Courtesy of Utah State Athletics
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah State’s men’s cross country team claimed the team title, while the women’s team placed third, at the Beehive Invitational at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City on Friday. Sophomore Joshua McKee won the individual title in the men’s 7K race and junior Shelby Jensen paced the Aggie women with a third-place finish in the women’s 5K race.
“The guys ran well,” said Artie Gulden, USU’s director of track & field and cross country. “We ran patiently as a group and closed well. When we add into the mix the guys that we did not race today, the men will be in a good place.”
The USU men claimed the team victory with a total of 28 points, besting Utah Valley after a head-to-head tiebreaker. McKee topped the field with his finishing time of 21:18.47, beating the second-place finisher by over seven seconds. Sophomore Jedidiah Megargel and graduate Logan Garnica crossed the line in fourth and fifth with respective times of 21:39.71 and 21:41.88. Freshman Ethan Peterson took 12th with a time of 22:06.92 and sophomore Will Dixon rounded out the Aggie scorers with his 15th-place time of 22:13.37.
The Aggie women kicked off the meet with a third-place team finish, earning 47 points. Junior Shelby Jensen led the way for the Aggies with a third-place time of 17:52.20, second-best among collegiate runners. Senior Sarah Ellis took fifth with a time of 18:03.78, and junior Brianne Smith joined her in the top 10 with her ninth-place time of 18:25.03. Junior Cameron Moore and sophomore Ava Trimble rounded out the Aggie scorers, finishing 19th and 20th with times of 19:01.39 and 19:05.95, respectively. Utah Valley’s Morgan Nokes claimed the individual title with a time of 17:14.69, leading the Wolverines to the women’s team title.
“I’m very pleased with how Shelby, Sarah and Brie ran,” said Gulden. “They opened up well. Our women should also be in a good place when we race our full team together. Both teams will get a good few weeks of training in together before we race again on October 3rd.”
Utah State returns to action on Friday, Oct. 3, when the Aggies travel to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for the Lehigh-hosted Paul Short Run.
Fans can follow the Utah State cross country programs on X at USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on X at USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
BEEHIVE INVITATIONAL | September 12, 2025 | Salt Lake City, Utah
Women’s 5K Team Results
1. Utah Valley – 1, 3, 9, 10, 13, (14), (18) – 36
2. Utah – 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, (15) – 41
3. UTAH STATE – 2, 4, 8, 16, 17, (19), (20) – 47
4. Weber State – 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, (28), (29) – 115
5. Westminster – 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, (33), (34) – 146
Women’s Top-Five Finishers: 1. Morgan Nokes (Utah Valley) – 17:14.69; 2. Reagan Doman (Unattached) – 17:49.91; 3. Shelby Jensen (USU) – 17:52.20; 4. Ari Trimble (Utah Valley) – 17:53.35; 5. Sarah Ellis (USU) – 18:03.78.
Utah State Women’s Results: 3. Shelby Jensen – 17:52.20; 5. Sarah Ellis – 18:03.78; 9. Brianne Smith – 18:25.03; 19. Cameron Moore – 19:01.39; 20. Ava Trimble – 19:05.95; 23. Taylor Palmer – 19:14.26; 25. Charlotte Felt – 19:26.30; 26. Jane Williams – 19:28.30; 27. Chelsea Shakespear – 19:30.57; 30. Cailey Bracken – 19:38.86; 31. Alayna Wardle – 19:40.70.
Men’s 7K Team Results
1. UTAH STATE – 1, 3, 4, 9, 11, (12), (14) – 28
2. Utah Valley – 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, (10), (13) – 28
3. Westminster – 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, (20), (21) – 85
Men’s Top-Five Finishers: 1. Joshua McKee (USU) – 21:18.47; 2. Jayden Holdsworth (Unattached) – 21:25.69; 3. Wyatt Mortenson (Utah Valley) – 21:30.62; 4. Jedidiah Megargel (USU) – 21:39.71; 5. Logan Garnica (USU) – 21:41.88.
Utah State Men’s Results: 1. Joshua McKee – 21:18.47; 4. Jedidiah Megargel – 21:39.71; 5. Logan Garnica – 21:41.88. 12. Ethan Peterson – 22:06.92; 15. Will Dixon – 22:13.37; 17. Drew Hogan – 22:29.52; 19. John Simmons – 22:42.32; 20. LJ Floyd – 22:47.00; 24. Luke Stockett – 22:58.68; 32. Michael Moffat – 23:31.99.
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