THE WEEKEND AHEAD: Cougs and Zags face first national test at Gans Creek Classic...
With the world track and field championships solidly in the rear view mirror, the focus can clearly go to the current collegiate cross country season.
The first big test of the season happens Friday as the University of Missouri hosts the Gans Creek Classic on the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri.
Both Washington State squads and the Gonzaga men's team will make the trip to Columbia, Missouri to test themselves against a host of nationally ranked teams, as they run in essentially the first of two regular season meets that Missouri will host before the NCAA championships on this course on November 22nd.
After a convincing win at their own Cougar Classic on September 12th, Washington State was one of the biggest movers in the USTFCCCA Division I coaches poll released on September 16th, moving from number 22 to number 18 in the men's poll.
The Cougars were led by the 1-2 finish from Evans Kurui (WSU Athletics photo) and Texas Tech transfer Solomon Kipchoge, as both went under the 8k course record of 22:47 set by Kurui at last year's meet.
Kurui crossed the line in 22:23, while Kipchoge was second in 22:33.
Kurui was named the USTFCCCA national D1 athlete of the week for his efforts.
The Cougs will face a field that includes 13 nationally ranked teams, including number 1 Iowa State, number 4 BYU, number 6 Virginia, number 7 Stanford, and number 9 Wake Forest.
Washington State, which finished third at last year's West Coast Conference championship meet, will also face both Gonzaga, and defending WCC champ Portland at Gans Creek as they get their first look at their conference opponents.
The WSU women, who received votes but finished outside the national top 30, will face nine nationally ranked teams in the Gans Creek field led by number 2 Oregon, number 5 Stanford, number 6 Alabama, and number 8 Northern Arizona.
The Cougar women will compete in the Gold 6k Race at 9 a.m. CT (7 a.m. PT), with the WSU and Gonzaga men following in the Men's Gold 8k Race at 9:45 a.m. CT (7:45 a.m. PT).
The link to live results is available here. The meet will be streamed on the SEC Network Plus ($), which is available on the ESPN App.
Eastern Washington, the only other Division I school in Washington in action, travels to Riverside, California for the UC Riverside Invitational Saturday.
Action begins with the women's 6k race at 7:15 am, and the men's 8k race at 7:50 am.
DIVISION II TEAMS ALL IN ACTION SATURDAY...
All four Washington Division II schools are in action Saturday, with Western Washington hosting the annual Bill Roe Invitiational at Hovander Homestead Park in Ferndale.
Racing gets underway at 10 am with the women's 6k, and the men's 8k at 11 am.
In the latest USTFCCCA D2 men's poll released Wednesday, Western Washington was ranked number 16 nationally, The Viking men are the only team ranked nationally in either poll.
The only team not going to the Bill Roe Invitational is Seattle Pacific, which is opting to run instead at the Mike Johnson Invitational in Monmouth, Oregon, hosted by Western Oregon on Saturday.
Live results links to either meets have not been posted as of yet.
NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Missouri, Washington State, Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington, along with the USTFCCCA contributed to this report.
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