Commending and congratulating the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks Mens Cross Country Team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Cross Country National Championship.

Commending and congratulating the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks Mens Cross Country Team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Cross Country National Championship. Whereas, on November 19, 2022, the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks Mens Cross Country Team (referred to in this preamble as the Lumberjacks) won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this preamble as the NCAA) Mens Cross Country National Championship by defeating 31 teams with a score of 83 points in Stillwater, Oklahoma; Whereas the Lumberjacks claimed the 2022 Big Sky Conference Mens Cross Country Championship; Whereas Lumberjacks runner Nico Young won the individual 2022 Big Sky Conference Mens Cross Country title; Whereas the Lumberjacks have won 30 Big Sky Conference Mens Cross Country Championships since 1970; Whereas the Lumberjacks have appeared at the NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championship 31 times; Whereas the victory of the Lumberjacks in 2022 NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championship represents the sixth national championship in the history of the Northern Arizona University mens cross country program; Whereas the 2022 NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championship signifies the sixth national championship in seven years and third national championship in a row for the Lumberjacks; Whereas the 2022 NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championship represents the second three-peat for the Lumberjacks after having won national championships in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and 2020, 2021, and 2022; Whereas the Lumberjacks finished as the runner-up at NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championships in 1988, 1995, 2013, and 2019; Whereas, at the 2022 Mens NCAA Cross Country National Championship, remarkable performances by Lumberjack runners included (1) Nico Young finishing second overall with a time of 28:44.5; (2) Drew Bosley finishing third overall with a time of 28:55.9; (3) Santiago Prosser finishing 19th overall with a time of 29:19.5; (4) Brodey Hasty finishing 25th overall with a time of 29:27.2; (5) George Kusche finishing 39th overall with a time of 29:34.9; (6) Ryan Raff finishing 88th overall with a time of 30:08.6; and (7) Colin Sahlman finishing 151st overall with a time of 30:37.0; Whereas 2022 NCAA Mens Cross Country All-American honors were awarded to the top 5 Lumberjacks runners (1) Nico Young, who earned his third All-American honor, after also earning the honor in 2020 and 2021; (2) Drew Bosley, who earned his third All-American honor, after also earning the honor in 2019 and 2021; (3) Brodey Hasty, who earned his second All-American honor, after also earning the honor in 2021; (4) George Kusche, who earned his second All-American honor, after also earning the honor in 2021; and (5) Santiago Prosser, who earned his first All-American honor; Whereas Ryan Raff has been a member of 4 Lumberjacks NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championship teams, in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022; Whereas the top 5 Lumberjacks runners enabled the Lumberjacks to claim the 2022 NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championship in the first ever tie-break over the Oklahoma State University Cowboys by a score of 3 to 2; Whereas Northern Arizona University Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Mike Smith has become a distinguished coach and leader in the cross country community, which is evidenced by his (1) leadership of the Lumberjacks to 5 NCAA Mens Cross Country National Championships; (2) achievement of 5 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year Honors for Mens Cross Country, in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022; and (3) achievement of 5 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year Honors for Womens Cross Country, in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022; and Whereas the Lumberjacks bring pride to the State of Arizona and to the entire cross country community: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate (1) honors the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks Mens Cross Country Team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Mens Cross Country National Championship; (2) recognizes the excellence and dedication of all coaches, support staff, and players whose contributions led to victory in the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Mens Cross Country National Championship; (3) celebrates alongside the students and faculty of Northern Arizona University and all fans of the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks cross country team; and (4) requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to (A) Dr. Jos Luis Cruz Rivera, President of Northern Arizona University; (B) Mike Marlow, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at Northern Arizona University; and (C) Mike Smith, Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Northern Arizona University.

Summary: This resolution honors the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks men's cross country team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association men's cross country national championship.