For the first time since 2007 Wyoming Cross Country will have a male and female representative at the NCAA Championships.
Senior Holly Page and junior Amos Bowen had identical sixth place finishes this past week at the NCAA Mountain Regional. Page became just the eighth Cowgirl to ever qualify for the NCAA Championships and the first since 2007. Her time of 21:18 in the 6-kilometer race also garnered her All-Regional accolades.
“Holly gets to end her cross country career on a high note after being a great leader for us the past two seasons,” head coach Bryan Berryhill said.
Bowen ran a time of 28:56 in the 10-kilometer. His qualification to the NCAA Championships marks the second consecutive year a Cowboy has qualified as Garret Zans accomplished that feat last year.
“Amos will run in the NCAA meet and come back next year as we return each of our top-five runners,” Berryhill said.
The women were not done raking in awards as freshman Kerry White crossed 21st with a time of 21:47 which earned her All-Regional honors as well.
Placing third for the Cowgirls and 31st overall was junior Audra DeStefano who clocked in at 22:07.
Wyoming sophomore Megan Brunette placed 47th with a time of 22:25.
Rounding out the UW scorers was sophomore Ali Walker who ran a time of 22:29, which earned her a 52nd place finish.
The Cowgirls as a team finished fifth with a score of 157. It was the second highest finish at this meet in school history. Winning the Regional was No. 12 Colorado with 43 points. Placing second was No. 9 New Mexico with 56 points. Rounding out the top-three was BYU with 112 points.
“The women ran a great overall race,” Berryhill said. “I am proud of the fact that we moved up from 13th as a team last year. That is a huge jump in one season. They all bought into the game plan this season and I’m proud of the progress as a team.”
On the men’s side behind Bowen was junior Dylan Morin who clocked in at 31:24 earning him a 49th place finish.
Placing third for the Cowboys and 52nd overall was senior Aaron Derner who ran a time of 31:28.
Right on Derner’s heels was freshman Jonah Henry who finished 53rd with a time of 31:31.
Rounding to the UW scorers was sophomore Michael Kesy who crossed 83rd with a time of 32:39.
Wyoming finished 10th as a team with 243 points. Winning the Regional was No. 1 Colorado with 45 points. Placing second was No. 10 Northern Arizona with 68 points. Rounding out the top-three was No. 15 BYU with 121 points.
“I thought the men ran well today,” Berryhill said. “What is exciting for the men is they not only got a representative through to the NCAA meet for the second-straight season, but will return the top-five for next season.”
Page and Bowen will compete at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 22 in Terre Haute, Ind.
