The BYU men’s cross-country team has been picked as the No. 3 team in the Mountain Region and the No. 4 team in the nation by the United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association.
After finishing second in the Mountain Region last year, the Cougars were picked to finish behind perennial powerhouse and last year’s Mountain Region champion Northern Arizona and Pac-12 conference champion Colorado. The University of Portland, BYU’s main competition in the WCC, was picked to finish first in the West Region.
A strong performance at the 2012 NCAA Championships and several prominent returning runners earned the Cougars the No. 4 spot in the national preseason rankings. Oklahoma State, the defending national champion, was picked as the No. 1 team in the country. The Mountain Region swept spots two through four, with Northern Arizona and Colorado taking second and third, respectively.
BYU will start its season at the Utah Invitational in Salt Lake City’s Murray City Park on Sept. 6. The Cougars will host the Autumn Classic on Sept. 14 at the Clarence F. Robison Track and Field Complex on the BYU campus.
Justin Green is the sports information director over men's track and cross country for BYU Athletic Communications. He is a BYU student majoring in public relations and minoring in business and will graduate in April 2013. Email: justinjgreen8@gmail.