MSU-N adds cross country

Starting next fall, running will become a part of the Montana State University-Northern athletic family. Last week, MSU-N Athletic Director Christian Oberquell announced that the school is adding men's and women's cross country to its list of varsity sports offered at MSU-N.

"We want to help grow our athletics programs and do what we can to help the Frontier Conference," Oberquell said in a press release.

For the Frontier Conference to be affiliated with the NAIA in cross country, six teams must participate within the conference. Northern hopes its choice to start the sport will inspire other schools to pursue the opportunity as well. 

  The school is aiming to recruit ten runners for the women's team and ten for the men's. They need five athletes to compete but would like to secure ten for this first season. Recruiters will scour the Hi-Line for future Lights runners, as there are strong cross country programs in and around the Havre area. 

Oberquell explained that cross country is the perfect addition to Northern's sports lineup at the present time since it is not an expensive sport to implement and operate, and the school already has money set aside from a past team implementation that did not come to fruition. The teams will use the route already in place on the MSU-N campus, so there will not be extra costs for the construction of training facilities.