Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, November 1
Colorado Springs, CO / Eisenhower Golf Course
Women 10 a.m. / Men 10:45 a.m.
Colorado State
at
Mountain West Championships
Rams Post Pair of Top-Three Finishes
11/1/2024 12:54:00 PM | Cross Country
Six runners earn All-Mountain West honors
They call it championship season for a reason. For the drive it requires, the expectations it carries.
The individuals which comprise Colorado State's cross country teams run for themselves only in regard to what it means for the team. Stick together, support each other, pack it up and reel in the opposition at the end.
Both the men and women hit the mark on Friday at the Mountain West Cross Country Championships, held at the Eisenhower Golf Course at the Air Force Academy, the men beating a couple of top-20 team on the way to a runner-up finish, the women placing third, each team producing a first-team all-conference performer and two on the second team.
"We talked about the race plan last night. It was get out in our spots, kinda stay there and then Rams always close hard," CSU coach Kelly Hart said. "That's what we do. For the guys the last little loop and the women the last full loop, you want to be passing as many people and that's when we're going to flip teams is in the last 2K of the race. I was so proud to see them execute that today."
The men did what the women did prior to them with a bit more flash. To finish second, they passed Wyoming at the tail end of the race, placing them higher than a pair of top-20 teams in Utah State (No. 19) and Wyoming (No. 20).
The Rams did it by placing all five scorers in the top 24 and having Lars Mitchel, Cory Kennedy and Sam Griffith combine to pass five competitors down the stretch. It wasn't until Chris Henry crossed the line when the team score flipped.
"We were looking at today if we can get in front of one of them, or even right behind both and run it close, we're happy about it," Michael Mooney said. "We come out and her get in front of both of them, so it's really exciting. It's like a big upset. It's nice knowing we can be right there with them."
Mooney, who missed last season with an injury, earned first-team All-Mountain honors with his seventh-place showing in 24:28.6, Mitchell was right behind him in eighth (24:31.0), and Kennedy placed 10th (24:35.3), the latter two earning second-team recognition.
Both Mooney and Mitchel talked of the validation it produced, all the miles, all the faith in the plan, even when regular-season results were falling short. Before the race, Mitchel reminded his teammates of what was important to the program.
"Today, getting in our team huddle right before the race, I talked about all the sacrifices and good choices you made to get to this point, so let's show off all those sacrifices in the race," he said. "I was telling them I don't care how our legs are feeling or whatnot, what you'll always regret is not making the decision to run with teammates. Make that conscious effort find each other and make the choice."
The same formula the women performed prior.
Their finish came with a late surge in the final 1.2K, with four of the five scorers moving up at least two spots, the fifth staying put. McConnell (20:43.7) jumped two spots in the final leg to close seventh and earn her first-team all-conference spot, while Anna Petr (20:46.6) finished right behind her to land on the second team. Kensey May (21:12.7) closed out the second-team finishers with her 14th-place finish, passing four runners along the way.​
Allison Pippert (19th) advanced two spots, as did Kenya Dennee and Madison King (32nd and 33rd, respectively). The rush led to Colorado State leapfrogging Air Force in the team standings for third with 79 points, the Falcons fourth with 84.
For the front two, it was basically a practice plan on a bigger stage. McConnell knows Petr will get out quicker – she always does. Then she catches up.
"We work out together every day, so we're used to running together," Petr said. "As soon as Quinn gets up to me in a race, I feel a lot better. It's, 'Ok, I'm doing this right, were in the same place.' She gets me through the tough middle parts, and in the end, we both just go for it."
Naturally gassed as they cross the line, their eyes soon turn back to the finish, using whatever air remains in their lungs to prod on the rest of the squad. What they witnessed was what they expected.
Teammates sprinting to the end, collapsing at the finish.
"We always talk about the race isn't over until it's over, and the Rams are sort of known for kicking really hard and closing well the last half mile or so," McConnell said. "We wanted to keep on that theme and know we can catch as many people as possible, and the guys did that amazingly. That's what we try to do every race."
Both teams will now carry a little extra juice forward with the NCAA Mountain Regional two weeks away in Reno, Nev. The results were more than encouraging, they proved a point. Even Mitchel, who before the season quipped Hart's Notre Dame education wasn't worth much, had to admit she had the right plan in place all along.
Something she will remind him of, too.
