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8:00 AM
Cross Country
vs Gans Creek Classic
Saturday, November 19
Terre Haute, Ind.
9:00 AM
University of Utah
vs
NCAA Championships
Utah Closes Out Cross Country Season Placing 20th at NCAA Championships
11/19/2016 12:59 PM | Cross Country
Utah records its highest finish in program history.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Utah women's cross country team capped off the 2016 season recording the highest finish in program history on Saturday morning at the NCAA Championships. Utah placed 20th in the national meet with 493 team points in Terre Haute, Ind.
"I am very proud of our team and we are very excited. We came into the race ranked 27th in the country and we finished 20th. We proved who we were and ran hard. The conditions weren't the best today at 38 degrees and 28 mph winds. I thought we had a great day and I am so proud of all these kids. They deserve it," head coach Kyle Kepler said.
Held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course, Utah made its second consecutive appearance to the NCAA Championships and its second time in school history. The 20th place finish is six spots ahead of last year's squad who finished in 26th place.
"I have really enjoyed coaching this group here in the fall. They are extremely coachable and have been great to each other. They run for each other and they run for the program. They learned and trusted in each other all year and it has been so much fun to see them grow not just as runners, but also as people," Kepler said.
Oregon out-edged Michigan by one team point to win the National Championship. Oregon finished the race with 125 team points and Michigan finished with 126 team points. Colorado earned third place with 134 team points, NC State placed fourth with 223 points, while Stanford rounded out the top-five teams with 255 team points.
Leading the Utes was junior Grayson Murphy, who finished 53rd in the six-kilometer race with a time of 20:33.3. Following behind Murphy, junior Hannah McInturff ran a time of 20:36.4 to claim 60th place.
"Grayson Murphy and Hannah McInturff were well over 100th place after the 2K and continued to climb up the entire race to finish where they did. They were only a few seconds behind finishing in the top-40 to earn All-American honors," Kepler said. "They ran really great races and I am very excited for those two."
Freshman Poppy Tank crossed the line third for Utah, placing 110th. Tank finished the race in a time of 20:52.8. Freshman Amanda Gehrich earned a 151st place finish, running the course in a time of 21:04.3.
"True freshmen Poppy [Tank] and Amanda [Gehrich] are just very consistent for us. They have been consistent all year and I was proud of how they were able to control the emotions of being at this meet for the first time. They helped us finish in the top-20 and I am excited for their future here," said Kepler.
Rounding out Utah's team score for the meet was freshman Ashley Licata. Licata finished the race in 238th place with a time of 22:27.5.
"True freshman Ashley Licata really stepped up for us today and did the best she could do. When Giselle [Slotboom] went down with her injury during the race, Ashley stepped up and ran hard, completing our team score," Kepler explained.
Rounding out the Utes who competed were seniors Dana Snell and Giselle Slotboom. Snell finished in 246th place with a time of 23:03.0. Slotboom also competed on Saturday, but was unable to finish the race after about the 4K mark due to an injury.
"Dana [Snell] and Giselle [Slotboom] ran their last races today and I am so proud of what they have helped build here in the program and helped us get here today," Kepler stated. "We will certainly miss our seniors."
"We bring back the bulk of this group plus some really good kids who weren't here today. We are super excited for the future of this program and we are going to do everything we can do keep it moving forward. It is certainly a great day to be a Ute," Kepler stated.
"I am very proud of our team and we are very excited. We came into the race ranked 27th in the country and we finished 20th. We proved who we were and ran hard. The conditions weren't the best today at 38 degrees and 28 mph winds. I thought we had a great day and I am so proud of all these kids. They deserve it," head coach Kyle Kepler said.
Held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course, Utah made its second consecutive appearance to the NCAA Championships and its second time in school history. The 20th place finish is six spots ahead of last year's squad who finished in 26th place.
"I have really enjoyed coaching this group here in the fall. They are extremely coachable and have been great to each other. They run for each other and they run for the program. They learned and trusted in each other all year and it has been so much fun to see them grow not just as runners, but also as people," Kepler said.
Oregon out-edged Michigan by one team point to win the National Championship. Oregon finished the race with 125 team points and Michigan finished with 126 team points. Colorado earned third place with 134 team points, NC State placed fourth with 223 points, while Stanford rounded out the top-five teams with 255 team points.
Leading the Utes was junior Grayson Murphy, who finished 53rd in the six-kilometer race with a time of 20:33.3. Following behind Murphy, junior Hannah McInturff ran a time of 20:36.4 to claim 60th place.
"Grayson Murphy and Hannah McInturff were well over 100th place after the 2K and continued to climb up the entire race to finish where they did. They were only a few seconds behind finishing in the top-40 to earn All-American honors," Kepler said. "They ran really great races and I am very excited for those two."
Freshman Poppy Tank crossed the line third for Utah, placing 110th. Tank finished the race in a time of 20:52.8. Freshman Amanda Gehrich earned a 151st place finish, running the course in a time of 21:04.3.
"True freshmen Poppy [Tank] and Amanda [Gehrich] are just very consistent for us. They have been consistent all year and I was proud of how they were able to control the emotions of being at this meet for the first time. They helped us finish in the top-20 and I am excited for their future here," said Kepler.
Rounding out Utah's team score for the meet was freshman Ashley Licata. Licata finished the race in 238th place with a time of 22:27.5.
"True freshman Ashley Licata really stepped up for us today and did the best she could do. When Giselle [Slotboom] went down with her injury during the race, Ashley stepped up and ran hard, completing our team score," Kepler explained.
Rounding out the Utes who competed were seniors Dana Snell and Giselle Slotboom. Snell finished in 246th place with a time of 23:03.0. Slotboom also competed on Saturday, but was unable to finish the race after about the 4K mark due to an injury.
"Dana [Snell] and Giselle [Slotboom] ran their last races today and I am so proud of what they have helped build here in the program and helped us get here today," Kepler stated. "We will certainly miss our seniors."
"We bring back the bulk of this group plus some really good kids who weren't here today. We are super excited for the future of this program and we are going to do everything we can do keep it moving forward. It is certainly a great day to be a Ute," Kepler stated.
Players Mentioned
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