lee from Westminster finished second before Utah State claimed 15 of the next 16 places. Freshman Natalie Swain finished third at 18:33, sophomore Sarah Ellis placed fifth with a time of 18:43 and freshman Shelby Jensen finished sixth with a time of 18:46. Senior Sammi Lee and freshman Brie Smith rounded out USU’s top-five finishers in seventh and eighth place, respectively, each crossing with a time of 18:53.
“Go to nationals,” sophomore Grady Mylander said about his goals for the season. “That’s the expectation for both teams and I think it’s achievable for both teams.”
The next race for the Aggies will be in Reno, Nevada at the 2024 NCAA Mountain Regional Preview on Monday, Sept. 18.
For more information on the Utah State track & field/cross country programs, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC.
Women’s 5K Team Results
- UTAH STATE – 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, (9), (10) – 29
- Utah State Alumni – 1, 4, 19, 28, 30, (34) – 82
- Westminster – 2, 27, 32, 33, 35 – 129
Utah State Women’s Results: 3. Natalie Swain – 18:33; 5. Sarah Ellis – 18:43; 6. Shelby Jensen – 18:46; 7. Sammi Lee – 18:53; 8. Brie Smith, 18:53; 9. Megumi Ludlow, 18:53; 10. Malia Lowe, 18:55; 11. Morgan Nygren, 18:55; 12. Sara Abbott, 18:56; 13. Brooklyn Hill, 18:59; 14. Caroline Moon, 19:04; 15. Arianna Steiner, 19:12; 16. Cameron Moore, 19:23; 17. KaryLee Taylor, 19:27; 18. Hazel Baird, 19:28; 20. Madison Strasner, 19:32; 21. Taylia Norris, 19:33; 22. Kaybree Christensen, 19:36; 23. Courtney Madsen, 19:42; 24. Karlie Callahan, 19:44; 25. Meredith Price, 19:52; 26. Emma Hillam, 20:11; 29. Karlee Christensen, 20:54.
Men’s 7K Team Results
- UTAH STATE – 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, (9), (10) – 20
- Utah State Alumni – 6, 8, 11, 19, 28, (30), (31) – 72
- Utah Valley – 2, 17, 21, 29, 37 (38) – 106
Utah State Men’s Results: 1. Brennan Benson – 21:25; 3. Drew Hogan – 21:31; 4. Caleb Armstrong – 21:32; 5. LJ Floyd – 21:34; 7. Eric Nelson – 21:45; 9. Grady Mylander – 21:52; 10. Wyatt Evans – 21:52; 12. Carson Coleman – 22:09; 13. Logan Garnica – 22:15; 14. Ben Berlin – 22:16; 15. Eli Gregory – 22:17; 16. Sam Jackson – 22:31; 22. Adam Wall – 23:01; 25. Kobe Yost – 23:17; 35. Chio Lopez – 25:29; 42. Nate Lloyd – 28:25.