Some might say comparisons are the thief of joy, but it’s hard to avoid stacking a national championship Oklahoma State men's cross country team in 2023 against the 2024 squad from Saturday.
The Cowboys finished eighth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships this Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin, falling six places behind their U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association ranking going into the final race.
As for what may have pulled the Cowboys away from a podium placing, head coach Dave Smith made it clear what his team’s biggest challenge was going into the national race.