By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 14th edition of the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Cross Country Invitational presented by Under Armour is scheduled for Friday, October 13 at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison.

WATCH LIVE WEBCAST OCTOBER 13 OF NUTTYCOMBE WISCONSIN INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY UNDER ARMOUR ON RUNNERSPACE+PLUS

Here are 10 storylines to follow at the most prestigious regular-season college meet in the country:

Ready to return to the spotlight

Northern Arizona, the most successful men’s team in Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational history with five victories, is seeking its first win at the meet since 2019, following a third-place finish last season and not attending the event in 2021. The meet was not held in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The top-ranked Lumberjacks secured their first victory at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational in 2013, then added four consecutive wins at Nuttycombe from 2016-19, the longest championship streak by either gender in meet history.

Northern Arizona finished behind Stanford and Brigham Young in its return to the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison last year, but the Lumberjacks are primed to add to their Nuttycombe legacy this season.

Northern Arizona swept the top five spots Sept. 2 at the George Kyte Classic in Flagstaff, followed by having five athletes place in the top 25 to prevail by a 71-101 margin Sept. 23 against BYU at the Virginia Invitational at the Panorama Farms course, site of the NCAA Division 1 championship meet Nov. 18 in Earlysville.

Drew Bosley has triumphed at both meets he has run this season for Northern Arizona and the former prep standout at Homestead High in Wisconsin is seeking his first victory at Nuttycombe after placing 21st in 2019 and fifth last year.

No Northern Arizona athlete, regardless of gender, has achieved an individual victory in a championship race at Nuttycombe.

Wolfpack motivated to run it back

The outcome of the women’s 6-kilometer race last year at Nuttycombe was both a thrilling and historic result, with the first tiebreaker being required to decide the winner of a championship race in meet history.

North Carolina State and New Mexico both accumulated 80 points, with the Wolfpack prevailing based on a head-to-head tiebreaker, with their first, second and fourth scorers all finishing ahead of the Lobos’ athletes at their respective spots in the lineup.

Prior to last season, the closest women’s margin of victory came in the first year of the Wisconsin adidas Invitational in 2009, with Duke edging Syracuse by a 78-80 margin.

North Carolina State is looking to become the first women’s program to repeat in Nuttycombe history.

The top-ranked Wolfpack prevailed by a 44-53 margin Sept. 29 against Atlantic Coast Conference rival Notre Dame at the Joe Piane Invitational at the Burke Golf Course in South Bend.

North Carolina State achieved the feat without Katelyn Tuohy, the reigning Nuttycombe champion and two-time NCAA Division 1 cross country winner, in the lineup. The Wolfpack still had five scorers in the top 15.

North Carolina State, the two-time Division 1 women’s team champions, placed second to New Mexico by a 93-102 margin at Nuttycombe in 2021, before securing the first NCAA title in program history.

In their rematch last year at the Division 1 final at Oklahoma State in Stillwater, North Carolina State produced a 114-140 victory against runner-up New Mexico.

If Tuohy competes for North Carolina State, the first four competitors from last year’s race are scheduled to return, along with seven of the top 10. Tuohy and Wolfpack teammate Kelsey Chmiel took the top two spots, followed by Northern Arizona’s Elise Stearns and Oregon State’s Kaylee Mitchell.

Harvard’s Maia Ramsden was seventh, with former New Mexico teammates Samree Dishon and Gracelyn Larkin – who earned eighth and ninth last year – now representing Colorado and Northern Arizona, respectively.

Tuohy, Chmiel, Stearns, Florida’s Parker Valby and Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich all placed in the top 10 at the Division 1 final last season and are scheduled to compete in Madison.

Robinson eyes remarkable repeat

Stanford’s Ky Robinson, representing Australia, became the first Cardinal male athlete to triumph in the 8-kilometer race at Nuttycombe since Maxim Korolev won in 2014.

Robinson, who ran 23:09.9 last season, returns to Madison with the opportunity to join Syracuse standout and Canadian competitor Justyn Knight (2016-17), along with Arizona star Lawi Lalang (2011-12) as the only repeat men’s winners in meet history.

Stanford could also crown back-to-back individual winners after Iowa State had Wesley Kiptoo triumph in 2021 and Edwin Kurgat prevail in 2019.

Robinson took third Sept. 23 in a controlled 8-kilometer effort at the Virginia Invitational at Panorama Farms – site of the Division 1 championship meet Nov. 18 – his first competition since racing the 5,000 meters July 22 at the Under Armour Sunset Tour event at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Eight of the top 10 finishers from the men’s championship race last season at Nuttycombe are scheduled to return, including Northern Arizona’s Nico Young and Drew Bosley, Wisconsin’s Bob Liking, North Carolina’s Parker Wolfe, Harvard’s Acer Iverson, Notre Dame’s Carter Solomon and Robinson’s teammate Cole Sprout.

