How deep is BYU’s No. 1-ranked women’s cross-country team? The Cougars won the NCAA Mountain Region meet in Reno, Nevada, Friday without its top two runners.
BYU finished with 47 points to place ahead of No. 4-ranked Northern Arizona, which was second with 60 points. Utah, ranked No. 9 nationally, placed fourth, while Utah Valley was fifth, Utah State ninth, Weber State 13th and Southern Utah 15th in the 20-team field.
The top two teams in each of the NCAA’s nine region competitions automatically qualify for next week’s NCAA championships in Wisconsin, plus 13 at-large selections. Utah is a lock to receive one of those at-large berths.
BYU’s Lexy Lowry and Jenna Hutchins — who have been the team’s top finishers much of the year — sat out the race to rest for the NCAA championships. Hutchins is nursing an injury (she finished 10th among BYU runners at the Big 12 championships two weeks ago).
BYU placed four runners in the top 10. Riley Chamberlain was fifth, while teammates Carmen Alder, Taylor Rohatinsky and Taylor Lovell placed eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively. Carlee Hansen was 20th to complete BYU’s scoring.