Men's Cross Country | 8/28/2024 1:45:00 PM
(St. George, Utah - Aug. 28, 2024) - The Utah Tech men's and women's cross country teams get the 2024 campaign started on Friday at the Utah Valley Invitational.
Who | Utah Valley Invitaitonal
When | Friday, Aug. 30 – Women's 5K - 10 a.m. | Men's 5K - 10:45 a.m.
Where | Scera Park - Orem, Utah
Social Media | Instagram +
Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers
PARTICIPATING TEAMS: Idaho State, Salt Lake CC, Southern Utah, Utah (women only), Utah Tech, Utah Valley, Weber State (women only)
- Men
- Southern Utah (No. 13) and Utah Valley (No. 14) are ranked in the top 15 in the USTFCCCA Mountain Region.
- Women
- Utah is ranked No. 14 and Utah Valley is ranked No. 23 in the nation by USTFCCCA.
- Utah (No. 3), Utah Valley (No. 5) and Southern Utah (No. 15) check in the top 15 in the USTFCCCA Mountain Region.
2024 SLATE: Much like 2023, the 2024 schedule will feature four regular season races starting with Friday's UVU Invitational.
After a few weeks off, Utah Tech heads to the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 21 followed by the Southern Utah Color Country Invitational on Oct. 4.
The final regular season meet sends the Trailblazers back to California for the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational on Oct. 19.
The WAC Championships are set for Nov. 1 back in Orem at Lakeside Park while the postseason continues at the NCAA West Regional Championships in Colfax, Wash. on Nov. 15.
The NCAA Championships will be hosted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison on Nov. 23.
HEAD COACH JUSTIN DECKER:
Justin Decker (Utah Tech, 2008) begins his 14th 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.
GLANCE BACK AT 2023 UVU INVITATIONAL: Also beginning the season at the Utah Valley Invitational in 2023, both the men's and women's teams placed sixth.
On the men's side, sophomore
Kyle Neuenschwander was the Trailblazers' top finisher coming in 27th with a time of 15:10.4 that set a new program record in the 5K. Two other runners return in sophomores
Dawson Leffler and
Aiden Hardy.
Flipping to the women's side, four Trailblazers also return with sophomore
Averie Perriton finishing 39th in the 5K with a time of 18:48.4. That mark was good for 10th in program history while
Addie Payne,
Lexi Larsen and
Charly Murie also competed at the meet.
2024 ROSTER: The Trailblazer men's squad brings back eight returners while welcoming four newcomers.
With
Trent Holiday being the lone senior on the roster, the Trailblazers return seven sophomores. On the newcomers side, they are split between junior college transfers
Dennis Speaks (College of Southern Nevada) and
Ryan Hatch (Coconino CC) along with freshmen
Tyler Mullins (St. George) and
Noah Orton (Meridian, Idaho).
On the women's side, Utah Tech brings back 10 returners with four freshmen,
Makayla Boulton (Provo, Utah),
Isabela Coffman (Klamath Falls, Ore.),
Maren Leffler (Preston, Idaho) and
Kambrie Wilkinson (Salem, Utah) joining the team this season.
UP NEXT: The Trailblazers travel to the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 21.
