TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State men and women's cross-country teams return to the desert to host the ASU Invitational at Papago Golf Course on Friday, Oct. 23.
After participating in one of the largest meets in the country last week, the Sun Devils tone it back down for an invite with just four other schools.
"For me, what I'm looking for is for our team to run free,' head coach Louie Quintana said. "No real structured race plan. Just get out there and compete. One thing I think our guys' have struggled with this year is not a fitness thing, but the mentality.
"This is a good opportunity to move forward. We've had a great week of work."
Quintana wants his young athletes to use this as another opportunity to gain experience and further their race mentality as they approach Pac-12 Championships next week.
"Some of them are pretty young and still trying to figure some things out in their races, or they simply need another opportunity because they didn't race at Wisconsin -- like Nick Dale and Cody Brazeal," Quintana said.
Dale and Brazeal are two of seven Sun Devils scheduled to run, along with redshirt sophomore Jack Balder, redshirt senior Jeff Bickert, redshirt freshmen Brandon Boys and J.P. Nelson, and senior Riley Wattier.
For the women, redshirt seniors Shaina Corbin and Madison Davis, redshirt junior Kaitlin Kaluzny, junior Mia Townsend and freshmen Hannah Benoit-Bucher and Lea Patek will all be participating in the event.
University of Arizona, Northern Arizona, Bacone College and Dine College will be in attendance.
The women's three-mile loop begins at 4:20 p.m. while the men's four-mile trek starts at 5 p.m.
LAST YEAR AT THE ASU INVITE
Arizona State cross-country’s C.J. Albertson became ASU’s first race winner since 2011 as he claimed the ASU Invitational 4-mile title in 20:17.97 at the Karsten Golf Course in 2014.
While last year’s winner is not participating, Jack Balder, Brandon Boys and J.P. Nelson will compete for the second-straight year at the invite.
On the women’s side, Miranda Kewley led the Sun Devils, finishing fifth at 18:24.51, followed by senior Macy Bricks in eighth at 18:31.76. Natalie Krafft finished in 13th at 18:52.64, Kayla Spingford in 16th at 19:02.79, Mia Townsend in 20th at 19:35.15, and Chiara Warner in 21st at 19:39.97.
Mia Townsend, Shaina Corbin and Lea Patek were the only returning Sun Devils to run for the women in the ASU Invite last year.
UP NEXT
Both men and women head for Colfax, Wash. for the Pac-12 Championships with a chance to claim points in the Territorial Cup against Arizona.
IN THE USTFCCCA POLL
In week six of the USTFCCCA, the men and women are both unranked.
In the west region rankings, the Sun Devil men sit at No. 14, while the women fall back to No. 10.
THE 2015 PAC-12 CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2015 Pac-12 Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Washington State in Colfax, Wash., on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Colfax Golf and Country Club. The race will be aired on a tape-delay basis on the Pac-12 Networks.