Muristek
The UCSB men’s and women’s cross country teams released its 2022 schedule Wednesday afternoon, announcing a slate of five regular season meets, including the return of the UCSB Lagoon Invite.
The season kicks off at home Sept. 3 as the Gauchos return to the Lagoon Course located directly on the UCSB campus for the first time since 2019. The invitational features solely the Gauchos and their central coast rival, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Two weeks later on Sept. 17, UCSB heads out for its first of three meets at UC Riverside’s Ag/Ops Course as the Gauchos look to compete in the Riverside Invite. The course will serve as this year’s site for the Big West Championship.
Then the longest trek of the year comes on Sept, 30 when the Gauchos fly out to South Bend, Ind. for Notre Dame’s Joe Piane Invite. There the team will get a chance to compete with a medley of different teams from conferences to close out the first month of the season.
A few weeks later the regular season comes to an end as UCSB heads east for the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Stilwater, Okla. at the site of the NCAA Championships. It will be a great opportunity for these young Gaucho teams to compete against nationally ranked programs, get a preview of the championship track, and earn national exposure while getting a chance to climb the polls as well.
Additionally, another group of Gauchos may make its way back down to UCR for the Highlander Classic that same weekend.
Oct. 29 marks the Big West Championship as the men’s team will look to defend its title down in Riverside, Calif. The women’s team has had success at the Ag/Ops Course, winning its last conference title there in 2017.
Daniel Moebus-Bowles writes about sports for UCSB.
email: sports@newspress.com
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