Men's cross country wins UVU Invitational, women take second

OREM, Utah — No. 4/No. 7 BYU cross country began its 2022 season with a tune-up 5,000-meter race at the UVU Invitational at Lakeside Sports Park on Thursday afternoon.

FULL RESULTS

Men’s Recap

Despite the absence of All-Americans Casey Clinger and Christian Allen, No. 4 BYU men’s cross country ran away for a 19-point win at UVU.

Joey Nokes took the individual meet win with a 5k time of 15:24.8. Outdoor track and field All-American Kenneth Rooks came in close behind at 15:31.3 to finish second. Justin Hartshorn, Zach Erikson and Brandon Garnica took fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, giving the Cougars five of the top-six finishers.

Lucas Bons also competed on Thursday, finishing 16th at 16:38.7.

Women’s Recap

No. 7 BYU women’s cross country finished second with 50 points while withholding preseason all-conference honorees Aubrey Frentheway, McKenna Lee-Hansen and Lexy Halladay-Lowry. In the absence of the three veterans, younger runners were afforded crucial collegiate experience.

Rachel Morrin clocked 19:56.9, finishing 12th and first among her BYU teammates. True freshman Avery Moore crossed next at 15th with a time of 20:12.3. Alissa Fielding rounded out BYU’s top-20 finishers on Thursday with a 17th-place finish at 20:19.9.

Taylor Lovell and Abby Barlow joined Moore as true freshmen in their first meet with the Cougars. Lovell took 24th at 20:39.1 and Barlow 49th at 22:34.1.

Southern Utah (third), Idaho State (fourth) and Salt Lake Community College (fifth) followed UVU and BYU in the team results.

Both BYU teams remain close to home for the season’s second meet with the Run Elite Program Cross Classic at Valley Regional Park in Taylorsville, Utah on Sept. 9 at 6:45 p.m. MDT.