Seven Utah State Aggies earned all-conference accolades at the first cross country championships of the new Pac-12 era in Boise, Idaho, according to a report published October 30. The men's team finished as runners-up, while the women's team secured a fourth-place finish.
The women's team finished with 85 points to take fourth place, led by seniors Natalie Swain and Sarah Ellis, who ran together in the top five for the first two 2k loops. Junior Ava Trimble joined the leaders during the second lap to assist the team's fourth-place result. Swain earned first-team honors after finishing fifth with a time of 20:14.1, marking her second career all-conference selection. Trimble and Ellis both achieved personal bests, finishing eighth and tenth respectively.
The men's squad placed second with 56 points, trailing only Gonzaga, which finished with 39 points. Junior Joshua Armstrong led the Aggies with a fifth-place finish and a personal best of 23:35.6, earning the team's only first-team recognition. All five Aggie point scorers finished in the top 15, including Jedidiah Megargel in 10th, Logan Garnica in 12th, Walker Cole in 14th, and Jayden Holdsworth in 15th.
The seven all-conference honors represent the highest combined total for the program since 2011. The women's three honors are the highest tally since 2017, while the men's four honors match their 2020 count. Utah State Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Artie Gulden stated he was proud of both teams, noting the men executed as hoped to give the program a chance to win.
The Aggies will take a week-long hiatus before traveling to Albuquerque for the NCAA Mountain Regionals. The women's 6k race is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 11 a.m., while the men will compete in the 10k at noon.
