SAN ANTONIO – The Trinity cross country teams hit the road again this weekend, with one contingent heading North to Rock Island, Illinois, for the Augustana Interregional Invitational, and the other heading up I-35 to Georgetown for the Southwestern Showdown.
The Tigers will be taking their largest group ever to Augustana, with 16 runners on both sides making the trip. Likely the biggest Division III meet outside of championship season, this will be a huge opportunity for the teams to prove themselves against national competition and make some headway in the national and regional rankings.
The women, after a strong showing at Louisville last time out, are in a prime position to stamp their names on the national stage. Last week, in the USTFCCCA regional polls, they moved up one spot in the West region poll, jumping Occidental College to take sixth. Last season, the West region sent five schools to Division III Nationals, meaning the Tigers are within striking distance of making the big dance for the first time since 2017.
Gianna Keena, although dealing with some injury issues, will look to continue her reign of terror in leading the Tigers up front. Finishing just 15 seconds from national qualification at last year's regional meet, she looks prepared to contend with the very top runners in the West this year.
The men, who moved down a spot to seventh in the West region poll last week, are not yet out of position to make a run in the postseason. After graduating their top runner, the Tigers continue to look to their tight-knit top pack and depth as strengths that could put them in a dangerous position come regionals.
Logan Nasky and
Nathaniel Trevino, top finishers for the Tigers at Louisville, will look to lead the charge once again.
Both teams had disappointing finishes at Augustana last year, with the women finishing in 15th and the men finishing in 23rd. Both squads look to avenge those results on a course that, in years past, has produced more than its fair share of fast times, including two runners under the school record in 2022.
The rest of the two squads will get a chance to preview the Southwestern course that will host this year's SAA Conference Championships. The Tigers will return to the course after competing there in the 2022 SCAC Conference Championships, where both teams took second.
After competing this weekend, the teams will head back to Georgetown for the SAA Conference Championships, where they will look to leave an early mark on their new conference. Both teams' title hopes are threatened mainly by Berry College, who won last year on the women's side and has won the last four years on the men's side.
