Head Coach: 

Patrick Shane (35th Year)

 

Last Year:

2nd West Coast

3rd Mountain Region

28th NCAA Championships 

Probable Top Five:

SR Andrea Harrison (16:35 5k; 10:09 3k Steeple; 86th NCAA XC '13)

JR Carrie Jube (9:40 3k; 16:44 5k; 34:55 10k)

SR Makenna Smith (9:26 3k; 16:36 5k; 34:54 10k)

FR Shea Martinez (2:05 800m; 4:21 1500m)

JR Jennica Redd (9:39 3k; 17:12 5k; 10:22 3k Steeple)

 

Impact Freshman/Recruits:

Aimee Bryson - Cedar, UT (4:57 1600m; 2:11 800m)

 

Analysis:

Coach Patrick Shane has had teams in the top 10 at the NCAA 19 times and has won the whole thing 4 times. For a school whose recruiting is almost strictly girls who are members of the school’s faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he has done a remarkable job. But gone are the days when the Lady Cougars struck fear in anyone’s hearts.

 

Not that Shane has not recruited some blue chip talent, but with the age for female members of their Church to go on missions changed to 19 from 21, he has lost some good ones for 18 months. Constant reloading time for Coach Shane.

 

His two significant losses to missions are Natalie Shields and Rachel Stewart. Shields was consistently their front runner last fall and Stewart, a qualifier on the Pan Am Junior team from last year, had a 4:25 to her credit and will be missed as well. Look for them in a couple of years.

 

Shane lost out in the race for Utah native Sarah Feeny(more on her in the Utah write up), but did get a very good talent in Aimee Bryson of Cedar City, Utah. She lost last track season due to injury, but won the Class 3A state harrier title in 2013 in impressive style.  She ran 4:57 and 2:11 at altitude as a junior.

 

Andrea Harrison’s 10:09 steeple last year gave us an indication of her strength. She should be number one. Leading the  rest of the pack should be Shea Martinez, who redshirted last cross country, but whose services will be needed this time around for them to qualify for nationals.  She had an outstanding track season with a 2:05 and 4:21, and her cross pedigree is good having been the Utah state cross country champion while running for Davis High her senior year.
 
#30 Men's Team - Princeton
#31 Women's Team - Mississippi St.