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The University of New Mexico women’s cross country team is the preseason favorite to win its 13th consecutive Mountain West Conference championship, according to the preseason coaches poll. The Lobos received nine first-place votes to win the 10-team league, and runner-up pick Boise State received the other.

The UNM men are picked to run sixth in an eight-team MWC chase, with Colorado State tabbed the favorite.

The cross country season has been delayed from the fall because of pandemic restrictions. The league championships are set for March 5 in Las Vegas, Nev. UNM has not announced any regular season meets.

TURNING PRO: Fiona O’Keeffe, who transferred from Stanford to UNM last April and never has run for the Lobos because of the pandemic, announced her decision to turn pro over the weekend. She qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 10K in December, running under the qualifying standard of 32:25 with a time of 32:12.28 for the 11th-fastest time as an American collegian.