OGDEN, Utah – Andrea Nelson Harrison led the BYU women’s cross country team to a third place finish today at the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships with a total of 109 points.

Harrison finished in ninth overall and first for BYU in the 6K race with a time of 20:47.1.

“We ran the best race we have won all year and Andrea had the best race of her life,” head coach Patrick Shane said. “I feel really good about our performance today.”

No. 10 Colorado finished in first place, while No. 8 New Mexico took second place, automatically qualifying both teams for nationals.

Lindsey Sowards Nielson finished second for BYU and in 16^th place overal with a time of 21:02.0. Natalie Shields finished 22^nd overall and third for BYU with a time of 21:09.8. Sarah Yingling finished fourth for BYU and 25^th overall with a time of 21:19.8. BYU’s fifth runner was Nicole Nielsen who finished 37^th overall with a time of 21:31.7.

Harrison, Nielson, Shields and Yingling were all selected to the Mountain All-Region team.

BYU has the potential to be selected for an at-large bid for the NCAA Nationals race and will be officially informed Saturday evening if it will be invited. The national championship race will be held in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday Nov. 23. 

PROVO, Utah – The NCAA Mountain Regional Championships are on somewhat of a home course for the BYU women’s cross country team, who will compete November 15 in Ogden, Utah.

“We have an opportunity to set ourselves up for an at large selection to the national championship this Friday.” head coach Patrick Shane said. “We cannot afford an off day in Ogden this weekend.”

BYU will compete alongside instate rivals University of Utah, and defending regional champions Weber State. The field also brings No. 8 New Mexico and No. 10 Colorado making the competition at this year's Mountain Regional very tough. “Our workouts have been solid and I’m confident we are going to get the job done Friday,” Shane said. “And then we wait.”

The NCAA will announce which teams will be going to the national championship on Saturday afternoon, and BYU has high hopes of being selected to attend if they are not automatically drawn.

The meet will be held at Schneiter's Riverside Golf Course in Riverdale, Utah and the women will race a 6K at 1:15 p.m. The meet website can be found here.