Cougars secure men’s victory at Pre-Nationals for third year in a row by rallying past Colorado; Washington edges BYU to earn first women’s triumph at meet since 2008, despite both teams resting top athletes

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Both Washington and Brigham Young were withholding aces from their stacked decks Saturday in the women’s 6-kilometer blue showdown at the NCAA Division 1 Pre-Nationals.

As for the BYU men, it looked like a new set of cards for coach Ed Eyestone’s group in the 8-kilometer blue race after some necessary shuffling took place following a six-point loss Sept. 28 to Oregon at the Bill Dellinger Invitational.

BYU still had the king and queen in its hand at LaVern Gibson Championship course, with sophomore Conner Mantz and senior Erica Birk sweeping the individual titles five weeks out from the NCAA Division 1 Championships on the same layout in Terre Haute, Ind.

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Mantz clocked 23 minutes, 20.8 seconds to hold off Campbell junior Amon Kemboi (23:22.5) and Oklahoma State sophomore Isai Rodriguez (23:23.8), with senior Michael Ottesen passing 29 runners in the final 3 kilometers to place 44th in 24:23.1 and help BYU rally past Colorado for an 81-83 victory.

Iona, led by Ehab El-Sandali (23:33) placing sixth and Johnjack Millar (23:36.8) earning 10th, finished third with 140 points. A seventh-place effort of 23:33.8 by Andrew Jordan helped Washington take fourth with 160 points and Ole Miss, led by Waleed Suliman (23:42) placing 12th, was fifth with 174 points.

It marked the third year in a row BYU prevailed at Pre-Nationals, securing a victory in the white race last season in Wisconsin and achieving a win in the red race in 2017 in Kentucky.

Jacob Heslington (23:26.7) placed fourth, Brandon Garnica (23:46.7) finished 14th and Daniel Carney (23:51.8) took 18th for BYU, which trailed Colorado by 41 points at 3 kilometers and still faced a projected 23-point deficit at the 5-kilometer mark.

The Buffaloes had John Dressel (23:34.4) finish eighth, Joe Klecker (23:35.3) secure ninth, Kashon Harrison (23:37) take 11th and Eduardo “Lalo” Herrera (23:51.3) place 17th. Alec Horneker (24:20.6) was Colorado’s fifth scorer in 38th place.

Although Nebraska finished 15th overall, sophomore George Kusche, the leader at 5 kilometers, enjoyed an eight-second personal best to place fifth in 23:31.6.

After being among the lead group through 2 kilometers, Birk was efficient during the middle part of the race, positioning herself to surge past Auburn junior Joyce Kimeli in the final kilometer.

Birk prevailed in 20:02.6, with Kimeli holding on for second in 20:09.4, just ahead of Colorado’s Sage Hurta (20:10).

Despite Washington women’s coach Maurica Powell deciding to rest Australian freshman Melany Smart and BYU women’s coach Diljeet Taylor choosing not to race junior Whittni Orton, the teams still engaged in a back-and-forth battle throughout.

BYU held a two-point lead at the 4-kilometer mark, only to have Washington sophomore Shona McCulloch (20:30.8) move up 11 spots in the final 2 kilometers to help the Huskies secure an 84-87 victory, their first at Pre-Nationals since 2008 in Terre Haute.

Although BYU had four scorers – Birk, fourth-place Courtney Wayment (20:10.8), 14th-place Olivia Hoj (20:32.8) and 20th-place Anna Camp (20:36) – in front of Washington’s third runner, it was the Huskies’ spread of less than 30 seconds that wound up being the deciding factor.

Senior Katie Rainsberger took sixth in 20:14.5, with Lilli Burdon (20:38.1) and Allie Schadler (20:38.4) placing 21st and 22nd right behind Camp for Washington. Camila David-Smith (20:42) took 28th for the Huskies, compared to BYU’s fifth scorer Sadie Sargent (20:56.8) in 52nd.

Colorado, which had Hurta and Tabor Scholl (20:27.2) both finish in the top 10, took third with 126 points. Michigan, led by freshman standout Ericka VanderLende (20:13.4) placing fifth, secured fourth with 164 points and Florida State – highlighted by Elizabeth Funderburk (20:29.1) earning 11th – was fifth with 204 points.

Although Oklahoma State finished 11th, Molly Born (20:24.6) and Taylor Somers (20:26.1) were eighth and ninth, just behind Wichita State’s Winny Koskei (20:23.8) in seventh place.

San Francisco junior Aoibhe Richardson, a Portland transfer, won the women’s white 6-kilometer race in 20:32.1.

Arizona, led by third-place Jennie Baragar-Petrash (20:48), prevailed in the team battle by a 121-187 margin over Iona, featuring second-place Egle Morenaite (20:46.9).

Cincinnati senior Aaron Bienenfeld dominated the men’s white 8-kilometer race to secure the win in 24:04.5, with IUPUI edging Ohio for a 140-146 victory.

Birk and Mantz weren’t the only BYU winners at the meet, as sophomore Matt Owens triumphed in the men’s 8-kilometer open race in 24:24.8.

Michigan teammates Emma Sloan (21:02.7) and Alice Hill (21:03) took the top two spots in the women’s 6-kilometer open race.