LUBBOCK, Texas — Utah State men's and women's cross country placed in the top-10 at the NCAA Mountain Regional on Friday morning. Junior Emma Thornley was the top finisher for USU, taking 23rd place with a time of 20:15.9.
No. 1 Northern Arizona (39 points) won the Women's 6k, beating second-place No. 3 BYU (59) by 20 points. Utah State (217) claimed eighth place out of 20 teams, beating Mountain West foes Wyoming (250) and Air Force (258).
Thornley led the Aggie women, placing 23rd with a time of 20:15.9, to follow up her fourth-place finish at the Mountain West Championships last week. Freshman Abby Jensen climbed five spots in the final 1.5k to claim 34th with a time of 20:31.9. Fellow freshman Brie Smith and junior Hannah Davidson came in together finishing 46th and 47th with times of 20:51.6 and 20:51.7, respectively. It was Davidson's first race this season. Sophomore Sarah Ellis finished the scoring for the Aggies in 67th with a time of 21:12.8.
In the Men's 10k, No. 1 Northern Arizona (36) was victorious. Utah State (300) took 10th out of 17 teams, topping in-state schools Southern Utah (323) and Utah Valley (327).
Senior Max Wehrli was the top scorer for the Aggie men, taking 43rd with a time of 30:18.3. Grad senior Bridger Altice came in right behind Wehrli at 46th with a time of 30:21.9. The final three scoring Aggies came in together with grad senior Spencer Nelson in 69th with a time of 30:48.1, sophomore Logan Garnica in 70th with a time of 30:50.0 and senior Yonas Mogos in 72nd with a time of 30:51.8.
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.
2023 NCAA Mountain Regional
Chaparral Ridge XC Course | Lubbock, Texas | November 10, 2023
Women's 6K Team Results
1. Northern Arizona - 1, 6, 7, 10, 15, (27), (39) - 39
2. BYU - 4, 5, 9, 16, 25, (26), (38) - 59
3. Utah - 14, 18, 19, 32, 37, (63), (73) - 120
4. Colorado - 11, 20, 29, 30, 41, (50), (69) - 131
5. Utah Valley - 12, 17, 31, 36, 40, (42), (43)
8. UTAH STATE - 23, 34, 46, 47, 67, (71), (77) - 217
Women's Top-Five Finishers: 1. Gracelyn Larkin (NAU) - 19:19.7, 2. Nicola Jansen (UNM) - 19:25.1, 3. Juliet Cherubet (TTU) - 19:26.5, 4. Carmen Alder (BYU) - 19:30.5, 5. Aubrey Frentheway (BYU) - 19:30.6.
Utah State Women's Results: 23. Emma Thornley - 20:15.9, 34. Abby Jensen - 20:31.9, 46. Brie Smith - 20:51.6, 47. Hannah Davidson - 20:51.7, 67. Sarah Ellis - 21:12.8, 71. Bailey Brinkerhoff-Todd - 21:18.9, 77. Shleby Jensen - 21:31.7.
Men's 10K Team Results
1. Northern Arizona - 2, 5, 7, 8, 14, (15), (22) - 36
2. BYU - 12, 16, 17, 18, 26, (31), (49) - 89
3. New Mexico - 1, 3, 4, 37, 52, (75), (113) - 97
4. Air Force - 6, 19, 23, 29, 35, (48), (57) - 112
5. Montana State - 10, 21, 28, 34, 42, (45), (90) - 135
10. UTAH STATE - 43, 46, 69, 70, 72, (73), (85) - 300
Men's Top-Five Finishers: 1. Habtom Samuel (UNM) - 28:57.6, 2. Nico Young (NAU) - 28:59.6, 3. Lukas Kiprop (UNM) - 29:00.0, 4. Evans Kiplagat (UNM) - 29:03.9, 5. Kang Nyoak (NAU) - 29:10.0.
Utah State Men's Results: 43. Max Wehrli - 30:18.3, 46. Bridger Altice - 30:21.9, 69. Spencer Nelson - 30:48.1, 70. Logan Garnica - 30:50.0, 72. Yonas Mogos - 30:51.8, 73. Camren Todd - 30:55.8, 86. Brennan Benson - 31:23.7.
