NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships — Louisville, Ky.
When/Where: Saturday, E.P. ‘Tom’ Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.
Women: 10 a.m. MT — 6 kilometers
Results: GoLobos.com, PrimeTiming.comMeet Notes | Live Results | Live Stream
The Lobo women have qualified to the NCAA Championships every year since 2008.
This year, they go in as the favorite to win it.
The No. 1 University of New Mexico women’s cross country team is looking to put its ranking to the test and earn its first-ever national title as it competes at the NCAA Championships Saturday in Louisville, Ky.
The top-ranked Lobos, who have placed top 10 at the last five national championships, have designs on winning the whole thing this year, and have the credentials and the athletes to potentially earn the university’s second-ever NCAA title.
“There are 31 teams that have the opportunity and we’re one of those 31,” New Mexico head coach Joe Franklin said. “… It’s been the same expectation all year: to make sure that they go out with their friends, enjoy the experience and don’t change anything from the previous meets and have a great time.”
The women have been ranked No. 1 for seven straight weeks, and have collected a number of résumé-building performances via wins at the Notre Dame Invitational, the Wisconsin adidas Invitational and the Mountain West Championship.
They only time the Lobos didn’t win this season was last Friday at the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships. The Lobos, knowing they only needed to finish in second to make the NCAA Championships, placed second to No. 2 Colorado by a single point as they intentionally held back in anticipation of the finals.
“We told them specifically do not get on your toes, don’t sprint,” Franklin said. “Save that for Saturday. Do not sprint, do not push, just enjoy the day.”
And the Lobos did enjoy Friday’s regional, easily qualifying to the NCAA Championships for the eighth year in a row.
It’s a streak of qualifications that among the best in the nation (only seven other schools have active streaks reaching eight years) and one of the best in NCAA history.
In fact, the New Mexico women have been one of the better teams in the nation during this runs of NCAA appearances, with five straight top-10 finishes — including a third-place finish last season.
During the last seven years with Franklin at the helm, the women haven’t finished outside of the top-20 at the national championships. The women have competed at 12 championships overall, counting two trips to the AIWA championships in the 1980s.
But this year’s team is different from all of those that have succeeded in the past. Certainly, there are familiar faces, but these Lobos are among the best in the nation.
“We’re having a great time right now today,” Franklin said.
The top-ranked Lobo women have one of the most daunting top fives in the nation, with five veritable low sticks.
Courtney Frerichs has been the team leader in her one season at UNM, pacing a pack that includes 2014 cross country All-American Alice Wright, Rhona Auckland Calli Thackery and Molly Renfer.
That group has been one of the best in the NCAA this season, running together as they dominate at meets. Even at the NCAA Mountain Regional, the Lobos’ five scorers crossed within 4.35 seconds of each other.
The lowest any one of those five has placed in a meet this year is 12th, with 16 top-10 finishes (out of a possible 20 finishes) among them.
But this team is more than just that fab five, with some depth that has been unmatched in 2015. Although the Lobos can only run seven at the NCAAs, they have six other capable runners heading to Louisville.
“We do have a lot of depth,” Franklin said. “…The nice thing is that we’re interchangeable. It’s a very positive thing to have depth.”
Whitney Thornburg was the fifth scorer for UNM at the regionals as Wright was given the week off, and true freshman Natasha Bernal has shined in her opportunities. Also travelling are Lindsey Andrews, Sophie Connor, Emily Hosker-Thornhill and Heleene Tambet, a scorer for last year’s third-place women’s team.
The final lineup for the Lobos won’t be decided until later in the week, but whatever group Franklin and his staff decided upon will be ready to challenge for a national title.
The women run at 10 a.m. MT, and the meet will be streamed on NCAA.com with live results at PrimeTiming.com. Check back Saturday evening on GoLobos.com for meet results and a New Mexico recap.