Lobo men look to race into NCAA meet
Mountain Regional not as urgent for No. 2-ranked UNM women
LOGAN, Utah — It would be easy to say the University of New Mexico cross country teams have the same mission today at the Mountain Regional:
Get up there, run as fast as you can, hope you’ve earned your way into the NCAA Championships one week from today, and then get back on a plane to New Mexico.
In reality, it’s more nuanced. The Lobo men are like a bubble basketball team that must play its way into the NCAA Tournament. The UNM women, ranked second nationally, are in as good a shape as a No. 2-ranked women’s hoops team would be.
“The women are in good position to make the national championship,” said Joe Franklin, coach of both UNM teams. “The men, quite honestly, just need to beat Utah State. You beat Utah State, you have a chance.”
For each gender, the top two teams from each regional qualify automatically. The Lobo women have been no worse than second at seven straight regionals and are hoping for their 10th consecutive NCAA meet.
Those teams who don’t finish in the top two can gain at-large berths based on qualify of work from previous meets.
Franklin is so assured of the women’s good standing that he is resting All-American Alice Wright today. UNM’s No. 1 runner, Ednah Kurgat, looks to go 4-0 for the season, and she’ll be joined by Weini Kelati, Charlotte Prouse, Sophie Eckel, Kieran Casey, Alondra Negrón Texidor and Alex Buck.
The women’s race (6 kilometers, 10:15 a.m.) includes No. 1 Colorado and No. 15 and host Utah State.
The Lobo men’s lineup of Josh Kerr, Alexander Palm, Linton Taylor, Jared Garcia, Jonny Glen, Jacob Simonsen and Tyler Valdez have to beat at least one of the seven top-25 teams in their race, Franklin believes, to earn an NCAA at-large berth.
New Mexico State’s Western Athletic Conference champion women running are Cassey Amberg, Crissey Amberg, Jess Dominguez, Nichole Gomez, Elana Kresl, Sydney Salas, Leah Salazar and Julia Yesca. Dylan Godfrey, Abel Ketema, Eli Kosgei, James McLain, Jereme Santistevan, Jose Silva and Aaron Valenzuela will represent the NMSU men.