ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The University of New Mexico cross country teams officially open its season Saturday with the Lobo Invitational held at the UNM North Golf Course.
Saturday will consist of various races ranging from JV to varsity to a collegiate run. A community fun run will start the morning at 7:30 a.m. and from there will transition to the high school varsity races. The collegiate men’s and women’s open will start at 9:20 a.m. and will be a 5K. The last races of the morning will be the high school JV races with the last race starting at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Results will be available HERE.
Traditionally, the Lobo Invitational is used as an initial test for the new Lobos to get their first experience with collegiate racing and provide the coaching staff a chance to see the runners compete at race speed as well as another opportunity to evaluate their roster for depth and talent.
As a result, UNM won’t compete some of its top runners this Saturday who instead will continue preparing for the next race at Notre Dame on Oct. 4.
Running for the Lobos on Saturday will be Iolo Hughes, Nehemiah Cionelo, Jared Garcia, Brandon Parrado, Reece Donihi and Harrison Smith III on the men’s side.
Entered on the women’s side will be 10 entries in Johanna Briscoe, Kyla Fugate, Chamique DuBoise, Carisma Lovato, Cassandra Campanozzi, Juanita Johnson, Mackenzie Everett, Grace Williams, Samantha Dicker and Steffi Jones.
The Lobos will be joined on the course by New Mexico State, UTEP, Mesa CC, New Mexico JC and Southwest (N.M.) with all schools running both men and women.
OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
On Tuesday, the USTFCCCA released the preseason polls and the Lobo women checked in at No. 2 behind Colorado, which is how the two teams finished the 2018 season. UNM received four first-place votes and 314 points, just seven points behind Colorado with the Buffaloes receiving six first-place votes.
The Lobo women didn’t lose much from the 2018 roster and will have a strong nucleus with Weini Kelati, Ednah Kurgat and Adva Cohen, with the trio among the nation’s best in the sport. Who will emerge as the remaining scorers for the Lobos will be the question as the season develops, with possible candidates being Hannah Nuttall and Sophie Eckel, both of which are entering their final season of competition as redshirt seniors.
Interestingly enough, the day prior, the USTFCCCA released the regional rankings which had UNM first and Colorado second in the Mountain Region.
In the Mountain West Conference, the Lobo women were the preseason favorite for the ninth consecutive year while the men were projected to finish seventh.