CHICAGO- Gonzaga Women's Cross Country will look to assert themselves on the national stage on Friday when they take on a field that features several nationally ranked teams at the Lakefront Invitational.
The Lakefront field includes eight teams that are ranked in the USTFCCCA Coaches Poll, giving the Zags the opportunity to impress against the top end of running talent from every corner of the country. The registered teams include both the second ranked team in the country in NC State and the seventh ranked Providence College. The field is rounded out by #11 Washington, #18 North Carolina, #21 Wisconsin, #26 Northwestern, #29 Minnesota, and #30 Boston College.
The Zags have also received votes in the most recent edition of the national coaches poll, and the Bulldgos opened the season ranked 22nd nationally by USTFCCCA, the highest preseason ranking in program history. GU was ranked fifth in the west region in the most recent regional rankings. The last time the Zags competed at the Lakefront Invitational was in 2023, when Rosina Machu won the individual title by running a 19:20.3 6k. The Zags finished in fifth place as a team that year as they will look to replicate their success on the Chicago course again in this year's edition of the meet.
This is the first 6 kilometer race of the year for the Gonzaga women's cross country team, which previously swept the 4 kilometer race at the Clash of the Inland Northwest. Success in this distance will be important for the rest of the season, as the WCC Championships (which will be hosted in Spokane on November 1st) will be a 6k race as well. The Zags were picked as preseason favorites in the WCC preseason conference coaches poll.
This is the first meet that women's cross country team has competed in since the season opener, giving cross country media and fans their first look at the full strength of the team for the year. The Zags will return to action back in the Inland Northwest afterwards when they compete at the Inland Empire Classic on October 11th.