Young, Bosley, Wolfe and Robinson, in addition to Harvard’s Graham Blanks, all finished in the top 10 at the NCAA final last year at Oklahoma State, and are expected to square off again in Madison.

Could it be NAU times two?

It wasn’t only the Northern Arizona men’s team that was victorious Sept. 23 at the Virginia Invitational, the Lumberjacks were perhaps even more impressive in the women’s 5-kilometer race at Panorama Farms, with five scorers in the top 16 to produce a 48-104 victory against Stanford.

Elise Stearns won the competition in 16:18.9, giving Northern Arizona a sweep of both team and individual titles in Earlysville.

The Lumberjacks are looking to become the first program in Nuttycombe history to sweep men’s and women’s team titles in the same season.

Northern Arizona took third last year in the women’s 6-kilometer race at Nuttycombe behind North Carolina State and New Mexico, improving from a sixth-place effort in 2019. The Lumberjacks went on to finish sixth at the Division 1 final at Oklahoma State.

Northern Arizona, ranked No. 2 this season, has bolstered its lineup with the arrival of New Mexico transfers Gracelyn Larkin, Maisie Grice and Aliandrea Upshaw, plus San Francisco transfer Ruby Smee, as well as the presence of freshman Keira Moore from Australia.

Northern Arizona earned its first top-20 women’s team finish at Nuttycombe by placing 19th in 2018 and five years later the Lumberjacks have elevated into championship contention.

Badgers looking to get back in the hunt

Following a second-place finish at Nuttycombe in 2018, the host Wisconsin men’s team hasn’t returned to the podium since, earning eighth in 2019, fourth in 2021 and seventh last season.

The Badgers placed sixth at the Division 1 championship meet last year at Oklahoma State.

Wisconsin hasn’t won the men’s championship race since 2011, but the Badgers are looking for a strong performance on the 8-kilometer layout in order to build confidence for the Big Ten Championships on Oct. 27, also scheduled to be held at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.

Wisconsin, ranked No. 4, was victorious Sept. 29 at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational at Montrose Beach in Chicago by a 49-109 margin against Iona.

Bob Liking and Jackson Sharp took the top two spots for the Badgers, who had five scorers place among the first 21 finishers.

Although freshman Joshua Truchon prevailed Sept. 9 in the 8-kilometer race at the Wisconsin Badger Classic at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course, the men’s team didn’t boast its full lineup and placed fourth in the season opener. 

Wisconsin hasn’t produced a men’s individual winner at Nuttycombe since Morgan McDonald was victorious in 2018, contributing to the Badgers’ runner-up effort behind Northern Arizona.

Alicia Monson won the women’s 6-kilometer race at the event in consecutive years for host Wisconsin in 2018-19.

Florida fact-finding mission

Perhaps the most intriguing program scheduled to race at Nuttycombe is the Florida women’s team, which is ranked No. 9, but has competed under the radar during September at the Mountain Dew Invitational at the Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville and the Florida State Invitational at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.

The Gators have a roster capable of challenging for a podium finish Nov. 18 at the Division 1 final, but last year’s cross country runner-up and reigning NCAA outdoor 5,000-meter champion Parker Valby has not raced yet this season and neither have impact transfers Amelia Mazza-Downie and Elise Thorner from New Mexico or Flomena Asekol from Alabama.

Mazza-Downie took 12th in last year’s 6-kilometer race at Nuttycombe and Thorner finished 25th for New Mexico.

Asekol and Valby would both be making their first appearances competing in Madison, along with another Alabama transfer Allison Wilson, who won the 3-mile race Sept. 15 at the Mountain Dew Invitational.

Florida has not competed at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course since placing 16th at the 2018 Division 1 final, which was also the last year the Gators qualified for the NCAA Championships as a team.

Florida has not raced during the regular season in Madison since finishing 38th at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational in 2014.

The best women’s team finish for the Gators at the event is a seventh-place performance in 2010, led by an individual victory from Charlotte Browning.

California Dreamin’

Following a sweep of the men’s and women’s team titles Sept. 22 at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota, Cal Baptist is scheduled to compete for the first time in Madison with a pair of teams ranked in the top 15 nationally and motivated to race for the first time at the Division 1 final after completing its postseason probationary period following a move from Division 2 after the conclusion of the 2017 season.

Both Cal Baptist teams finished fifth at the West Regional last year in Washington, but have continued to improve and showcase significant depth this season in pursuit of competing Nov. 18 at the Panorama Farms Course in Virginia.

Greta Karinauskaite, who represented Lithuania in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, won the women’s 6-kilometer gold race at Roy Griak, leading seven Lancers finishing in the top 30 to hold off Utah by a 63-64 margin.

Cal Baptist produced five scorers in the top 20 in the men’s 8-kilometer race at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minnesota to secure a 46-80 victory against Gonzaga.

