VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Valley City State University cross country will look to build momentum heading into the conference championships when the Vikings compete at the Marauders Tune-Up on Friday, Oct. 23.
Hosted by the University of Mary at McDowell Dam in Bismarck, N.D., the meet begins with the men's race at 4 p.m., followed by the women's race at 5 p.m. Spectators are encouraged to wear yellow in support of those battling sarcoma and bone cancer.
The Viking women welcome Frida Barrera back to competition after she missed the team's last meet in Jamestown. With the full women's squad available, Coach Greg Keeler is looking forward to seeing the team's recent work translate into results.
"I am so excited to finally have the entire squad available to race on Friday," Keeler said. "After missing our last meet in Jamestown, Frida is running strong and is ready to make a statement as we head to conference."
Keeler also highlighted Billie Maye Pohlkamp and Jaedyn Lura as runners poised to take another step forward.
"I believe both Billie Maye and Jaedyn had a great two weeks of practice and feel like they are ready for a breakout race," he said.
On the men's side, Kole Albers returns to competition after earning Frontier Conference Runner of the Week honors for his performance at the Jimmie Invite. Albers placed 14th among 65 runners and recorded a personal best on Jamestown's challenging Parkhurst course.
"The men have had a great two weeks of practice, and I am confident they will have a strong team performance on a fast course most of them have run on in the past," Keeler said. "I expect Kole to build on his Runner of the Week performance at Jamestown."
Noah Hamilton-Dixon will also look to continue his development at the collegiate race distance.
"Noah is continuing to figure out racing at the 8,000-meter distance, and I feel like he is ready to make a big step forward," Keeler said.
With conference competition approaching, Friday provides an opportunity for both teams to sharpen their racing and evaluate their progress.
"Friday will be a great opportunity for both the men's and women's teams," Keeler said. "It will serve as a great test as we prepare for the conference championships."
