BYU underclassmen field WCC Preview team

PROVO, Utah – BYU will field its women’s cross country team with underclassmen this Saturday at the West Coast Conference Preview in Spokane, Washington. 

BYU head coach Patrick Shane is withholding the Cougars’ solidified lead runners this weekend as they prepare for the Washington Invitational on Oct 2. But WCC Preview will be significant in helping to complete the team’s racing roster. 

“Of the nine young women going, it’s really important,” Shane said. “It’ll help determine who goes the next week and it’ll help us shape the nine who will eventually go back and compete in the conference championship.” 

The WCC preview will feature four BYU sophomores in Maria Morley, Kristi Rush, Alyssa Steed and Ashleigh Warner along with five freshmen with Niki Barrow, Aimee Bryson, Rachel Cannon, Alice Jensen and Lauren Shubin. Barrow and Warner recently returned from serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Shubin debuts as a Cougar this weekend after walking on to the team two weeks ago after an impressive performance in the Autumn Classic where she ran unattached. 

The meet will feature WCC teams Gonzaga, Portland and Pacific, as well as other teams from the Northwest region. The women’s 6,000-meter race will be held at Plantes Ferry Park in Spokane Valley with a start time of 9:45 a.m. PDT. The course, which is 90 percent grass with some dirt trail, has previously served as the site for national races including the 2011 and 2013 NCAA Division II Cross Country West Regionals and National Championships.

Live scoring will be available on the BYU women’s cross country schedule page.