NAU Men’s And Women’s Cross Country Teams Unanimous Picks To Repeat As Big Sky Champions This Season

The NAU men’s and women’s cross country teams have taken their annual spot atop the preseason polls to win the Big Sky Conference title for the 2022 season. The NAU men’s team enters the season as the defending national champion, winning five national titles in the last six years. The women’s team is coming off a successful season and finishing 23rd at nationals. Both teams won conference titles last season. The men’s team will return Nico Young, who had a great freshman season which saw him place second at the Mountain Regionals and 11th at the NCAA Championships. The women will be led by Taryn O’Neal, who won the Mountain Regionals and placed 42nd at Nationals. The NAU men received all ten votes in the coaches poll and was picked to win the conference title. Montana State was second followed by Weber State, Idaho and Portland State. On the women’s side, NAU was the unanimous choice to win the conference title, finishing ahead of Idaho, Weber State, Montana State and Portland State. The Lumberjacks only home meet of the season will take place Saturday, September 3rd at Buffalo Park in the 42nd Annual George Kyte Classic.