VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Three months of preparation will come together Friday, Nov. 6, as the Valley City State University cross country teams compete at the Frontier Conference Championships at Amend Park in Billings, Mont.
Hosted by Rocky Mountain College, the meet begins with the men's 8K at 11:30 a.m. CT, followed by the women's 6K at 12:30 p.m. CT.
"Friday's championship meet has been three months in the making, and I am excited to watch our team compete," coach Greg Keeler said.
Frida Barrera enters the championship looking to build on a strong sophomore season and contend for another top-three conference finish. Barrera placed third at last year's Frontier Championships, earning all-conference recognition. Most recently, she finished ninth against a field composed mostly of NCAA Division II runners at the Marauders Tune-Up on Oct. 23.
"Frida has had a fantastic season, and we expect her to have a great race," Keeler said. "She has a real chance at earning her second top three individual finish at the Conference Championships on Friday."
The Viking women also look for strong performances from Billie Maye Pohlkamp and Jaedyn Lura. Pohlkamp heads into the meet healthy and building momentum, while Lura looks to cap her freshman cross country season with a strong conference race.
"Billie Maye is running healthy and continues to improve every time she steps on the course," Keeler said. "Jaedyn has also put together an excellent season and is primed for a strong final performance."
On the men's side, Kole Albers will pursue his first all-conference finish. Returning runners Zach Baumgartner and Tate Minnihan bring previous experience on the championship course, giving the Vikings familiarity with the challenges awaiting them in Billings.
"On the boys' side, Kole is running great, and he has an excellent opportunity to earn his first all-conference honors," Keeler said. "Additionally, this will be the second time both Zach and Tate have run the Billings course, which should give them a distinct strategic advantage on Friday."
Fans can follow both races through live results from Competitive Timing.
