LOGAN, Utah – Utah State's men's and women's cross country teams each placed first at the Steve T. Reeder Memorial Invitational on Friday afternoon.

The Aggies swept the team competitions in both the men's 7K and women's 5K, with seven Aggies finishing in the top 10 of their respective races at the Steve & Dona Reeder Cross Country Course.
 
"Both teams did really well," Utah State head coach Artie Gulden said. "We won the meet, obviously, on both sides, which is nice, but how they executed the race plan is what I'm most proud about today."
 
Junior Eric Nelson finished fifth with a time of 21:17.45 to lead the men's side.
 
"He ran really well," Gulden said. "What I anticipate is that he will get stronger as the season goes along because he is able to run really high mileage."
 
Also in the top 10 was sophomore Logan Garnica, who placed eighth with a time of 21:23.02. Fellow sophomores Grady Mylander and Eli Gregory finished 11th and 12th, respectively, with times of 21:30.49 and 21:34.39. Rounding out the scoring for Utah State was junior Ben Berlin, who placed 23rd with a time of 22:03.12.
 
The Aggies combined for 26 points in their team victory, besting second-place Weber State by 16 points.
 
"It was good team running from everyone," Nelson said. "We all ran faster than what we were all thinking we would."
 
Sophomore Malia Lowe took second place for the women's side with a time of 18:23.68.
 
"Malia just had a great last four to six hundred of the course," Gulden said. "I saw her running up trying to catch that girl from CSI for the win and I was like, 'Woah, where did that leg speed come from?' That was really nice from Malia."
 
Senior Sammi Lee and sophomore Morgan Nygren came in right behind Lowe to place third and fourth with times of 18:31.46 and 18:32.92, respectively. Sophomores Emma Hillam and Hazel Baird completed the scoring for the Aggies, finishing in sixth and seventh with times of 18:55.17 and 18:56.25, respectively.
 
"We had a strong race," Lowe said. "We kept a good pack throughout most of the race."
 
With 20 points combined, USU took first place comfortably outscoring second-place Southern Idaho by 33 points.
 
Utah State is back in action on Friday, Oct. 13, when it travels to Madison, Wisconsin, to compete in the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.
 
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.
 
STEVE T. REEDER MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL | October 6, 2023 | Logan, Utah
Men's 7K Team Results
1. UTAH STATE – 1, 3, 4, 5, 13, (18), (27) – 26
2. Weber State – 2, 8, 9, 11, 12, (15), (22) – 42
3. College of Southern Idaho – 7, 10, 14, 25, 29, (31), (33) – 85
4. Salt Lake Community College – 16, 17, 20, 21, 24, (26), (28) – 98
5. Northwest Nazarene – 6, 30, 32, 35, 36, (37), (38) – 139
 
Men's Top-Five Finishers: 1. Isaac Hedengren (UNA) – 20:59.66; 2. Caleb Johnson (UNA) – 21:10.56; 3. Hayden Gray (UNA) – 21:15.57; 4. Carter Cutting (UNA) – 21:16.08; 5. Eric Nelson (USU) – 21:17.45.
 
Utah State Men's Results: 5. Eric Nelson – 21:17.45; 8. Logan Garnica – 21:23.02; 11. Grady Mylander – 21:30.49; 12. Eli Gregory – 21:34.39; 23. Ben Berlin – 22:03.12; 29. Carson Coleman – 22:34.62; 42. Adam Wall – 23:06.40.
 
Women's 5K Team Results
1. UTAH STATE – 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, (8), (9) – 20
2. College of Southern Idaho – 1, 10, 13, 14, 15, (16), (18) – 53
3. Salt Lake Community College – 11, 12, 17, 19, 21, (27), (28) – 80
4. Northwest Nazarene - 7, 20, 22, 23, 24, (29) – 96
5. Westminster - 25, 26, 30, 31, 32 – 144
 
Women's Top-Five Finishers: 1. Elizabeth Phillips (CSI) – 18:22.35; 2. Malia Lowe (USU) – 18:23.68; 3. Sammi Lee (USU) –18:31.46; 4. Morgan Nygren (USU) – 18:32.92; 5. Caroline Fischer (Utah) – 18:40.53.
 
Utah State Women's Results: 2. Malia Lowe – 18:23.68; 3. Sammi Lee – 18:31.46; 4. Morgan Nygren – 18:32.92; 6. Emma Hillam – 18:55.17; 7. Hazel Baird – 18:56.25; 11. Sara Abbott – 19:02.56; 14. Taylia Norris – 19:08.65; 15. Cameron Moore – 19:09.24; 17. Madison Strasner – 19:12.60; 18. Meredith Price – 19:14.04; 19. Arianna Steiner-Hogan – 19:15.50; 20. KaryLee Taylor – 19:20.09; 22. Karlie Callahan – 19:29.76; 35. Caroline Moon – 20:03.55; 39. Karlee Christensen – 20:10.84.
 
-USU-