Cal Baptist is one of seven Division 1 programs to have both men’s and women’s teams ranked in the top 15 nationally entering the weekend, joining Northern Arizona, Brigham Young, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Stanford and Virginia.

Running for redemption

Aside from Northern Arizona, no other men’s program in meet history has achieved more success than Syracuse, which won the inaugural event in 2009 and secured back-to-back team titles in 2014-15.

Syracuse remained competitive with a fourth-place finish in 2016 and a third-place effort in 2017, but the past three Nuttycombe appearances have been disappointing for the Orange, taking 24th in 2019, 20th in 2021 and 13th last season at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.

Following a victory Sept. 8 at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational at Penn State and a fourth-place performance Sept. 23 at the Virginia Invitational, Syracuse is looking to challenge for a podium finish in Madison once again, squaring off once more with Northern Arizona, Brigham Young and North Carolina, in addition to host Wisconsin.

Paul O’Donnell was 19th in the 8-kilometer race at the Panorama Farms Course for Syracuse, which placed five scorers in the top 50.

Washington has won a pair of women’s team titles in Madison, most recently in 2016, but the Huskies haven’t produced a podium finish at Nuttycombe since then, securing seventh in 2017, and placing 15th and 16th, respectively, the past two years after not attending the meet in 2018 and 2019.

Washington also produced a fourth-place effort at the Virginia Invitational, and has the potential to challenge North Carolina State, Northern Arizona, Florida, Notre Dame and Stanford for another podium finish at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.

Sophie O’Sullivan and Chloe Foerster were 15th and 18th, respectively, at the Panorama Farms Course for Washington, which had five scorers in the top 35 in Earlysville.

Fantastic first impressions

Several true freshmen have opportunities to impact the championship races in impressive fashion, perhaps none more significantly than the New Mexico trio of Eritrean athlete Habtom Samuel and Kenyan competitors Evans Kiplagat and Lukas Kiprop.

Samuel won the 8-kilometer gold race Sept. 22 in his collegiate debut at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota, with Kiprop taking third and Kiplagat finishing fifth.

Wake Forest freshman Rocky Hansen finished fifth Sept. 23 at the Virginia Invitational and highlights a young lineup that is looking to help the Demon Deacons repeat as Atlantic Coast Conference champions.

Taha Er Raouy, Moroccan athlete competing for Eastern Kentucky, is capable of a strong performance in Madison following a 21st-place effort at the Virginia Invitational.

Stanford’s Leo Young and Lex Young gained valuable experience competing at the Virginia Invitational and look to help the Cardinal in an attempt to repeat at Nuttycombe.

Harvard’s Ferenc Kovacs, representing Hungary, and Charlie Ortmans are also expected to race, in addition to Butler’s Aeden Rendek and Cal Baptist’s Pedro Marin.

In the women’s championship race, Stanford’s Amy Bunnage – who took sixth at the Virginia Invitational in her collegiate debut – will be joined by fellow Australian competitor Keira Moore, who has already competed three times for the Lumberjacks, including a runner-up effort Sept. 29 at the Dave Murray Invitational and a 14th-place effort on the Panorama Farms course in Virginia.

North Carolina State has added valuable depth with Leah Stephens and Grace Hartman, who were fourth and ninth, respectively, on Sept. 29 at the Joe Piane Invitational at Notre Dame, in addition to Angelina Napoleon, who took third in the open race in South Bend.

Utah’s Annastasia Peters finished third Sept. 22 at the Roy Griak Invitational and Notre Dame’s Grace Schager secured 12th place at the Joe Piane Invitational.

Colorado’s Karrie Baloga, Duke’s Thais Rolly and Iowa State twin sisters McKinley Wheeler and Sheridan Wheeler are all scheduled to race at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.

Not a ‘B’ Movie

Both winners of last year’s Nuttycombe ‘B’ races, Colorado’s Isaiah Givens and New Mexico’s Sarah Eckel, are expected to return to race again in Madison.

Colorado edged Notre Dame by a 68-69 margin to win last year’s men’s ‘B’ race, but Brigham Young is not returning in the women’s competition after securing victory in the ‘B’ section last season.

Arianne Olson of Notre Dame is scheduled to race unattached in the women’s ‘B’ race, following a runner-up finish in the open race Sept. 29 at the Joe Piane Invitational.

Female athletes from Wisconsin, Michigan State and Wisconsin Track Club are also entered in the ‘B’ race, with the depth of programs like Stanford, Boise State, Michigan State, Northern Arizona and Notre Dame also expected to be showcased.

Riley Hough of Michigan State is expected to compete unattached in the men’s ‘B’ section and has experience at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course after placing 81st in the marquee race at Nuttycombe last year.

Competitors from Wisconsin, Colorado, Eastern Kentucky, Iowa State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin Track Club are also entered in the 8-kilometer ‘B’ race, which could also showcase the depth of the BYU lineup.