COMING UP: at Jim Hunt Invitational (Beau Pre Golf Club, McKinleyville, Calif.), Saturday – Men's 8,000-meters, 8:30 a.m.; Women's 6,000-meters, 9:15 a.m.
 
LAST SEASON: The Hustlin' Owls were on the cusp of a breakout season throughout 2023, but were unable to put together a big race at the Cascade Conference Championships to earn a spot at Nationals. OIT opened the year with a third-place effort at Cal Poly Humboldt's Jim Hunt Invite and posted a quality effort at the Willamette Invite, taking ninth overall. Following a 12th-place finish at the Linfield Invite and a head-to-head win over Jessup in California, the Owls took sixth overall in a highly-competitive CCC Championships. The team must replace a pair of athletes – All-American Jonas Hartline, along with Joe Wilkinson. The Lady Owls improved throughout the 2023 season, receiving votes in every NAIA Top-25 coaches' poll – finishing with three Top-5 team finishes. OIT opened with a fourth-place effort at the Jim Hunt Invite at Cal Poly Humboldt and following large meets at Willamette and Linfield, claimed the team-title at the Warrior Invite in California. Tech capped the season taking fifth at the Cascade Conference Championships, earning the host-bid to nationals. The team must replace leaders in Kira Morrow, McKenzie Morgan, Rachel Newhard and Mackenzie Peterson.
 
SURVEYING THE HUSTLIN' OWLS: Tech returns the bulk of their squad that competed at the CCC Championships last year – with a trio of seniors set to lead the team. Tychon Preston is coming off an All-CCC performance on the oval in May, taking third in the steeplechase at the league meet and was the top returning finisher from last season's cross country championships. Joining him is Toby Ruston and Thomas Long, both among the scoring racers throughout the 2023 season. The duo of Tucker Piper and Braedan Doherty made strides during the outdoor season and the sophomores are poised to make a big jump this year. Four other returners are back – senior Maxwell Cox, junior Austin Kuromi and sophomores Ryan Mickle and Bryce Worrell. Five newcomers are in the mix – led by freshman Kai Miles, coming off an impressive prep career at Nelson High in Portland. Carson Page of Tualatin, Colten Strohmeyer of Molalla, along with North Eugene racers Anil Remedios and Caleb Speasl, will provide depth.
 
SURVEYING THE LADY OWLS: Coming off a trip to the NAIA Championships, the women's squad returns their top three runners from 2023 – sophomores Charis Childers and Corinne Childers, plus senior Jane Kuebrich. The Childers sisters made an immediate impact in their first collegiate season – with Charis winning the Warrior Invitational and recording a Top-30 finish at the CCC Championships. Kuebrich was key late in the season, recording Tech's top finish at both the CCC Championships and the NAIA meet. Transfers Chloe Crawford and Raleena Maxson, from Clark College, provide experience and are penciled in to be among the scoring five. Three freshmen are battling for a spot in the Top-7 – Skyline Conference foes Ava Robinson (Phoenix High) and Eli Haas (Klamath Union High), along with Reedsport's Natalie Hammond.
 
WORDS FROM THE COACH: "We have a great mix of experience and youth on both sides," said head coach Mike Anderson. "Training has been going great and we are looking forward to getting racing going. Our group has a great foundation to build off of."
 
SCHEDULE: Tech will compete in four regular-season meets before the CCC Championships in Portland. Following Saturday's race in Humboldt County, Tech will race three times in the Willamette Valley – at the Charles Bowles Invite (hosted by Willamette), the George Oja Invite (hosted by Linfield) and the Bushnell Invite.