Houghton, Mich – The Michigan Tech men’s and women’s cross country teams will make their season debut at the Vic Godfrey Open at Wisconsin Parkside on Friday (Sept. 2).
The race will be shorter than the usual distances of the season, as the women will complete 4,000 meters while the men will complete 6,000 meters.
Results will be posted here after each race.
Head coach Christina Owen returns for her third season at the helm, while assistant coach Robert Young is in his first year in his new position after being promoted in July.
Last season, the men’s duo finished second and the women’s fourth at the GLIAC Championships.
Men’s Cross Country
The Michigan Tech men entered the USTFCCCA 2022 NCAA DII Men’s Cross Country National Coaches Poll 16th, finishing 24th at the NCAA National Championships in Tampa, Fla.
Last season, the Black and Gold were unranked in the preseason poll before finishing 17th in the final USTFCCCA poll.
The Huskies were seeded third in the preseason regional standings behind defending national champions Grand Valley State and Walsh, who finished third in the Midwest Regional last year.
MTU adds eight newcomers to the 2022 roster while returning a core group from a team that finished 24th at the national championships last season.
Last year in Tampa, Fla. Five of the six Huskies who competed will be returning for another season.
Low-baller Drew Colledge, who finished 66th at the national meet last season, is back for his sophomore campaign. He is joined by Sam Lange (94th), Houghton’s own Clayton Sayen (113th), Nick McKenzie (141st) and Henry Snyder (172nd).
Sayen was first for the Huskies last season, finishing 11th and fourth at both the Midwest Region Cross Country Championships as well as the GLIAC Championships.
Women’s cross country
The MTU women’s team returns 15 from last season, in addition to five newcomers.
Michelle Bolini is the top returner from last year’s team, which finished 41st at the regional meet and 11th at the GLIAC Championships.
Sam Kurkowski returns for her senior campaign after being the second runner for the Huskies in the postseason a year ago.
MTU added Jessie Jacobusse and Hannah Loughlin to the roster this season. Jacobusse will go the distance for the cross country season after setting a new personal best of 2:10.54 for the Black and Gold in the 800m at last spring’s outdoor track and field meet.
Time schedule
After opening the season at Wisconsin Parkside, the Huskies return to competition on Sept. 23 at the historic Roy Greek Invitational in Minnesota.
The Black and Gold meet twice in October before heading to the Lewis Crossover on Saturday, October 8 before heading to the Warriors on Saturday, October 22.
The Huskies will then shift into postseason mode with the GLIAC Championship, on Nov. 4, against host Wayne State. MTU returns to its familiar home turf for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship on Saturday, Nov. 19 when Wisconsin plays host to Parkside. NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Seattle, Washington, Saturday, Dec. 3.
