ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Competing in the 2021 Mountain West Cross Country Championships on Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the top-ranked New Mexico women’s program won its 14th consecutive title, while the Air Force men’s team claimed the crown for the second-straight season.
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New Mexico, the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, scored 15 points, just the third perfect score in MW Women’s Cross Country Championship history and first since 2002. Air Force claimed the men’s title with 27 points, the fewest team points since New Mexico in 2014 (26).
On the women’s side, the Lobos secured the first seven places in the 6k race, while extending its record of most league championships in any sport in MW history. Lobos junior Amelia Mazza-Downie earned the individual title with a time of 19:37.3, which is tied for the second-fastest time in MW championship history.
The other six Lobos finished within 20 seconds of Mazza-Downie. Rounding out the top 10 on the women’s side, Colorado State’s Lily Tomasula-Martin finished in eighth, clocking a time a 19:57:3, Nevada’s Tierney Wolfgram came in ninth with a time of 19:58.6 and Utah State’s Katie Struthers finished 10th with a time of 20:05.1.
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On the men’s side, Air Force won its fourth MW championship in program history after six Falcons finished in the top 10. Falcons Junior Sam Gilman placed second for the second year in a row and was the first Falcon to cross the finish line with a time of 23:31.1.
Boise State had two runners place in the top 10, including the 2021 MW individual champion Dario De Caro, who claimed the Broncos first individual title since 2016 and recorded the second-fastest time in MW Championship history (23:26.8).
The remaining top-10 finishers on the men’s side, Colorado State’s Tanner Norman finished fourth with a time of 23:36.0 and New Mexico’s Abdirizak Ibrahim placed fifth, clocking a time of 23:37.3.
Mountain West teams and individual runners will now turn their attention to the NCAA Mountain or West Regionals, which will be held on Friday, Nov. 12.
For results, post-race interviews, photos and more, visit the cross country championships central page on TheMW.com.
