The U cross country team kicks off its season this weekend as the Utes head to Logan for the Utah State Open.
With in-state rivals Utah State and Weber State being the only other participants, the Utes will get a chance to see how their runners match up against the local competition. Although the Utes finished the race third last year, head coach Kyle Kepler is not concerned about what place his team finishes in.
“This is a low-key meet for us,” Kepler said. “If we win it, great, if not, no one’s gonna hit the panic button.”
The Utes’ top returning runner, junior Alyssa Abbott, suffered an injury six weeks ago and will not be competing in this meet. Although the injury isn’t season-ending, it’s unclear how long she will be inactive.
The two best active returning runners on the team this year will be seniors Chelsea DiGrazia and Lauren Endersen. During last year’s outdoor track and field season, DiGrazia was an NCAA Regional qualifier in the 1500 meter and Endersen was the conference champion in the 10,000 meter.
“This is a race we want our younger kids to get a race in and get their first college experience,” Kepler said. “The older kids are in good shape and will be using the meet to train through it.”
The Utah State Open will begin tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the American West Heritage Center in Logan.