COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— The University of New Mexico women’s cross country team was picked as the preseason favorite to win the 2018 Mountain West title, the league announced Thursday. The Lobos, who claimed both the Mountain West and the NCAA titles last season, received a total of 99 points for the first-place conference ranking.
The Lobos earn the distinction after taking the Mountain West title last season, claiming UNM’s 10th-straight Mountain West title. UNM also claimed the 2017 NCAA Championship last season, the Lobos have placed in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships each of the last seven years for the nation’s longest active streak.
In addition to winning the pair of prestigious titles, the Lobos were named NCAA Division I Women’s Scholar Team of the Year for the 2017 cross country season by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The Lobos boast several key returners this upcoming season, including 2017 Individual National Champion Ednah Kurgat. At the 2017 NCAA Championship, she ran the 6,000 m in a time of 19:19.5, marking the largest victory margin in the championship since 2014. She received several awards last season including the Honda Sports Award, was named Regional Athlete of the Year and has won all of the races she has competed in during her collegiate career.
New Mexico is hosting the Lobo Invitational on September 1 in Albuquerque where the squad will officially open the 2018 season.