The U cross country team wrapped up its 2007 season on Nov. 10 with an 11th place at the 2007 NCAA Mountain Region Championships in Ogden.
Utah entered the championships, held at Weber State University, slotted 13th in the region. The women worked their way up two spots before the day’s end and earned their second consecutive 11th place finish.
“Our young kids have done an outstanding job,” head coach Kyle Kepler said. “They’ve just been thrown into the fire.”
Sophomore Alyssa Abbott finished 24th overall, earning all-region honors with a time of 21 minutes, 41.3 seconds. Abott finished within 13 seconds of a trip to nationals. The top four runners not on the first and second place teams advance past regionals. Abbott finished fifth in that group of runners. Juniors Lauren Endersen and Kellie Anderson both finished in the top-50 at 47th and 49th, respectively.
Junior Chelsea DiGrazia rounded out the U’s top four runners with a 55th place finish. Kepler said that his team performed well through four runners, all of whom posted lifetime best times, but the efforts from his remaining three runners were not rewarded.
One runner fell with fewer than 800 meters to go. Another runner battled the early stages of asthma, Kepler said. The team finished within 18 points of seventh place.
“We have to take advantage of that opportunity if it presents itself next year,” Kepler said.
Utah plans to improve upon its 11th place finish next year. Every member of the team will return for the 2008 cross country campaign. With the experience of both last year’s and this year’s region championship appearances, the team knows what to expect.
“To do those things, you have to be confident, and they have to bring that confidence now,” Kepler said.