Men's Cross Country | 11.09.2021
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Both Warrior Cross Country teams will race at the 2021 NAIA Cross Country National Championships in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 19, announced by the national office on Tuesday. The LC State men and women each earned at-large bids into the national meet, with the women making the trip for the 21
st straight season.
"We are obviously excited about our teams continuing the tradition of qualifying for nationals," Head Coach
Mike Collins said. "After conference, we were very confident that the men would get it, but the women were going to be borderline. Not sure I always understand what the raters are thinking with a team that is identical to last year that finished 13th, and to not have us in the top 20 is a little bit confusing. Regardless, my women now feel like they have something to prove. Not sure we are fully 100 percent yet, but we will go into this with nothing to lose. I know I received a few emails from alum about streaks ending, but not this year. 21 years in row for the women and we are grateful for the opportunity and will be doing our best to take advantage of it."
The LC State men took second at the Cascade Conference Championships, presented by U.S. Bank, on Friday, and retained their No. 12 national ranking in the final coaches poll. The Warrior women placed fourth as a team and earned one of the final at-large bids into the race.
College of Idaho earned the automatic bids on each side with victories at the conference championships. On the women's side, Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon earned at-large bids as well. Multnomah earned the host bid.
Bushnell earned the host bid on the men's side, with conference opponents Eastern Oregon, Northwest, Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon also clinched at-large berths.
The races will take place on the grounds of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site on Nov. 19. A full preview of the meet will be available next week.
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