"That's something we talked about all season, was being a team that was ready when it mattered, and that was championship season. We wanted to compete well early in the season, but really set ourselves up well when we got to conference and regionals to really be the team we knew we could be," Hart said. "That's exactly what happened today, so I'm super excited for the momentum we will take into regionals."
Because they are Rams, and the season is upon them.
The individuals which comprise Colorado State's cross country teams run for themselves only in regard to what it means for the team. Stick together, support each other, pack it up and reel in the opposition at the end.
Both the men and women hit the mark on Friday at the Mountain West Cross Country Championships, held at the Eisenhower Golf Course at the Air Force Academy, the men beating a couple of top-20 team on the way to a runner-up finish, the women placing third, each team producing a first-team all-conference performer and two on the second team.
"We talked about the race plan last night. It was get out in our spots, kinda stay there and then Rams always close hard," CSU coach Kelly Hart said. "That's what we do. For the guys the last little loop and the women the last full loop, you want to be passing as many people and that's when we're going to flip teams is in the last 2K of the race. I was so proud to see them execute that today."
The men did what the women did prior to them with a bit more flash. To finish second, they passed Wyoming at the tail end of the race, placing them higher than a pair of top-20 teams in Utah State (No. 19) and Wyoming (No. 20).
The Rams did it by placing all five scorers in the top 24 and having Lars Mitchel, Cory Kennedy and Sam Griffith combine to pass five competitors down the stretch. It wasn't until Chris Henry crossed the line when the team score flipped.
"We were looking at today if we can get in front of one of them, or even right behind both and run it close, we're happy about it," Michael Mooney said. "We come out and her get in front of both of them, so it's really exciting. It's like a big upset. It's nice knowing we can be right there with them."
Mooney, who missed last season with an injury, earned first-team All-Mountain honors with his seventh-place showing in 24:28.6, Mitchell was right behind him in eighth (24:31.0), and Kennedy placed 10th (24:35.3), the latter two earning second-team recognition.
Both Mooney and Mitchel talked of the validation it produced, all the miles, all the faith in the plan, even when regular-season results were falling short. Before the race, Mitchel reminded his teammates of what was important to the program.
"Today, getting in our team huddle right before the race, I talked about all the sacrifices and good choices you made to get to this point, so let's show off all those sacrifices in the race," he said. "I was telling them I don't care how our legs are feeling or whatnot, what you'll always regret is not making the decision to run with teammates. Make that conscious effort find each other and make the choice."
The same formula the women performed prior.
Their finish came with a late surge in the final 1.2K, with four of the five scorers moving up at least two spots, the fifth staying put. McConnell (20:43.7) jumped two spots in the final leg to close seventh and earn her first-team all-conference spot, while Anna Petr (20:46.6) finished right behind her to land on the second team. Kensey May (21:12.7) closed out the second-team finishers with her 14th-place finish, passing four runners along the way.​
Allison Pippert (19th) advanced two spots, as did Kenya Dennee and Madison King (32nd and 33rd, respectively). The rush led to Colorado State leapfrogging Air Force in the team standings for third with 79 points, the Falcons fourth with 84.
For the front two, it was basically a practice plan on a bigger stage. McConnell knows Petr will get out quicker – she always does. Then she catches up.
"We work out together every day, so we're used to running together," Petr said. "As soon as Quinn gets up to me in a race, I feel a lot better. It's, 'Ok, I'm doing this right, were in the same place.' She gets me through the tough middle parts, and in the end, we both just go for it."
Naturally gassed as they cross the line, their eyes soon turn back to the finish, using whatever air remains in their lungs to prod on the rest of the squad. What they witnessed was what they expected.
Teammates sprinting to the end, collapsing at the finish.
"We always talk about the race isn't over until it's over, and the Rams are sort of known for kicking really hard and closing well the last half mile or so," McConnell said. "We wanted to keep on that theme and know we can catch as many people as possible, and the guys did that amazingly. That's what we try to do every race."
Both teams will now carry a little extra juice forward with the NCAA Mountain Regional two weeks away in Reno, Nev. The results were more than encouraging, they proved a point. Even Mitchel, who before the season quipped Hart's Notre Dame education wasn't worth much, had to admit she had the right plan in place all along.
Something she will remind him of, too.
"That's something we talked about all season, was being a team that was ready when it mattered, and that was championship season. We wanted to compete well early in the season, but really set ourselves up well when we got to conference and regionals to really be the team we knew we could be," Hart said. "That's exactly what happened today, so I'm super excited for the momentum we will take into regionals."
Because they are Rams, and the season is upon them.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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