Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, September 2
Cheyenne, WY
Women 9:00a / Men 9:30a
Colorado State
at
Wyoming Invite
Rams Start Season at Wyoming Invite
9/1/2023 5:11:00 PM | Cross Country
Colorado State will begin a familiar 2023 schedule this weekend in Cheyenne
FORT COLLINS – Time for the first test of the season. Colorado State cross country teams will head north for the Wyoming Invite this coming weekend, running Saturday morning at the Little American Golf Course in Cheyenne, Wyo.
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Date: Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023
Location: Little America Golf Course | Cheyenne, Wyo.
Course Map
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WYOMING INVITE RACE SCHEDULE
Women's 5K // 9:00 AM
Men's 5K // 9:30 AM
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TEAMS RUNNING
Wyoming, Texas Tech, Northern Colorado, South Dakota School of Mines, Chadron, Central Wyoming CC, Colorado Mountain College
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NEW STAFF (KIND OF)
Heading into the 2023 season, the Colorado State cross country team will have a new boss, but not entirely new. Kelly Hart was promoted to head coach during the offseason after spending the 2022 season as an assistant coach. John Elders also joined the staff during the offseason – a 33-year veteran in the sport, spending more than three decades at Cal State Fullerton.
NEW SEASON, SAME SCHEDULE
It's not a mistake. It's deliberate. The 2023 Colorado State cross country schedule is an exact replica of the 2022 schedule. Event for event, with one slight date alteration.
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"When designing our cross country schedule, we look for meets that have challenging courses, which allows us to compete against some of the best teams in the country," said first-year head coach Kelly Hart. "Our schedule this year is very similar to last season, as we felt like those meets prepared us well for the conference and national championship."
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The season will feature four races during the months of September and October before the Mountain West Championship set for October 27th in Idaho. From there the Rams will look to make a mark at the Mountain Region Championship in Lubbock, Texas in the beginning of November before the NCAA Championships in Charlottesville, Va., a week later.
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PRESEASON FAVORITE
The Colorado State women's cross country team was tabbed as the favorite to win the Mountain West as voted by the coaches. The men's squad was voted to finish second. Both teams had a career meet at the Mountain West Championships in 2022 with eight personal record set on the women's side and three on the men. Both squads finished in second place.
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NATIONALY RANKED
In the preseason rankings by the USTFCCCA, the Colorado State women debut at No. 26. The Rams are the one-of-two Mountain West schools ranked in the poll (New Mexico) and one-of-six in the Mountain Region.
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REGIONAL RANKINGS
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its preseason edition of the regional rankings earlier this week, voting the Colorado State women's squad No. 5 and men's team No. 7. Coming off a 2022 season where both the men and women teams reached the NCAA Championship for the first time in 18 years, both teams were voted lower than the final regional poll of the season – women finished fourth and men at sixth.
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NEW AND OLD FACES
The Rams returned 18 runners from last season, 10 on the men's side and nine on the men. The squads also return four All-Mountain West runners. The program also welcomed 16 newcomers with five freshman and three transfers on the women's team and seven freshmen with one transfer on the men.
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UP NEXT
Following this weekend, Colorado State will have a few weeks to train before heading to the famous Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 22 in Minneapolis, Minn.
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Date: Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023
Location: Little America Golf Course | Cheyenne, Wyo.
Course Map
Â
WYOMING INVITE RACE SCHEDULE
Women's 5K // 9:00 AM
Men's 5K // 9:30 AM
Â
TEAMS RUNNING
Wyoming, Texas Tech, Northern Colorado, South Dakota School of Mines, Chadron, Central Wyoming CC, Colorado Mountain College
Â
NEW STAFF (KIND OF)
Heading into the 2023 season, the Colorado State cross country team will have a new boss, but not entirely new. Kelly Hart was promoted to head coach during the offseason after spending the 2022 season as an assistant coach. John Elders also joined the staff during the offseason – a 33-year veteran in the sport, spending more than three decades at Cal State Fullerton.
NEW SEASON, SAME SCHEDULE
It's not a mistake. It's deliberate. The 2023 Colorado State cross country schedule is an exact replica of the 2022 schedule. Event for event, with one slight date alteration.
Â
"When designing our cross country schedule, we look for meets that have challenging courses, which allows us to compete against some of the best teams in the country," said first-year head coach Kelly Hart. "Our schedule this year is very similar to last season, as we felt like those meets prepared us well for the conference and national championship."
Â
The season will feature four races during the months of September and October before the Mountain West Championship set for October 27th in Idaho. From there the Rams will look to make a mark at the Mountain Region Championship in Lubbock, Texas in the beginning of November before the NCAA Championships in Charlottesville, Va., a week later.
Â
PRESEASON FAVORITE
The Colorado State women's cross country team was tabbed as the favorite to win the Mountain West as voted by the coaches. The men's squad was voted to finish second. Both teams had a career meet at the Mountain West Championships in 2022 with eight personal record set on the women's side and three on the men. Both squads finished in second place.
Â
NATIONALY RANKED
In the preseason rankings by the USTFCCCA, the Colorado State women debut at No. 26. The Rams are the one-of-two Mountain West schools ranked in the poll (New Mexico) and one-of-six in the Mountain Region.
Â
REGIONAL RANKINGS
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its preseason edition of the regional rankings earlier this week, voting the Colorado State women's squad No. 5 and men's team No. 7. Coming off a 2022 season where both the men and women teams reached the NCAA Championship for the first time in 18 years, both teams were voted lower than the final regional poll of the season – women finished fourth and men at sixth.
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NEW AND OLD FACES
The Rams returned 18 runners from last season, 10 on the men's side and nine on the men. The squads also return four All-Mountain West runners. The program also welcomed 16 newcomers with five freshman and three transfers on the women's team and seven freshmen with one transfer on the men.
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UP NEXT
Following this weekend, Colorado State will have a few weeks to train before heading to the famous Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 22 in Minneapolis, Minn.
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