The two northernmost NCAA teams are eager to faceoff on home soil, launching their respective seasons with a pair of cross country races. The in-state rivals will toe the line next weekend before facing their GNAC and West Regional competitors in the Lower 48.

Led by Fairbanks’ Kendall Kramer and Rosie Fordham, the dynamic duo will rely on their unmatched vigor to buoy the ‘Nooks to a top spot in the post-season. Kramer, a two-time All-American on the trails, is the reigning GNAC and West Regional champion, while Fordham earned her first All-American honor after placing runner-up to Kramer at the conference meet.

The duo will be joined by Anchorage’s Delainey Zock, Teegan Silva, Tabitha Williams and Fairbanks’ Abigail Haas — all of whom have West Regional experience.

Other Alaskans on UAF’s roster include Palmer’s Aila Berrigan, Fairbanks’ Olivia Manley, Hazel Probst and Riga Grubis, Anchorage’s Lucca Duke and Madison Schuh and Juneau’s Jasmin Holst. Wyoming’s Kate Brigham, a transfer from CU Boulder, looks to add depth to the team.

The GNAC preseason coaches poll predicts the Nanooks will place runner-up at the conference meet — one place higher than their GNAC finish last fall. Though UAF received one first-place vote, they are primed to make a run at qualifying for Division II nationals, after narrowly missing out on auto-qualifying at West Regionals last fall.

On the men’s side, a handful of returners and in-state freshmen look to make an immediate impact on the program, which is currently ranked ninth. The Nanooks return six of the seven athletes who represented at West Regionals, including Juneau’s Finn Morley and Palmer’s Ryan Owens.

Other Alaskans include Fairbanks’ Josh Baurick, Curtis Beck, Paxson Ott and Harrison Riggs, Anchorage’s Blake Hanley and Ruben Rhodes, Juneau’s Eli Mead and Clem Taylor-Roth and Valdez’s Rafe Caruthers.

The Seawolves boast a roster with six returners, led by graduate student Nell Baker, who placed fifth at the GNAC Championships in Kincaid Park and 25th at West Regionals. UAA also returns Haines’ Avery Williamson, Tressa Wood, Mallory McCarter and redshirt freshmen Gloria Kiprotich and Emma Maina.

Kodiak’s Abigail Harver and Palmer’s Gracie Norman add in-state talent to the roster, while transfers Lilli Lindner (University of Freiburg), Lucia Garcia (Appalachian State) and Ryann Smith (University of Wyoming) are poised to elevate the Seawolves to new heights, aiming to improve upon their fifth-place preseason ranking.

After qualifying for cross country nationals for the first time since 2018, the Seawolf men look to improve upon their 34th-place showing and third-place ranking in the GNAC preseason coaches poll. The green and gold team contains nine returners, including Anchorage’s Ty Elliott, George Payne, John Peckham and Ries Tveit — all of whom represented at nationals.

Other Alaskans on UAA’s roster include Palmer’s Matthew Rongitsch and Tobias Buchanan, Anchorage’s Julio Ramirez, Homer’s Lance Seneff and Juneau’s Edgar Vera.

UAA and UAF are set to race at the Seawolf Throwdown on August 31 at Kincaid Park. The in-state rivals will rematch at the Blue/Gold Meet on September 14 at the UAF Running Trails.

Other GNAC contenders include Palmer’s Sophie Wright of Western Washington and Sitka’s Anna Prussian and Silas Demmert, both of Seattle Pacific.

The trio represented at the GNAC Championships and West Regionals, while Wright capped her season with a 175th-place showing and 14th-place team finish at the national meet. Wright also helped the Vikings to achieve team titles at both the conference and regional championships.

Outside of GNAC competition, Alaska is well-represented across NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior college divisions.

Top Alaskans include Anchorage’s Santiago Prosser (Northern Arizona), Kaleb Beloy (CSU-Pueblo), Brady Burrough (Fort Lewis) and Tristian Merchant (Liberty), Girdwood’s Ava Earl (Northwestern) and Juneau’s Sadie Tuckwood (Gonzaga), to name a few.

Prosser, a two-time All-American, helped NAU capture their sixth Division I national title in 2022, in addition to finishing runner-up as a team last fall. His placements of 19th (2022) and 21st (2023) were instrumental as one of the Lumberjacks’ consistent scorers. The senior is poised to make his final mark on the trails this fall.

Beloy, also a senior, has become a force to be reckoned with at CSU-Pueblo. Last fall, Beloy helped the ThunderWolves qualify for the Division II national championships for the first time since 2018, after improving his 10-kilometer time by over a minute, finishing as his team’s second scorer. He capped his season with a 67th-place showing at nationals.

Burrough, a junior, improved exponentially last fall to catapult Fort Lewis to the Division II national meet for the first time since 2012. At the regional championships, Burrough sliced 2:45 from his 10-kilometer time and moved up a whopping 45 places from his 2022 showing. He finished 125th at nationals.

Merchant, a redshirt sophomore, won his lone season race last fall for Liberty. After a limited indoor season and a redshirted outdoor season, Merchant remains a bit of a wildcard. But with his speed and prowess, the Flame still delivered a trio of top-5 finishes at the CUSA Indoor Championships and has room to rise to his full potential this season.

Earl, a two-time national qualifier, has blossomed immensely at the Division I level. The senior was instrumental in helping the ‘Cats qualify for nationals in 2022 — their first since 2002 — and is poised to keep the momentum going after just missing out as a team last fall. Earl placed 64th last fall after making her debut in 195th in 2022.

Tuckwood, a senior, has also continued to sharpen her skillset at the Division I level. She looks to convert her speed from the track to the cross country course, after placing 18th at the West Coast Championships last fall. Her 6-kilometer best of 19:57 is one of the fastest all-time by an Alaskan.