Tech Cross Country Opens Season at Vic Godfrey Open
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech men's and women's cross country teams make their season debut at the Vic Godfrey Open, hosted by Wisconsin Parkside, on Friday (Sept. 2).
The races will be short of the typical distances throughout the season as the women will complete 4,000 meters while the men pace 6,000 meters.
Results will be posted here shortly after the conclusion of each race.
Head coach Kristina Owen returns for her third season at the helm, while assistant head coach Robert Young is in the first year of his new position, after being promoted in July.
Last season, the duo saw the men finish runner-up, while the women placed fourth at the GLIAC Championships.
Men's Cross Country
The men of Michigan Tech enter the USTFCCCA's 2022 NCAA DII Men's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll 16th, after finishing 24th at the NCAA National Championships on a humid day in Tampa, Fla. a year ago.
Last season the Black & Gold were unranked in the preseason poll before finishing 17th in the final poll done by USTFCCCA.
The Huskies have been tabbed to finish third in the preseason regional rankings behind the defending national champions in Grand Valley State and last year's third-place finishers in the midwest region, Walsh.
MTU returns a core group from the team that placed 24th at the National Championships last season while adding eight newcomers to the 2022 roster.
Five of the six Huskies that competed in Tampa, Fla. last year return for another season.
Low stick Drew Kolodge, who placed 66th at the national meet last season returns for his sophomore campaign. He is joined by Sam Lange (94th), Houghton's very own Clayton Sayen (113th), Nick McKenzie (141st) and Henry Snider (172).
Sayen was first for the Huskies at both the Midwest Region Cross Country Championships as well as the GLIAC Championships where he placed 11th and fourth, respectively, last season.
Women's Cross Country
The MTU women's squad returns 15 from last season, in addition to five newcomers to the roster.
Michelle Bollini is the top returner from last year's squad, who placed 41st at the regional meet and 11th at the GLIAC Championships.
Sam Kurkowski returns for her senior campaign after being the second runner for the Huskies in the postseason a year ago.
MTU also adds Jesse Jacobusse and Hannah Loughlin to the roster this season. Jacobusse will come up in distance for the cross country season after setting a new personal best of 2:10.54 in the 800m for the Black & Gold during the outdoor track & field season last spring.
Schedule Timeline
After the season opener at Wisconsin Parkside, the Huskies return to competition at the historic Roy Griak Invitational hosted by Minnesota on September 23.
The Black & Gold have two meets in October, heading to the Lewis Crossover on Saturday, October 8, before heading to the Warrior Challenge on Saturday, October 22.
The Huskies will then shift into postseason mode with the GLIAC Championships, taking place on November 4, with Wayne State playing host. MTU returns to familiar ground for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships as Wisconsin Parkside plays host on Saturday, November 19. The NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships take place in Seattle, Washington, on Saturday, December 3.