by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
After a year of ups and downs for the UNM cross country teams, head coach Matt Henry is excited for the biggest meet of the season.
Coming up Saturday for the Lobos is a chance to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The men's and women's teams will compete this weekend in the NCAA Mountain Region Championships in Provo, Utah.
The top two teams in each race will automatically qualify for the national meet, with at-large bids available as well. Also, the first four individuals who are not on a qualifying team will make the trip to the NCAA Championships.
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On the women's team, Henry said he has three individuals capable of earning those spots.
However, he doesn't want it to come down to that, because the women can qualify as a team, he said.
"We definitely have a chance to make it out of this region," he said. "It really is special for us that we do have an opportunity this weekend to do something really special."
Throughout the season senior Jacquelyne Gallegos was one of the team members Henry said would be a top runner at the regional meet as well as the national meet.
Gallegos was living up to those expectations, winning the UNM home meet and being named Mountain West Conference Runner of the Week twice this season. Then, at the Auburn Invitational, she injured a hamstring and was forced to withdraw from the race. It was feared Gallegos would miss the rest of the season. However, she bounced back and ran strong at the MWC Championships, placing 10th.
While Henry was excited to see her performance at conference, he said the injury has bothered her since. He isn't sure exactly how healthy she will be for the race this weekend but said she has a chance to qualify.
"To tell you the truth, Jackie didn't have as nice a workout this week as she did before the conference meet," he said. "We're hoping it recovers and that she'll be all right. She's a huge key."
Two runners who have given the team a boost with Gallegos' injury are junior Timmie Murphy and sophomore Leslie Luna. At the conference championships, both turned in the finest races of their careers, leading the team to a program-best second-place finish.
Murphy placed third overall, while Luna finished sixth.
Henry has been pleased with the way the two have performed all season and expects big things from them on Saturday as well, he said.
"They're tearing it up," he said. "They're ready to roll. I think, personally, Jackie included, all three of them can get in as individuals if they run right. We're not hoping that will happen. We're hoping they will get in as a team."
On the men's side, Henry said the team has yet to put together its best race.
"We're going to have to have a great race to go as a team this time," he said. "I hope that we can have a perfect meet."
As far as individuals on the men's team, Henry said a couple runners have a shot at qualifying, despite not being favorites.
Seniors Cameron Clarke and Nate Clem have been the top runners for UNM this year and will have their opportunity to make it to the big stage Saturday.
"We're always hoping Cameron can pick it up, and really Nate too would have a chance," he said.
Henry added that regardless of how his teams do this weekend, he is proud of what they have accomplished this season.
"Either way, we've done some really nice things this year and represented this University well," he said. "I'm proud of our New Mexico kids. I think they've done a great job for New Mexico."
