By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The prelude to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Cross Country Championships closed with a bang as Colorado Christian’s Matthew Storer and Colorado School of Mines’ Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge claimed the final set of weekly awards Wednesday.
In just 10 days, the league’s 15 men’s and women’s teams will compete in the 2024 RMAC Cross Country Championships, hosted by New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Complete championship information is available at RMACSports.org.
The men’s race gained some perspective at Saturday’s Lewis Crossover, where Colorado School of Mines romped through the field, winning an event that featured 14 nationally ranked teams. Colorado Christian, led by Storer’s second-place effort, also finished on the podium.
The Orediggers lead a pack of six RMAC teams in Wednesday’s update of the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA) national rankings, moving up to No. 2. Western Colorado and Adams State, who also will factor into the team title at the RMAC Championships, are ranked No. 5 and 6, respectively. Colorado Christian jumped seven spots to No. 11, CSU Pueblo is No. 12, while UCCS remains in the poll at No. 22.
The women’s race promises plenty of drama from start to finish, with three teams in the Top 5 nationally and nine teams in total ranked. The individual title may come down to who can catch Ramsey-Rutledge after she posted her fastest 6k time of the season at Saturday’s Lewis Crossover to claim USTFCCA National Athlete of the Week honors for a second time this season.
On the team side, Adams State finishes the regular season ranked No. 1 nationally. They are followed closely by CSU Pueblo (No. 3), Colorado School of Mines (No. 4), and Western Colorado (No. 7) in the Top 10. UCCS (No. 11), Colorado Christian (No. 18), Fort Lewis (No. 23), and Colorado Mesa (No. 28) also were ranked in the final poll before the RMAC Championship.
Men’s Runner of the Week
Matthew Storer, Colorado Christian (Junior (RS), Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Storer was the top RMAC finisher at the Lewis Crossover, with a season-best time of 23:46.98 in the 8k event. His second-place individual finish helped the Cougars to a third-place team finish. Storer's time is the 20th-best mark in Division II this season.
Honorable Mention: Gavin Kuhlenbeck, Black Hills State; Blaine Johnson, Chadron State; Triston Charles, Colorado Mesa; Ethan Grolnic, Colorado School of Mines; Matisse Virey, CSU Pueblo; Caden Leal, University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Women’s Runner of the Week
Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge, Colorado School of Mines (Junior (RS), Emo, Ireland)
Ramsey-Rutledge claimed her second USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week award by winning the Lewis Crossover Saturday, completing the 6K course in 20:38.46 – 11 seconds ahead of the runner-up finish. That mark was the eighth-fastest time among Division II runners in the 6K distance. Behind her performance, the Orediggers’ 69-point outing won the team title by an impressive 45 points.
Honorable Mention: Sylvia Brown, Black Hills State; Lydia Peters, Chadron State; Shannon King, Colorado Christian; Brooke Miller, Colorado Mesa; Helen Braybrook, CSU Pueblo; Hannah Hartwell, Fort Lewis; Madison Chavez, University of Colorado Colorado Springs.