RENO, Nev. - The University of Nevada cross country team will travel to Moscow, Idaho for the Western Athletic Conference Championship Saturday at Virgil Phillips Farm County Park. The meet is hosted by Idaho.
The women's 5,000-meter race will start at 10 a.m. Runners from each of the conference's nine teams - Boise State, Fresno State, Hawai'i, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Utah State - will attend the race.
"It's going to be hilly, and, from the weather report, it's going to be muddy," said head coach Kirk Elias. "It's going to be a wild meet, I think. I suspect it'll be one of those races that the athletes talk about for years."
The Wolf Pack took third at the 2009 WAC Championship. Junior Jordan Burke (Auburn, Calif.) finished first for Nevada and placed fifth overall. Janet Martinez (Sr., Whittier, Calif.), Samantha Diaz (So., Shingle Springs, Calif.) and Katarina Ratkowiak (So., Yucca Valley, Calif.) also turned in strong performances for the Wolf Pack at the 2009 meet.
"We finished third last year, and we're seeded sixth this year, but I'd like to think we'll finish above that," Elias said.
Nevada enters the WAC Championship after scoring three runners in the top 75 at the Bronco Invitational Oct. 16. Sophomore Samantha Diaz took the fifth place spot to lead the Wolf Pack. Redshirt junior Jenifer McEntire (Fresno, Calif.) led the Wolf Pack to a second place team finish at the Nevada Chase Race Oct. 2 with her fifth place individual finish. McEntire also led Nevada at the Sundodger Invitational Sept. 15 with her 15th place overall finish. Diaz finished second overall to lead the Pack to a third place team finish at the Twilight Meet Sept. 3.
