After a three-week hiatus from competition, the Eastern Washington University cross country programs are preparing for the final tune-up before the Big Sky Conference Championships. The Eagles will split squads, with half of the crew headed to the Highlander Invitational in Riverside, Calif., and the other competing locally at the Inlander Empire Championships in Lewiston, Idaho.
The Highlander Invitational is hosted by UC Riverside and takes place at the UCR Agricultural Operations Course on Saturday, Oct. 16. The men will race an 8k at 8 a.m., followed by a 6k for the women at 8:40. The course is described as a mostly flat course with rolling hills and hard packed dirt. The competitors will race through the agricultural operations center which features 100-year-old citrus trees.
Competing for the women are,
Jenni Bissell, Nicole Deherrera,
Loren Linnenburger,
Jasmin Muneton,
Megan Pitzman and
Kaylin Sheley.
Jamie Christner,
Noah Hasselblad,
Jesus Herrejon,
Carter Ledwith,
Austin Steed and
Cameron Stuard will represent the men. The Eagles will compete against one other Big Sky Conference school in Montana.
The Inlander Empire Championships are hosted by Lewis-Clark State College at the Lewiston Orchards and also take place on Saturday morning. The women kick things off at 10:30 a.m. with a 5k, followed by the men who will race an 8k at 11:30 a.m.
Eastern Washington will compete against Boise State, Central Washington, Gonzaga, Idaho and Washington State, along with a handful of local NAIA institutions and community colleges.
Lindsay Butler,
Madilynn Carr,
Maddie Drennen,
Anna Harrison,
Erika Leinweber,
Amanda Nygard and
Lizzie Stites represent the women. On the men's side,
Alec Kness,
Danny Maxwell,
Brock O'Neal,
Lucas Robert and
Jacob Stirpe will represent the Eagles.
The last time the Eagles competed was at the Mike Johnson Classic on Sept. 24 in Monmouth, Ore., where the women brought home a second-place finish and the men were third.
Loren Linnenburger finished 10
th to lead the women's squad and
Justin Roosma was just edged at the finish line, clocking a second-place finish.
After Saturday, Eastern Washington will take another break from competition before the Big Sky Conference Championships that take place on Friday, Oct. 29 and are hosted by Portland State.
Results from both races will be posted later in the afternoon on GoEags.com.
