Brigham Young seeks first Pre-Nationals women’s victory since 2002, with Montana State pursuing another men’s triumph after winning last season at Oklahoma State; Appleton, Martin look to help host Cavaliers build off momentum from strong showing at Virginia Invitational

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Virginia has the rare opportunity Saturday to sweep men’s and women’s team titles as the host school at the NCAA Division 1 Pre-Nationals event at the Panorama Farms Course in Earlysville.

The No. 10 Cavaliers are among five ranked programs in the men’s blue 8-kilometer race. Tennessee, Arkansas, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Oregon are additional ranked teams expected to compete.

Virginia, ranked No. 7, is also one of five ranked teams in the women’s 6-kilometer blue event.

Brigham Young, at No. 6, is the highest ranked women’s program scheduled to participate in a race that is also highlighted by Oregon, Arkansas and Utah Valley among its nationally ranked entries.

The host Cavaliers took third Sept. 23 in the women’s 5-kilometer race at the Virginia Invitational at Panorama Farms, led by Margot Appleton, who finished third. Virginia had four athletes place in the top 30.

Gary Martin was 13th in the men’s 8-kilometer race for the host Cavaliers, who finished seventh at the Virginia Invitational.

Although the BYU men’s team competed Sept. 23 at the Virginia Invitational, placing second behind Northern Arizona, the Cougars women’s program raced Sept. 22 at the Bill Dellinger Invitational and triumphed by a 42-78 margin against host Oregon.

Aubrey Frentheway and Lexy Halladay-Lowry lead the charge for BYU, which is returning to the Panorama Farms Course to race for the first time since 2016.

BYU’s only Pre-Nationals women’s victory came in 2002 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

LaVern Gibson has hosted the Pre-Nationals event 13 times, with E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville serving as the host site on three occasions. Virginia joins Oklahoma State, Florida State, Wisconsin, Northern Iowa and Furman among the additional host schools for the annual event.

Charlotte, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Kansas, La Salle, Lipscomb, Miami (Ohio), Minnesota, Montana State, Penn, Pitt, Purdue, Santa Clara, Virginia Tech, Wyoming and Yale are also scheduled to compete in the men’s blue 8-kilometer race.

Montana State won the Pre-Nationals men’s competition last season at Oklahoma State.

Cal Baptist prevailed in the Pre-Nationals women’s race last year in Stillwater, but is not attending Saturday’s event at Panorama Farms.

Wyoming is the top returning women’s program from Pre-Nationals last season following a third-place finish at Oklahoma State, but the team is scheduled to compete in the orange 6-kilometer race.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dartmouth, Liberty, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana State, Ohio, Penn, Pitt, Quinnipiac, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are also entered in the women’s blue 6-kilometer field.