Cougar track heads to Arkansas, while Gonzaga, Eastern & WSU cross country competes this weekend...

It's good to have a near full slate of meets this weekend for Washington's NCAA Division I schools!

While both Seattle University and the University of Washington were both in action earlier in the week (SeattleU on Sunday in Portland, and the UW Monday in Las Vegas), the three remaining Division I schools are competing Friday and Saturday.

COUGS HEAD TO ARKANSAS FRIDAY...

Fresh off competing at last weekend's UW Indoor Preview in Seattle, the Washington State Cougars head to Fayetteville, Arkansas to race at the Arkansas Qualifier at the Randal Tyson Track Complex, hosted by the University of Arkansas.

The Cougars are sending at least 10 men and 10 women down to Fayetteville, primarily from their sprints, jumps, and hurdles group.

Washington State will be led by hurdlers Sam Brixey & Nick Johnson (photo by Howard Lao via WSU Athletics).

Brixey, an indoor All-American last season, goes into the meet as the number 5 hurdler in NCAA Division I, while Johnson, a NCAA outdoor qualifier in the event, is currently ranked number 50.

Distance runners Colton Johnsen and Zach Stallings are currently ranked number 8 and 18 in the men's 3000 on the current performance list heading into the weekend.

Charisma Taylor leads the Cougs into Arkansas, as the 2020 indoor All-American is entered in the 60 hurdles and the triple jump. Taylor won the hurdles last weekend in Seattle and is ranked number 28 in that event at 8.35. The Bahamian, who qualified for the indoor nationals last year in the triple jump, makes her season debut in that event.

The meet gets underway at noon, Pacific. ESPN+ is offering streaming coverage of the meet.

Start lists for the Arkansas Qualifier are available here.

GONZAGA, EASTERN WASHINGTON & WSU CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS IN ACTION FRIDAY & SATURDAY...

The Gonzaga women's cross country team opens up the delayed 2020 season Friday morning at the Oregon XC Invitational, hosted by the University of Oregon on the campus of Lane Community College at 10 am.

Gonzaga will see West Coast Conference rivals Portland and San Francisco, along with Oregon State, and the host Ducks.

The Zags will field a team of twelve women in the 5k race, led by junior transfer Kristen Garcia from Sedro Wooley. Garcia ran for the University of Wisconsin, where she ran for the Badgers at the 2018 NCAA championship meet on their home course. Garcia was a member of the USA junior team that ran at the 2017 world cross country championships in Kampala, Uganda.

The link to live results are available here.

Meanwhile, Eastern Washington will field both a men's and women's teams, and Washington State will run their women's team at the Idaho Orchards Cross Country Invitational Saturday in Lewiston, Idaho, hosted by the University of Idaho.

The Eagles will be led by Carter Ledwith on the men's side, and Kaylin Sheley on the women's side. Both are to top returning finishers from last year's Big Sky cross country championship meet.

"We're all eager to compete again," said Eagle cross country coach Sam Read. "It feels like we have been away forever, especially as a group that usually competes year-round. We're very thankful and excited just to have this opportunity."

Washington State will line up eleven women, led by Zorana Grujic, who was their top finisher at the 2019 Pac-12s in Monmouth, Oregon, as well as the NCAA West Regionals in Colfax.

In addition to Eastern Washington, Washington State, and host Idaho, the University of Montana will have both men's and women's teams competing.

The women's 5k race Saturday gets underway at 1 pm, while the men's 8k starts at 1:45 pm. Results will be posted afterwards on the University of Idaho athletics web site.

GONZAGA MEN MISSING THIS WEEKEND...

One team notably missing from competition this weekend is the Gonzaga men's team, which started the season ranked number 30 in the USTFCCCA pre-season poll.

The Zags were originally planning to run in Eugene at the Oregon XC Invitational Friday, with some of their younger runners heading to Lewiston.

However, according to Gonzaga director of track and cross country Pat Tyson, the men's team was put on pause, because two members of the program tested positive for Covid-19.

While Tyson expressed disappointment in a text to publisher Paul Merca, he said that the team is expected to resume training as a group next week.

NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Arkansas, Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, and Washington State contributed to this report.

paulmerca.blogspot.com may receive a commission for any purchases made from links clicked. Please support our sponsors by clicking on the links.