Weber State University’s women’s cross-country team is looking to start the season with a bang; their first meet will take place at the Utah Valley Invitational on Aug. 30. The team’s top results last year came at the Montana Invitational, where they took second, and the Utah Valley Invitational, where they placed third.
Saga Hagelin is an international athlete from Gothenburg, Sweden. In 2023, Hagelin competed in the Big Sky Championships in the 3,000 meters and distance medley relay. She finished tenth in the 3,000 with a time of 9:45.61 and sixth in the DMR.
“I think Coach P [Pilkington] does a really good job with the training,” Hagelin said. “I also like the training environment and my teammates.”
The women’s cross-country team has been recognized for excelling both on the track and in the classroom. Hagelin takes pride in the team’s commitment to sports and academics.
“We are high-achieving,” Hagelin said. “We want to do our best in both sports and school.”
Hagelin’s goals are to score points at the conference championships and help the team place better. She also wants to place better personally than she did last year and set new personal records. Hagelin’s PRs include 9:39.02 in the 3,000 meters, 17:48.9 in the 5K, 22:05.6 in the 6K, and 18:53.1 in the 3-mile.
Some of Hagelin’s favorite moments at Weber State have been going to cross-country races with her teammates. As a group, they also went to a baseball game in Chicago to strengthen their bond. Hagelin’s favorite races to run are the 3K and the steeplechase. She enjoys the smaller races more, something we both have in common. Her advice to newcomers is to “enjoy it and take advantage of the opportunity they get to run collegiately.”
