Nationally Ranked Buffs Set To Defend Pac-12 Titles

Friday, October 28

Tucson, Ariz.

All Day

Colorado

Pac-12 Championships

Ryan Forsyth

Photo by: Ken Moreland

October 26, 2016 | Cross Country

Meet Notes Pac-12 Championship Central

By: Linda Sprouse, Assistant SID

BOULDER —Colorado's nationally ranked cross country programs are ready to compete at the 2016 Pac-12 Conference Championships this Friday, October 28, in Tucson, Ariz., at Randolph North Golf Course.

The women will run a 6-kilometer course first at 9:30 a.m. PT, while the men (8k course) will follow at 10:30 a.m. PT. A short awards ceremony will follow the championships at 11:10 a.m. PT.

The top-ranked CU women are the reigning Pac-12 Champions and have won the team title twice in the last five years (2011 and 2015). In 2011, the Buffs recorded 50 points to top Washington (73) and Stanford (75). Last year CU took down Oregon 45-51 for the title.

CU's seventh-rated men have won all five Pac-12 team titles since joining the league in 2011. The Buffs won by seven points in 2011, defeating Stanford 46-53 and in 2012 they defeated the field with a score of 49-82, once again with Stanford coming in second. The Buffs won the 2013 title in front of the home crowd as CU hosted the championship in Louisville, Colo. The Buffs defeated Oregon 28-54 with all five scoring harriers in the top nine. CU defeated Oregon 30-57 in 2014 and in 2015, the Buffs again beat Stanford for the title (46-57).

The women are looking for their third Pac-12 title, but it won't be easy. On the women's side there are seven teams ranked in the top 30. Washington is just behind the Buffs at second and Oregon is fifth overall. Stanford comes in at 11^th, while Utah is 17^th. The other two teams are UCLA (23) and California (25).

The men will be looking for their sixth straight Pac-12 title at the meet, but winning it won't be easy as there is a great deal of depth in the league as six of the nine teams are ranked in the top 30. Stanford is the second best team in the country according to the USTFCCCA Coaches Poll, but just one point behind the Cardinal is third ranked Oregon. The Buffs are seventh, followed by No. 10 UCLA, No. 15 Washington State and No. 25 Washington.

The women have been led this season by senior All-American Erin Clark. Clark became just the third fastest woman in Rocky Mountain Shootout history as she won the title in 19:54. Then at NCAA Pre-Nationals, Clark was the runner-up. She has a history of performing very well at the conference meet, placing fourth the last two seasons.

Junior Kaitlyn Benner, CU's other returning female All-American, will also play a huge role for the Buffs. She has been CU's No. 2 harrier this season, placing second at the Rocky Mountain Shootout and 12^th at pre-nationals. She led the Buffs at the 2015 Pac-12 meet, finishing second overall.

The Buffs have a lot of depth and talent. Sophomore transfer Makena Morley and sophomore Dani Jones have both finished third and fourth for the Buffs this year and have done well at conference meets in the past. Morley won the 2015 Big Sky Championship as a freshman, while Jones was 24^th at the 2015 Pac-12 meet.

CU will look to several other racers to help with the team score. Senior Carrie Verdon, junior Melanie Nun and freshmen Sage Hurta and Tabor Scholl could all play a big role, whether they score or not.

The Buffs won the Rocky Mountain Shootout, but more impressively, won NCAA Pre-Nationals on Oct. 15. There, CU defeated the runner-up, Oregon, 93-154.

The men's team also has a pair of All-Americans on the roster in senior Ben Saarel and sophomore John Dressel. Both raced in uniform for the first time this season at pre-nationals. Dressel placed 27^th and Saarel was 28^th. Both have done well at the Pac-12 meet in the past. Dressel was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after placing sixth in 2015. Saarel did not race at the meet in 2015, but was eighth in 2014 and was fifth in 2013.

Sophomore Ryan Forsyth and redshirt freshman Joe Klecker have been a huge part of CU's early season success. Forsyth has led the Buffs in two races, winning the Colorado State Invite and recording a 15^th place finish at pre-nats, while Klecker was the runner-up at the Rocky Mountain Shootout and placed 24^th at pre-nats as CU's No. 2.

The Buffs will also look to veteran runners Zach Perrin and Adam Peterman, both juniors, to contribute to the team score. Perrin and Peterman have conference meet experience, which will prove to be helpful. Other Buffs who could help out include sophomores Ethan Gonzales, Chris Herrick and Paul Miller, and redshirt freshman Reilly Friedman.

The Buffs placed third (124) at pre-nationals behind Oregon (85) and Arkansas (109) after winning the Rocky Mountain Shootout.

Both of CU's teams have the credentials to do well, which will make the championship another very exciting one. The weather for Friday, Oct. 28 is expected to be sunny with a high near 93.

The championships will be broadcast tape-delayed on Pac-12 Network on October 31 at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT. Jim Watson will serve as the play-by-play and Dwight Stone will provide the color. Lewis Johnson joins the duo as the on-course reporter. Results will be posted on Pac-12.com upon the conclusion of the event. Fans can follow @CUBuffsTrack on twitter for in race updates. The official hashtag of the meet is #Pac12XC.

Following the conference championships, both rosters will be cut to seven over the next couple of weeks before the NCAA Mountain Region Championships, November 11, in Logan, Utah, and the NCAA Championships, November 19, in Terre Haute, Ind.

2016 PAC-12 CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday, October 28
Randolph North Golf Course (Tucson, Ariz.)
9:30 a.m. PST Women's 6k
10:30 a.m. PST Men's 8k
11:10 a.m. PST Awards Ceremony