Danielle Kehoe heads up a Metro State women's team that will be heading to the Rocky Mountain Shootout this weekend. Photo by Alan Versaw.
Although many Colorado collegiate teams are traveling out-of-state this weekend, there is one big meet taking place within our borders--the Rocky Mountain Shootout in Boulder.
The Shootout, however, still tends to be something of a lower-key meet for CU. While it may prove to be a nice opportunity for the local cross country community to see Allie McLaughlin and Laura Tremblay run, don't expect to see enormous clues regarding what CU is bringing to the table this fall. That revelation will likely wait another couple of weeks until CU runs at Pre-Nats.
Joining Colorado at the Shootout will be Division I programs Air Force and Nothern Colorado. With a new coaching regime in place at the Academy, it's hard to say in advance what approach the Falcons will take to this meet. For UNC, this meet is an opportunity to further demonstrate that the program is continuing to take steps in the right direction.
Division II programs Mesa State, Metro State, Colorado Christian, Regis, and CSU-Pueblo are also on the list of teams scheduled to appear at the Shootout. If Alexis Skarda is running for Mesa State, it should be a nice opportunity for her to run in front of many of the people who supported her through her high school career at Fairview.
UCCS and Mines, fresh off a trip to Nebraska to run at Woody Greeno (where the Mines men were victorious), take this weekend off. Fort Lewis also has the weekend off in anticipation of their own home meet next weekend.
Colorado State University heads back to the home state of head coach Bryan Berryhill to run in the Bill Dellinger Invitational. This is a high-profile meet and should provide an excellent mid-season test for the Rams. A nice showing could definitely be taken as one indicator that CSU is in position to challenge for a berth at nationals when November rolls around. Further underscoring the importance of this meet to CSU is the fact that the Rams recruit extensively from the state of Oregon.
Adams State also tried to get into the Bill Dellinger meet and accounts differ as to why their entry was not accepted. It doesn't seem to matter a great deal, though, as the Grizzlies are now headed to the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater. Oregon or Oklahoma State? Either would provide a stiff test for Adams State, and the Grizzlies seem prepared for it.
Also heading to Stillwater will be the Western State teams. Expect a little more telling performance from the Mountaineers this time around than what they turned in at the Joe Vigil Invite nearly a month ago.