The Utah Tech men's and women's cross country teams make their 2023 season debut this Friday at the Utah Valley Invitational, which will be ran in Orem, Utah at Scera Park and hosted by Utah Valley University. The women's 5K race will get underway at 10:30 a.m., followed by the men's 5K run at 11 a.m.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS: Idaho State, Salt Lake CC, Southern Utah, Utah (women only), Utah Tech Utah Valley, Weber State
 
2023 SLATE: Utah Tech has four races this season ahead of the 2023 WAC Championships on Oct. 27 hosted by Abilene Christian at Zoe Park. Following this weekend's action, the Trailblazers will head to the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 16.

On Oct. 7, UT will race in the SUU Color Country Invitational before wrapping up the regular season returning to California for the UC Riverside Highlander Invitational on Oct. 14.
 
HEAD COACH JUSTIN DECKER: Justin Decker (Utah Tech, 2008) begins his 13th season at the helm of the Utah Tech cross-country program. During his tenure at Utah Tech, Decker has mentored 24 all-conference, seven all-region, and two All-American athletes (Rachel Young in 2012 and Billie Hatch in 2019). In addition, he has earned certification as a USA Track & Field Level 1 Coach and USTFCCCA Endurance Event Specialist. 

Coach Decker grew up in St. George and graduated from Pine View High School in 2004. After high school, he attended then-Dixie State and competed on the cross country team during the 2007 and 2008 seasons while serving as the team's captain and SAAC representative. He graduated from Utah Tech in 2008 with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and graduated from Southern Utah University with a Master's degree in Business Administration in 2013.
 
2022 SEASON IN REVIEW: After competing in four regular season meets during the 2022 season, the Utah Tech women's team placed ninth at the 2022 WAC Cross Country Championships while the men took 10th as a team.
 
2023 ROSTER: The Trailblazer men will see nine of its 14 student-athletes be freshmen followed by a pair of juniors and three seniors.

The top returner from the 2022 WAC Championships for the men is senior Quinton Read who was the Trailblazers' third-fastest finisher clocking a time of 25:13.5. Other top returners include junior Julien Canales and senior Nick Roach.

On the women's side, Utah Tech will feature seven freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors and one senior. Junior Rylee Jacobsen is Utah Tech's top returner from the WAC Championships who placed 46th and senior Shakayla Morgan took 54th. Other top returners include sophomores Lexi Larsen & Alexia Corona and junior Mariah Skinner.

UP NEXT: The Trailblazers are off next week before heading to California for the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 16.