Utah Tech makes its Big Sky Cross Country Championships debut Friday in Flagstaff, following six seasons in the WAC. The Trailblazers bring back most of last year’s championship lineups, led by senior Ryan Hatch on the men’s team and fifth-year runner Makyala Pitcher on the women’s team.

By the Numbers
  • Friday, Oct. 30: men’s 8K at 11 a.m. Mountain Time; women’s 5K at noon.
  • Utah Tech was picked eighth in the men’s preseason Big Sky poll and seventh in the women’s poll.
  • Hatch placed 24th in last year’s conference championship 8K; Pitcher was 22nd in the women’s 6K.
  • The NCAA West Regional is scheduled for Nov. 13, followed by the NCAA Championships on Nov. 21.
Yes, But

Utah Tech returns a deep group, including all eight women who raced at last year’s conference meet, but enters a championship field featuring several highly ranked teams. Northern Arizona is ranked No. 19 nationally on the men’s side and No. 5 among women, and has won both Big Sky titles in each of the past five seasons.

State of Play
  • The meet is at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff, Arizona, with 11 teams competing.
  • Utah Tech’s latest results included second- and third-place team finishes at the season-opening NAU George Kyte Classic.
  • At the Oct. 16 Pre-National Invitational, Hatch led the men and Averie Perriton led the women.
What’s Next

After Friday’s conference championships, Utah Tech is scheduled to race at the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento on Nov. 13. The NCAA Championships follow on Nov. 21 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Bottom Line

Utah Tech’s first Big Sky championship is a test of how its returning runners measure up against a conference led by perennial powerhouse Northern Arizona.