After winning back-to-back Western Athletic Conference Championships, the UVU men's cross-country team has its sight set on repeating the feat for a third time, while the women's team strive to earn its first WAC title.
The reigning WAC champion men's team opens the 2014 season at the BYU Autumn Classic on in Provo, Utah, on Saturday with a four mile race at 9:45 a.m. MT, at Clarence F. Robison Track.
The improved women's team (edged out by two points for the title by Seattle U in 2014) opens its season alongside the men the following weekend at the Utah Open hosted by the University of Utah on Sept. 11.
"We are excited for the season to start. It's been a long time since the athletes have competed," head coach and 2014 WAC Cross Country Coach of the Year Scott Houle said. "These athletes have really put in some long hard months over the summer. Cross-country is unique, because truly, the athletes have no rest, because they need to keep their bodies in great cardiovascular shape. We have been working out as a team for two weeks now, and the athletes look good, they look strong, they are very positive and have high goals set for the year."
Of the seven men who aided the Wolverines to a WAC Championship last year and were named to All-WAC teams, six return for the 2015 season. Including two-time WAC Athlete of the Week sophomore Tyson Lambert and track and field NCAA qualifier Trac Norris. They are joined by Brenden Emery, Logan Petty, Chris Brower and senior Seth Gutzwiller.
The Wolverines also welcome back junior Jason Lynch from a redshirt year and junior Josh Monsen after sitting out the 2014 season due to an injury.
"With the schedule we have put together, I hope that each meet allows us to build off of the previous one," Houle said. "I hope the schedule gives our young athletes some experience so when we need to pull on them, they will be ready whenever needed. Every meet should move us in the right direction to fight for WAC Championships."
The women's team returns four of its top five leading scorers from the 2014 season, including senior Darian Sharp, the third-place finisher at the WAC Championship meet. 2014 WAC Freshman of the Year McKayla Morgan returns for her sophomore campaign, alongside fellow sophomores Shevaun Ames and Makayla Stepp.
"We are going to hold the girls out this week at BYU. We've had some injuries and sicknesses sneak up on us in the early season, coming out of the summer training," Houle said. "They aren't quite ready to race this weekend, but after an extra week of training and rest to help them get healthy they will be ready to debut at the Utah Open."
The women also welcome back Harley Murray after she redshirted the 2014 season.
Following the Utah Open, the teams travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the popular Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 26, and return to Utah for Southern Utah's Color Country Invitational, before closing the regular season at the Santa Clara Invitational on Oct. 17. To open the postseason, the Wolverines host the WAC Championship meet in Orem, Utah, and then compete at the Mountain Regional Meet in Albuquerque New Mexico.
Results from the BYU Autumn Classic can be found on UVU's website following the completion of the race Saturday.