Colorado Opens Season At Wyoming Invitational

Friday, August 31

Cheyenne, WY

All Day

Colorado

Wyoming Invite

Val Constien

September 01, 2018 | Cross Country

Results

By: Linda Sprouse, Associate SID

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The University of Colorado cross country teams got their season underway on Friday night at the Wyoming Invitational at The Little America Golf Course.

"Today's meet was against our Front Range competitors with the main goal of seeing our younger, emerging varsity athletes," associate head coach Heather Burroughs explained. "There is a team score, but we're not trying to win it. We didn't run our four most-accomplished men or women, most of whom are returning All-Americans."

Both the men and women ran a 5,000-meter course. CU's women won with 31 points, while the men's team placed fourth with 111 points.

"Today was a respectable start to the season, but we need to use the next month wisely, as well as break out our returning all-conference and All-American runners," said Burroughs.

WOMEN'S RACE:
Val Constien led the Buffs with a runner-up finish, crossing in 18 minutes, 12 seconds. She was 13 seconds off the pace of the winner, Jaci Smith (Air Force), who ran a time of 17:59.

The second runner to cross the finish for CU was redshirt freshman Holly Bent, who recorded a fifth place finish in 18:27. Three seconds behind Bent was Tayler Tuttle in seventh place (18:30). Another redshirt freshman, Baylee Jones, had a solid debut, finishing eighth in 18:31. Madie Boreman was the final scorer for CU with a ninth place finish in 18:35.

"Val Constien was very good," Burroughs said. "She's best-known as a steeplechaser on the track, but she might change that this fall. Freshman Holly Bent was the surprise of the day, finishing as our second woman. She really impressed her teammates and me. We'll have to raise our expectations of her based on today. Several other women proved they trained well this summer and are fighting for varsity positions."

MEN'S RACE:
Colorado only raced five men at the meet and was led by Ethan Gonzales' ninth-place performance in 15:39. The second Buff to finish was Paxton Smith, clocking in at 15:58 for 21^st place. Redshirt freshman Gus Newcomb recorded a 26^th place finish in his debut for the Buffs, recording a time of 16:03. CU's other two racers were Justice Ramos and Josh Ramos, who finished 37^th (16:22) and 43^rd (16:27), respectively.

"We ran only five men in uniform so we could protect the redshirt status of our freshmen," Burroughs said. "Only one of those five has run varsity-level for us in the past. Each made big improvements from last year, especially redshirt freshman Gus Newcomb. He was the surprise of the men's team."

UP NEXT: The Buffs will have four weeks off to prepare for the next competition. CU will split its squad into two teams. One will head to the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational (Madison, Wis.) on Sept. 28 and the other will go to the Stanford Invitational (Stanford, Calif.) on Sept. 29.

RESULTS
Women's Team: 1. Colorado 31; 2. Air Force 58; 3. Colorado State 60; 4. Wyoming 82; 5. Northern Colorado 152.

Women's Individual (CU Only): (1. Jaci Smith, AFA, 17:59) 2. Val Constien, 18:12; 5. Holly Bent, 18:27; 7. Tayler Tuttle, 18:30; 8. Baylee Jones, 18:31; 9. Madi Boreman, 18:35; 10. Lindsey Kock, 18:41; 13. Mackenzie Caldwell, 18:49; 15. Karina Mann, 18:51; 19. Brianna Schwartz, 19:03; 23. Abby Regner, 19:16; 33. Elissa Mann, 19:36; 47. Kate Intile, 20:28.

Unattached CU Runners: 14. Annie Hill, 18:51; 30. Elizabeth Constien, 19:25

Men's Team: 1. Colorado State 32; 2. Wyoming 46; 3. Air Force 54; 4. Colorado 111; 5. Northern Colorado 115.

Men's Individual (CU Only): (1. Paul Roberts, UW, 15:08) 9. Ethan Gonzales, 15:39; 21. Paxton Smith, 15:58; 26. Gus Newcomb, 16:02; 37. Justice Ramos, 16:22; 43. Josh Ramos, 16:27.

Unattached CU Runners: 32. Josh Torres, 16:17; 39. Gabe Fendel, 16:24; 55. Al Scales, 16:47; 71. Jonathan Horton, 17:26