Griz cross country wraps up 2023 season

Friday, November 10

Lubbock, Texas

9 AM (MT)

Montana

NCAA Mountain Region Championships

Griz Cross Country races during a cross country meet at the University of Montana Golf Course in Missoula, Montana on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/ University of Montana

11/10/2023 11:26:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana cross country teams wrapped up the 2023 season at the NCAA Mountain Regional in Lubbock, Texas on Friday morning. The Grizzlies finished 17^th on the men's side and 20^th in the women's competition against a loaded field of runners.

Maxwell Scott had the highest finish of the day by a Grizzly. He finished 61^st overall in the men's race with a time of 30:37.2. He started out slow but grew into the race, improving from 90^th place at the first mile check in to rise as high as 52^nd at the four-mile check in. It's the highest finish by a male Grizzly since 2017.

The Grizzlies had good performances from a pair of young runners in sophomore Lane Cole and Cooper Morris, along with freshman Carson Steckelberg.

Cole, a sophomore from Hamilton, excelled in his first-ever collegiate race at the 10K distance. He broke into the top 100 during the final 3,000 meters of the race to finish second on Montana's team and 97^th overall. It's his highest finish of the season.

Morris finished third for Montana and 98^th overall. Steckelberg came in at 100^th with a time of 31:53.1.

"On the guys side we had some young guys that stepped up well," head coach Doug Fraley said. "Lane Cole and Carson Steckelberg ran really well for their first ever 10K's in cross country. I thought that was good to see out of them as freshmen and sophomores."

Nathan Carter and Rogelio Mares finished 109^th and 112^th in their final cross country races. Freshman Truman Thompson was 119^th overall.

Montana's women finished 20^th in the race and were led by a familiar trio. Jade Hallgrimson had the top finish for the Grizzlies, cracking the top 100 in the race with a time of 21:58.0 in the longer 6K distance. It's the fourth time that Hallgrimson has led Montana this year, and also improves on her best 6K time set earlier this year at the Dellinger Invitational in Oregon.

Jaylyn Hallgrimson and Iris McKean ran second and third for the Grizzlies, respectively.

"Our leaders that had been our top people all year," Fraley said. "Max on the men's side and Jade, Jaylyn, and Iris on the women's side, they did what they've pretty much done all year. They ran good, solid races today. We got good production out of our veteran leaders."

Senior Bridget Boyle had not only the best race of her season but also the best 6K of her career. She finished fourth for Montana, the highest finish on the year, with a career-best time of 23:13.1 to place 124^th overall.

A pair of freshmen running in their first career races at this distance rounded out the results for Montana. Layne Lathrop finished fifth on Montana and 129^th overall in a time of 23:51.1. Kaden Leverenz placed 130^th in the field with a time of 24:03.9.

The Northern Arizona men won the meet with a score of 36. They were one of five nationally ranked teams in the field. No. 3 BYU finished second, while No. 19 New Mexico ended in third.
The women's race featured five nationally ranked teams in a loaded field on the course in Lubbock. The No. 1 Northern Arizona women backed up their Big Sky title with a win at the regional meet. They were followed by No. 3 BYU with 59 points.

Montana had three seniors on both the men's and women's side run their final cross country races in Grizzly uniforms on Friday morning.

"This was the last cross country race for Jade, Jaylyn, and Bridget on the women's side, and then Max, Rogelio, and Nathan on the men's side, and I want to thank those kids for their contributions to our program since they've been here," Fraley said.

Montana Women's Finish
1. Jade Hallgrimson (95^th, 21:58.0*)
2. Jaylyn Hallgrimson (110^th, 22:32.8)
3. Iris McKean (113^th, 22:38.8)
4. Bridget Boyle (124^th, 23:13.1*)
5. Layne Lathrop (129^th, 23:51.1)
6. Kaden Leverenz (130^th, 24:03.9)

Montana Men's Finish
1. Maxwell Scott (61^st, 30:37.2*)
2. Lane Cole (97^th, 31:47.3)
3. Cooper Morris (98^th, 31:50.7)
4. Carson Steckelberg (100^th, 31:53.1)
5. Nathan Carter (109^th, 32:23.0)
6. Rogelio Mares (112^th, 32:33.1)
7. Truman Thompson (119^th, 33:21.9)

*denotes career-best time