USAFA, Colo. -Nevada Men's and Women's Cross Country wrapped up action at the 2024 Mountain West Cross Country Championships on the Eisenhower Golf Course at the United States Air Force Academy, Friday. Both the Wolf Pack men's and women's teams finished seventh.

In the women's standings, the Pack finished ahead of 11th-place UNLV, earning Nevada three Silver State Series points.

After his final Mountain West Conference Championship, Head Coach Kirk Elias said "I truly appreciate the effort from everyone today and all season long, the women's race went as the women's races have been going all season, we had a few people have really good races and we had a few who were off who couldn't perform how they wanted to, that's been the story of the season. The men had good races individually within the team, one or two didn't have the day they wanted."

For the second-straight year, Claire Nelson and Daniel Sayo led their respective Wolf Pack contingents. Nelson, after a 37th-place finish a year ago, took 34th Friday in a time of 22:03.8 with teammate Natalia Martino nearly side-by-side, finishing 35th, just one-tenth of a second behind Nelson at 22:03.9. Sayo turned in a second-straight top-25 performance at the championship meet, finishing 25th with a time of 25:23.2, with teammate Tryon Jardin in 26th, just two seconds back at 25:25.4.

Nelson stayed within the top 40 for much of the race, moving as high as 31st with two kilometers remaining in the race. It was Martino who made an impressive kick to gain the Wolf Pack valuable points, moving from outside the top 50 into 40th by the four-kilometer mark, and gaining five more spots by the finish to boost Nevada's standing.

Marina Renna (48th, 22:32.5) and Paulina Hultberg (50th, 22:43.9) gave the Pack two more top-50 finishes in the women's race, with Ashley Boone, as the team's fifth scorer, coming just outside the top 50, in 51st with a time of 22:52.8.

Rounding out the rest of the Pack women's contingent were 59. Aubrey Thompson (59th, 23:23.8), Madelyn Shipman (62nd, 23:34.6), Skylar Bennett (67th, 24:08.7), Hannah Lee (69th, 24:13.7), and Natalie Roberts (70th, 24:19.7).

In the men's race, Sayo gained nine spots with a strong second half of the course, rising from 34th at the halfway point all the way to 29th with just over a kilometer to go. Jardin, meanwhile, stay entrenched in the top-25 for much of the race, and held firm by the finish for his place in 26th.

The men also had four top-50 finishes, with Soma Baligad (46th, 26:12.3) and Jaedyn Chase (48th, 26:24.5) inside the mark, and Celime Garcia (51st, 26:39.8) just outside.

Additional finishers for the Wolf Pack men included Dillon Walker (55th, 27:12.4), Pierce Simpkins (56th, 27:16.3), Sergio Mazon (58th, 27:43.8), Eddie Yunker (60th, 27:48.1), and Austin Key (61st, 28:12.6).

Coach Elias added, "we have a chance to come back in two weeks and put on a good show at the regional championships and I trust well be ready for that. 

New Mexico swept the team and individual titles at the event. The Lobo women captured the conference title with 32 points, while the men scored 15 to top the field. Pamela Kosgei captured the women's race in 19:36.2, while Habtom Samuel took the men's title in 23:20.7.

Nevada will return home to prepare for the NCAA Mountain Regional, set for Washoe Golf Course in Reno Friday, Nov. 15.

Mountain West Championships Team Results

Women
1. New Mexico - 32
2. Boise State - 54
3. Colorado State - 79
4. Air Force - 84
5. Wyoming - 103
6. Utah State - 176
7. Nevada - 199
8. Fresno State - 255
9. San Diego State - 289
10. San José State - 309
11. UNLV - 315

Men
1. New Mexico - 15
2. Colorado State - 70
3. Wyoming - 80
4. Boise State - 85
5. Air Force - 127
6. Utah State - 137
7. Nevada - 183
8. San José State - 263
9. Fresno State - 276

Nevada Results

Women 6K

34. Claire Nelson - 22:03.8
35. Natalia Martino - 22:03.9
48. Marina Renna - 22:32.5
50. Paulina Hultberg - 22:43.9
51. Ashley Boone - 22:52.8
59. Aubrey Thompson - 23:23.8
62. Madelyn Shipman - 23:34.6
67. Skylar Bennett - 24:08.7
69. Hannah Lee - 24:13.7
70. Natalie Roberts - 24:19.7

Men 8K
25. Daniel Sayo - 25:23.2
26. Tryon Jardin - 25:25.4
46. Soma Baligad - 26:12.3
48. Jaedyn Chase - 26:24.5
51. Celime Garcia - 26:39.8
55. Dillon Walker - 27:12.4
56. Pierce Simpkins - 27:16.3
58. Sergio Mazon - 27:43.8
60. Eddie Yunker - 27:48.1
61. Austin Key - 28:12.6