Rams host CSU Duals to open 2017 cross country season

CSU Duals
Friday, Sept. 1
College Women's 5k | 6 p.m. MT
College Men's 5k | 6:30 p.m. MT
Hughes Stadium Cross Country Course | Fort Collins, Colo.
Coverage: Meet Information | Twitter

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Colorado State cross country team is set to open the 2017 season this Friday, as the Rams host the CSU Duals from the Hughes Stadium cross country course.

Friday's meet includes high school and college competition, with the college women's 5k set for 6 p.m. MT and the college men's 5k slated for 6:30 p.m. MT. High school JV competition will open the meet at 4 p.m. MT, while the high school varsity races are scheduled for 4:45 p.m. MT.

Among the Division I teams Colorado State will host this Friday are Air Force (No. 29 women's, RV- men's), Colorado (No. 1 women's, No. 5 men's), Northern Colorado and Wyoming. Division II competition will include Colorado Mesa, CSU-Pueblo, Metro State and Western State. CSU's men's team enters Friday's action ranked 18th nationally by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA), marking the program's highest preseason ranking in 15 years.

"Having a home meet is exciting, and it's always fun to run in front of the home fans," Colorado State cross country head coach Art Siemers said. "Hughes Stadium is a unique venue because of the challenging terrain, dirt and roads, but our runners love to compete in front of our friends, family and fans. It's shorter than we typically run, but that's probably a good thing, especially because of the projected heat on Friday. The distance will be good to get the rust off and get us ready for our big meet at the Griak (Roy Griak Invitational), our first meet that counts towards qualifying."

CSU's men's team returns the bulk of its experience from its 2016 roster, which recorded the program's best national finish (No. 17) in cross country since 2003. Among the returners for the USTFCCCA's 18th-ranked Rams are three All-Americans, including seniors Jerrell Mock (2017 outdoor, 2017 indoor, 2016 indoor, 2015 cross country) and Grant Fischer (2017 outdoor, 2017 indoor) as well as junior Cole Rockhold (honorable mention – 2017 outdoor; 2017 indoor). Eric Hamer (15th place at MW Championships) and Carson Hume (16th place), who also return in 2017, were near All-Mountain West performers in cross country last season.

"It's exciting to get our season started, especially with how much work our team put in," Siemers said. "We have some new athletes and some athletes that have been here for the past few years that got to the next level in their training and are ready to make a big jump this year. We've got some new blood in our top five and top seven this year and that's important for our program moving forward. Our team will show a lot about the direction it will go after this race, so it's important for us."

Among the top returners for Colorado State's women is senior Darby Gilfillan, who has competed at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in each of the past two seasons. The Denver native is the first Ram to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships in back-to-back seasons since Ellie Rastall in 2008-09. Also returning for the Rams' women are a pair of All-Mountain West performers Macy Kreutz (800 meters, 4x400-meter relay) and McKenna Spillar (10,000 meters).

"We have eight women that have conference experience," Siemers said. "That's a good amount of experience for us, and we think that's a really good nucleus to build around and make that push for the NCAA Championships this year. It'll be exciting to see all of them racing and seeing how close we can get to the 'big dogs.'"

Final results and a full recap will be posted on CSURams.com as soon as each are available after Friday's meet.

Rams Open Season With Highest Preseason Ranking Since 2002
- The Colorado State men's cross country's team enters this season ranked as the No. 18 team in the nation by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA). The organization's NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Preseason National Coaches' Poll was released on Tuesday, Aug. 29.
- No. 18 is the second-highest preseason ranking the Rams' men have ever received from the USTFCCCA, and their highest preseason position since 2002. CSU's men finished 17th nationally in 2016, the program's top final ranking since 2003.
- Colorado State cross country has been ranked in the preseason in each year dating back to 2014 under sixth-year head cross country coach Art Siemers.
- CSU enters 2017 as the highest-ranked men's cross country team in the Mountain West, topping Boise State (No. 24) and Air Force (receiving votes).

Rams' Men Ranked in Top Five Regionally, Women Ranked Seventh in Region
- Colorado State's men's cross country team begins the 2017 season ranked in the top five in the highly competitive Mountain Region. CSU places only behind preseason No. 1 Northern Arizona, No. 5 Colorado, No. 6 BYU and No. 15 Southern Utah.
- CSU's men placed fourth in the 2016 Mountain Regional to reach the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2016. The Rams toppled then-No. 15 UTEP in the regional, and placed behind the nation's top three teams at the time (No. 1 Northern Arizona, No. 2 Colorado, No. 3 BYU).
- CSU's women's squad was tabbed the preseason No. 7 team in the Mountain Region entering 2017. The Rams' women placed sixth in their region one year ago, as then-senior Janelle Lincks and 2017 senior Darby Gilfillan earned All-Region honors en route to the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Rams Set to be Competitive in the Mountain West
- One year removed from a runner-up Mountain West finish on the men's side and a fourth-place conference finish on the women's side, the Rams look to be in the mix for the league crown once again. The Rams return nearly their full cross country squads on each side.
- The Rams return three All-Mountain West performers from the 2016 conference meet, including 2016 runner-up and 2015 MW champion Jerrell Mock, as well as Grant Fischer and Cole Rockhold. Eric Hamer (15th place) and Carson Hume (16th place), who took the next two positions outside of All-Mountain West honors (top 14), also return for 2017. No other team returns as many athletes that finished in the top 16 (five for CSU) at the 2016 conference meet.
- The Rams' women return three of their top four finishers from the 2016 conference meet: Ali Kallner, McKenna Spillar and Kate White. Darby Gilfillan, a two-time NCAA Cross Country Championships participant, also returns for her senior season.

Trio of All-Americans Highlight Returners for Rams' Men
- Among the returners for Colorado State men's cross country in 2017 are three athletes that have earned an All-America honor during cross country or track & field: Jerrell Mock, Grant Fischer and Cole Rockhold.
- Mock has been a consistent low stick for the Rams in each of the past two cross country seasons, finishing as the Rams' No. 1 runner in each meet in 2016 and as an All-American in 2015. Among Mock's most notable cross country finishes are individual victories at the 2016 Roy Griak Invitational and 2015 Mountain West Championships, as well as a runner-up finish at the 2016 conference meet and a 19th-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
- Fischer emerged as a consistent No. 2 runner for the Rams during the 2016 cross country season, earning All-Region and All-Mountain West honors. Fischer carried that over to the 2017 indoor and outdoor track & field seasons, earning All-America honors in the indoor 5,000 meters and in the 10,000 meters.
- Rockhold was an All-Mountain West performer for the 2016 cross country season, placing 13th at last year's conference meet. During 2016-17, Rockhold went on to add an individual MW title in the 3,000 meters before earning First-Team All-America honors in the event at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and Honorable Mention All-America honors in the outdoor 5,000 meters.

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