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Cross Country Season Preview

Season Preview: 2025 Cross Country

9/5/2025 10:32:00 AM

By: Angela Roberts, Associate AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – The nationally ranked Fort Lewis College cross country teams have risen to the occasion in the past two seasons, making a name for themselves at the highest level, and the expectations are higher than ever heading into the 2025 season.

Looking Back
The women's team capped off the season at the NCAA Championships where they placed 20th for the second consecutive season. Hannah Hartwell highlighted the effort with a fifth place finish in the field of 261 student-athletes and earning First Team All-American honors. Althea Griffith placed 180th, and Marisol Castilleja came in 182nd place—both knocked off nearly 30 runners to earn their finishes.

On the men's side, Elijah Smith represented the Skyhawks at the NCAA Championships where he placed 49th. Smith will use a redshirt this season. The team returns All-Region and All-Conference honoree in Cebastian Marquez, as well as Caden Resendez (All-RMAC) and Brady Burrough who both competed at the regional meet.

Nationally Ranked Out of the Gate
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its preseason national rankings on Wednesday, and both Fort Lewis programs are represented in the top-30 list. The Skyhawks women were featured as the No. 15-ranked program entering the opening weekend of the season, while the men's team sits at No. 28.

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), once again, is heavily featured in the ranks on the men's and women's sides. The women's ranking opens with seven RMAC programs in the mix—most of any conference. Adams State ranks first, followed by Mines (#4), CSU Pueblo (#6), UCCS (#7), and Western Colorado (#10). Fort Lewis picks up at No. 15, followed by Colorado Mesa (#20) and Colorado Christian (RV).

There are six RMAC men's programs in the national ranks, led by Mines at No. 2 following its national championship in 2024. Adams State (#3), Western Colorado (#5), and Colorado Christian (#9) round out the top 10. UCCS comes in at No. 14, and Fort Lewis is the final league member represented at No. 28.

Saturday in Alamosa
The Skyhawks will spend the season-opening weekend in Alamosa at the Joe I. Vigil Open, hosted by Adams State University. Named after world-renowned coach and educator, Dr. Joe Vigil, this year will mark the 32nd year of his namesake race. Vigil was a longtime coach at Adams State where he built the program into a national powerhouse.

The men's 8k begins at 8:35 a.m., followed by the women's 5k at 9:10 a.m. The course is mostly grass with a combination of hard-packed cart path dirt. Splits will be given at every mile, and live timing can be found HERE.

Looking Ahead
Fort Lewis competed a compact schedule with three meets leading up to the championship segment of their season. After Saturday's meet, the Skyhawks will head to Denver for the Roadrunners Invitational (Sept. 20). Then the teams travel to Romeoville, Illinois for the prestigious Lewis Crossover Invitational which traditionally boasts numerous nationally ranked programs.

All of that leads into the RMAC Championships on October 25 at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs. Teams will advance to the South Central Regional in Pueblo on November 8 and learn their fate for the NCAA Championships on November 22 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
 
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