Baxter Arguinchona (Spokane, Wash.), entering his sophomore year with the Seattle University cross country and track and field team, has been named to the United States Junior Mountain Running Team that will compete at the 2012 World Mountain Running Championships in Ponte di Legno, Italy, on Sunday, Sept. 2.
Arguinchona will be competing in his first World Mountain Running Championships, a grueling race that this year will consist of an uphill-only course of close to nine kilometers. He is one of four men named to the junior men's team, with two of his teammates attending the University of Richmond and a third currently in high school in Colorado.
During his freshman year at Seattle U, Arguinchona overcame an early-season injury to participate in the Emerald City Open and the Mike Hodges Invitational during the cross country campaign. He earned a spot on the Redhawk squad that went to the 2012 Great West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, finishing ninth in the 3000 meter run with a time of 8:52.11. His season-best time in the 5000 meter run of 15:06.13 came during the outdoor track and field season at the Duane Hartman Invitational.
"I'm really excited about this year's junior team" said Paul Kirsch, manager of the U.S. Junior Mountain Running Team. "The Italian course requires both speed and climbing strength, and both our boys' and girls' squads have a great mixture of both."
Arguinchona will likely miss the Redhawks' season-opening meet, the SU/UW Open on Aug. 31, to compete at the world championships in Italy. He should rejoin the Seattle U squad for the rest of the 2012 cross country season, including the Western Athletic Conference Championships in Ruston, La., Oct. 27 and the NCAA West Regional in Seattle Nov. 9.
The Seattle University cross country team is scheduled to report to campus Tuesday, Aug. 14, and will immediately head out for its annual preseason training camp to prepare for the upcoming campaign.