Three UNM runners will participate in the NCAA Division I Cross-Country Championships today in Greenville, S.C.
Sophomores Matt Gonzales and Ben Ortega of the men's team and freshman Jackie Gallegos of the women's team are the first Lobo runners since 1997 to run in the championship meet.
The trio was among the top four finishers not on a qualifying team at last weekend's NCAA Mountain Region Championships, earning them a spot in today's meet.
The men's side runs a 10,000-meter race, while the women will run at 6,000-meters.
The meet is an end to an impressive season by the UNM cross-country team and by the three runners.
Gallegos ended the season with three of UNM's top-10 6K times and notched four top-20 finishes. She recorded her fastest 6K times of the year in her last two races, both 19th place finishes at the Mountain West Conference Championships Oct. 27 and the region championships.
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Gonzales recorded the Lobos fastest 8,000-meter time of the season - 24 minutes, 19 seconds - in a second place finish at the conference championships, which earned him a first-team all-conference selection. He holds four of the Lobos' top-10 8,000-meter times this season and has five top-10 finishes.
Gonzales was also named the conference Athlete of the Week on Oct. 10 after winning the Arizona State University Invitational on Oct. 5
Ortega notched three of the team's top-10 8K times this fall while recording five top-15 finishes. He also placed 10th at the conference championships in a season-best time of 24 minutes, 46 seconds.
They will compete against a field that includes 31 teams and an additional 38 individuals that make up the 255 runners that will compete at the Furman University Cross Country Course, which is on the Furman Golf Course.
UNM is one of five MWC schools represented at the national championships. Brigham Young University and Colorado State University will have both their men's and women's teams competing while the Air Force Academy men will also be among the 31 teams in Greenville.
University of Utah senior Teren Jameson, the 2001 MWC cross country champion, and Air Force sophomore Brandess Pardue also earned automatic individual bids and will join Gonzales, Ortega and Gallegos in the championship field.
Colorado University won the women's national championship last year, while the University of Arkansas captured the men's team title.
staff report
