Ok, it's that time of the year again. The summer is ending, school will be starting soon and teams are beginning to start practicing, so Big Sky schools what's new with your team. Who recruited well, who's going to challenge Northern Arizona this year. Is Weber State ready to threaten NAU for the Big Sky title? How about other schools...who do you have. Who's looking good so far spill the beans....
NAU is a lock on the guys, no debate about that. They are one of the best teams in the nation let alone the Big Sky.
on the ladies, NAU lost their best 3 runners and don't replace them with anybody. Literally they don't have any new runners on the ladies side. They have 2 quality runners (Burton and Lawrence) and then nobody after that. Haines really dropped the ball with recruiting this year. So for the ladies I would have to say Weber State is the favorite followed by Montana. Nau drops to the 3rd spot.
Guys
1.NAU
2. Montana State
3. Eastern Washington
4. Weber State
5. Idaho State
6. Sacramento State
7. Montana
8. Portland State
9. Northern Colorado
Ladies
1. Weber St
2. Montana
3. NAU
4. Sac St.
5. Montana St.
6. Idaho St.
7. Portland St.
8. Eastern Wa
9. Northern Colorado
put Sac St. over NAU as well. NAU women suck this year. They're depleted. Sac St. will challenge for the title.
who does NAU bring in that's new? transfers? I find it hard to believe that they didn't recruit anybody on both guys and girls side. Anybody with inside info?
who does NAU bring in that's new? transfers? I find it hard to believe that they didn't recruit anybody on both guys and girls side. Anybody with inside info?
NAU's women will be good and should repeat for the title. I know they will come back to the pack some because they lose 4 very good runners, but don't forget that they still return #1 (Burton), #5 (Lawrence), and #10 (Shriver) from the conference meet last year. I'm pretty sure they will back these three up with a solid 4/5 and contend for the title again.
Weber and Montana also return strong squads that will make the womens team race interesting, but NAU is still the favorite until proven otherwise.
Sac has a ways to go before they prove they can contend...middle distance talent doesn't win xc championships in the Big Sky.
NAU girls won't win. Burton may have gotten second last year, but she definitely isn't the #1 runner in the conference this year. Not by a long shot. Callister and Hawes from Weber are far better as is that Montana girl. Burton will be lucky to place in the top 5 and Lawerence and Shriver will be lucky to place in the top 10. The rest of the team is just dead weight with no possibility to crack the top 15. Unless NAU has some foreigners coming in that we don't know about, they can kiss their dominance goodbye. Weber looks poised to take the title with Montana close behind.
Here's what it should look like
1. Katrina Drennen- Montana
2. Sarah Callister- Weber
3. Natalie Hawes- Weber
4. Laken Skidmore-Weber
5. Kortnee Burton- Northern Arizona
6. Haley Lawrence- Northern Arizona
7. Renisha Robinson- Sac State
8. Heather Haug- Montana State
9. Keslee Payne- Montana
10. Taylor Thornley- Weber
Others to watch possibly crack the top 10
*Wednt (ISU) *Shriver (NAU) *Dewalt (MU) *Andrus (MU) *Rose (Web)
Who are impact newcomers on mens and womens side that could factor in this season? Quote and fill in below if you know any?
Men
NAU --
MSU --
Weber --
EWU --
UM --
SAC --
ISU --
PSU --
UNC --
Women
NAU --
MSU --
Weber --
EWU --
UM --
SAC --
ISU --
PSU --
UNC --
Men
NAU --
MSU --
Weber -- Dalton Zundel 1:57, 4:29, 9:37
EWU --
UM --
SAC --
ISU --
PSU --
UNC --
Women
NAU --
MSU --
Weber -- Kayla Blackford 11:08(3200), 18:38(XC)
EWU --
UM --
SAC --
ISU --
PSU --
UNC --
Where is the conference championship being run? I know EWU is host and the meet is in Spokane from their website, but I couldn't find the location.
Men
NAU --
MSU --
Weber -- Dalton Zundel 1:57, 4:29, 9:37
EWU --
UM --
SAC -- Reesey Byers 1:56/4:11/8:59
ISU --
PSU --
UNC --
Women
NAU --
MSU --
Weber -- Kayla Blackford 11:08(3200), 18:38(XC)
EWU --
UM --
SAC --
ISU --
PSU --
UNC --
yea, if anybody knows where do share. I live in eastern Washington and would love to go cheer on my Lumberjacks for this meet.
It is probably at the same park where DII Nationals is in 2011.
Fairways GC
Idaho State reloaded on the women's side. They bring in a solid class of runners that will have an impact. look for ISU to be in the top 5 with a very young team and built towards challenging for the championship in about 3 years.
Men
NAU --
MSU --
Weber -- Dalton Zundel 1:57, 4:29, 9:37
EWU --
UM --
SAC -- Reesey Byers 1:56/4:11/8:59
ISU --
PSU --
UNC --
Women
NAU --
MSU --
Weber -- Kayla Blackford 11:08(3200), 18:38(XC)
EWU --
UM --
SAC --
ISU -- Audrey Urlacher 10:59/3200, 18:45/xc
Misha Trotter 2:18/800, 5:18/1600, 19:44/xc
Nicole Peterson 5:12/1600, 11:32/3200
Chloe Palakovich 19:12/xc
Callie Kettner 19:30/xc, 2:18/800
Sheyenne Dupree 19:33/xc, 5:37/1600, 11:41/3200
PSU --
UNC --
word on the street is that NAU is bringing in another Aussie by the name of Matt Coloe. He's a sub 3:45 guy who should add nice depth to an already deep team on the men's side. Guys like Jason Pederson, Andrew Belus, and Tim Fredricks will have a hard time making the top 7 and all 3 would be top 3 on any other Big Sky team.
NAU ladies still look very depleated. Anybody know if they bring any new talent? They usually have a solid foreigner or two, but this year no foreigner on the team. Just average talent. If they don't have any new recruits, they better improve the ladies they do have on the team, otherwise they will be humiliated by the time conference comes around.
look for this years conference results to be more like two years ago with the sea level schools (ewu, sac, psu) taking advantage of the rarely run sea level conference meet, even though cheney is 2,500 ft
Do you think chaffing would be an issue at the championship race?
championships this week, who ya'll got?
Men
1. NAU
2. MSU
3. WSU
4. ISU
Women
1. UM
2. WSU
3. ISU
4. NAU