LIVE RESULTS

MISSOULA, Mont. – Cross country makes the quick trip out to Missoula for the Montana Invitational on Friday night, with the first race beginning at 5 p.m. Mountain.  Live results will be available at CompetitiveTiming.com.
 
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Beat your rank.
 
That has been the motto for Idaho track and field/cross country since Tim Cawley and company took over four seasons ago.  It's difficult to accomplish, but it's a simple idea: do better than everyone else thinks you're going to do.
 
Skylar Ovnicek and the men's cross country team have embodied the idea.  A unit that three years ago finished near the bottom at the Big Sky Championship has steadily improved, posting back-to-back fourth place finishes and lowering its score each year.
 
"Everyone is pretty well invested in what we're trying to do," said Ovnicek.  "Every year we want to do better.  It's not just about wanting to win the Big Sky, it's about improving and doing better than our rankings."
 
The whole squad is committed to making everyone better.  In the last eight races, the Vandals have had five different student-athletes lead the way.  This year, Ovnicek has been at or near the top for the Vandals, and his leadership has paid dividends already.
 
"We do a good job in recruiting, looking for good athletes that will contribute to the character of this team.  I think there's a vested interest in the athletes to want to do better and run faster.  The coaches are really invested and passionate about seeing us improve, too."
 
Ovnicek's formula for personal success on the course is simple.
 
"It's a little different because you can only show up to a race with what you bring.  My mindset is always to just get out and run your race.  As long as you finish on empty, it's all out there, you can't ask for any more than that."
 
His formula for success in everything else?  It's a little more complicated for the fourth-year engineering major.
 
"It's definitely been a juggling act for a little while.  It took at least a year and a half to figure things out.  I write all my weekly stuff down on a whiteboard with a checklist, then I break up my days with what I'm going to do hour-by-hour.  We set goals at the beginning of our season, personal goals for what we want to do academically and athletically, and it helps.  There isn't a whole lot of free time in my day, but I've accepted that it's what it takes to be an engineer and an athlete at the same time.  Accepting that helped me."
 
When asked if it was all worth it, Ovnicek didn't need much time to answer.
 
"Yes.  Yes it is."
 
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To stay current on all Vandal Athletics visit GoVandals.com, or follow the Vandals on Twitter, @Idaho_Vandals.
 
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho track and field/cross country by following the team on Twitter @IdahoTrack.