ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Cross Country season is nearing the end, and the Wildcats have a chance to make another statement, this time at the GNAC Championships. They come into the week ranked #26 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women's National Poll with hopes of rising up the ranks from a big showing at the GNAC Championships. The team is coming off a week's worth of rest following an impressive showing at the Tyson Invitational, where the women's squad finished first, and the men's squad finished third. The men's team will see tough competition from both #22-ranked Western Oregon and #10-ranked rivals Western Washington. As for the women's team, their toughest competition at the event will be the #23-ranked Western Washington, with them sitting just three spots ahead of them in the USTFCCCA Women's National Poll.
LAST MEET:
Maddy Harrison shot out of a cannon, finishing in first place with a time of 21:02.3, 21 seconds ahead of Washington State University's Jaylyn Lehner, with a time of 21:23.4. After Lehner, the next Wildcat to cross the finish line was
Payton Conover. The junior ran 21:26.9, earning third place. Just missing out on the top five was
Dawn Hulstedt in sixth with a time of 21:34.0.
Lillian Neff was the next Wildcat to finish as she crossed 17
th with a time of 22:16.3 and was quickly followed by
Hannah Pidduck in 18
th, running a 22:16.7. Teagen Pentz was the last Wildcat in the top 30, as she finished with a time of 22:57.4.
Katie Manly and
Julie Johnson just missed out on the top 30 finishing 31
st and 32
nd, respectively. Rounding it out for the 'Cats were
Grace Grossman in 36
th and
Audrey Lucas in 39
th. The Wildcats scored 43, narrowly outrunning Gonzaga with their 43 points. The 'Cats also look to rise farther up the USTFCCCA Women's National Poll as they beat out #16-ranked Washington State University.
The men's squad was back in action for the first time in nearly a month, as the last time we saw them, they finished eighth at the Bill Roe Classic. Leading the charge for the 'Cats was once again
Weston Breen with his run of 25:15.3 in 20
th, just ahead of his Wildcat teammate Charlie Knaught in 23
rd with a 25:22.9.
Colin Wear ran a time of 25:25.4, good for 26
th, followed up by Christian Rosca in 33
rd with a time of 26:21.0. The final two Wildcats were Samuel Wagner in 39
th with a time of 26:47.2 and
Sylas Allen in 53
rd with his run of 27:16.1. As a team the Wildcats placed in third with 99 points, finishing behind Eastern Oregon with 61 and Gonzaga with 15.
NEXT UP:
Following the GNAC Championships, the 'Cats will be hoping to get a bid in the NCAA West Region Championships. If all goes right for the 'Cats, they have a chance to take their talents to Sacramento, Calif., to participate with the best runners on the West Coast in Division II Cross Country.
