BILLINGS, Mont. – The Western Washington University cross country team competed at the NCAA Division II West Regional meet Saturday in wintery conditions at Amend Park.

 

The Viking men put forth a historic performance finishing in second place to earn an automatic ticket to the national championship race that will be held December 2 at Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place. The women's squad placed sixth and will wait to hear if they advance to the national meet at an at-large selection. Both teams continued their strong season performance after sweeping the podium at the GNAC Championships two weeks ago.

 

Sophomore Jeret Gillingham led the men's squad with an 11th-place finish and the top four WWU scorers were among the top 20 placers on Saturday morning, leading the Vikings to second with a team score of 82, well ahead of third-place Azusa Pacific (111). Chico State on the regional title with a team score of 48. 

  

Gillingham finished his 10 kilometers around the flat course at Amend Park in 30 minutes, 33.49 seconds. He was followed by three teammates who were all within six seconds of him: Andrew Oslin (14th in 30:36;88), Ryan Clough (18th in 30:38.29) and George Karamitsos (18th in 30:39.39). 

 

All four of them earned a place on the All-West Region team from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Those awards go to the top 25 placers. 

 

Sophomore Kevin McDermott rounded out the scoring in 28th, crossing the finish line in 31:09.37. That meant the entire Western Washington scoring pack was within 36 seconds. 

 

The Vikings now will head to Chambers Creek Regional Park, southwest of Tacoma, for the D2 nationals on Friday, Dec. 2. That race will leave the starting line at 10 am.

The West Region performance continued a string of high team finishes for WWU. The Vikings won the Central Washington Invitational, Bill Roe Invitational and John Payne / Curtis invitational during the regular season, then added the GNAC title, that one by a 21-point margin (31-52) ahead of Simon Fraser. 

 

They were third at the Lewis Invitational and fourth at the D2 Pre-Nationals, which was run on the same Chambers Creek course that will be the site of nationals. 

 

The same five who scored for Western on Saturday were also the five scorers at GNACs, when all of them were in the top 10 (Gillingham, Oslin, Karamitsos, McDermott, and Clough). 

 

Saturday's second-place finish matched the highest-ever placing for a Vikings team at NCAA Regionals. The 2007 and 2009 squads also placed second. WWU will be competing at nationals for the third time in the last four years and 12th time in NCAA program history (since 1998).

Sophomore Mia Crocker finished in 22nd, leading Western Washington's women to a sixth-place team finish with 220 points. 

 

The Vikings now will have to wait until Monday to learn if they will earn one of the 10 available at-large invitations to nationals. Saturday's top three teams – Stanislaus State (91 points), Chico State (93), and Biola (114) were automatic qualifiers, as are the top three from the other seven regions around the country. The 10 at-large teams can come from any region. Last year, the West got one additional team. 

 

Crocker finished her 6 kilometers in 21 minutes, 46.67 seconds. Her spot among the top 25 made her an All-West Region pick as recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. It was her second-fastest 6K of the season, topped only by the 21:30.0 she posted to take seventh at the GNAC Championships on November 5, as she paced Western Washington to the team championship on that day. 

 

Rounding out the scoring for Western were Meaera Shannon (32nd in 22:00.96), Sophie Wright (37th in 22:07.78), Alanna Parker (62nd in 22:39.63) and Marian Ledesma (65th in 22:44.69). 

 

If the Vikings are chosen for nationals, it will be their third trip in the last four years and 10th in program history.

 

The Vikings had five runners earn All-West Region honors from the USTFCCCA for placing in the top 25 at the regional meet. Here is a listing of WWU's All-Region award winners:

 

• Mia Crocker – 22nd
• Jeret Gillingham – 10th
• Andrew Oslin – 14th
• Ryan Clough – 16th
• George Karamitsos – 18th

 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Here is a look at the official results from the NCAA II West Regional Cross Country Championships:

 

2022 NCAA II WEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

at Billings, MT – Amend Park (Host: Montana State Billings University)

 

NCAA MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – 10 Kilometers

 

Team scores (top 3 automatic to nationals) – 1, Chico State 48; 2, Western Washington 82; 3, Azusa Pacific 111; 4, Simon Fraser 126; 5, Cal Poly Pomona 127; 6, Biola 147; 7, Alaska Anchorage 235; 8, Fresno Pacific 236; 9, Cal State San Marcos 295; 10, Concordia Irvine 298; 11, San Francisco State 345; 12, Cal Poly Humboldt 347; 13, Western Oregon 371; 14, Stanislaus State 374; 15, Saint Martin's 396; 16, Montana State Billings 396 (Saint Martin's wins tiebreaker); 17, Cal State East Bay 397; 18, Cal State Monterey Bay 449; 19, Central Washington 529; 20, Academy of Art 561; 21, Seattle Pacific 576; Alaska Fairbanks, Dominica, Hawaii Pacific, Holy Names, Northwest Nazarene incomplete. 

 

Top 5 – 1, Charlie Dannatt (Simon) 30:07.49; 2, Cole Nash (UAA) 30:10.34; 3, Rory Abberton (Chico) 30:14.63; 4, Benjamin White (Biola) 30:20.69; 5, Bryan Banuelos (Fresno Pac) 30:26.89.

 

WWU – 11, Jeret Gillingham 30:33.49; 14, Andrew Oslin 30:36.88; 16, Ryan Clough 30:38.29; 18, George Karamitsos 30:39.90; 28, Kevin McDermott 31:09.73; 37, Jalen Javurek 31:31.39; 53, Jared Alderfer 31:46.03.

 

NCAA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – 6 Kilometers

Team scores (top 3 automatic to nationals) – 1, Stanislaus State 91; 2, Chico State 93; 3, Biola 114; 4, Cal Poly Pomona 191; 5, Azusa Pacific 198; 6, Western Washington 220; 7, Alaska Fairbanks 221; 8, Cal State East Bay 231; 9, Simon Fraser 241; 10, Saint Martin's 248; 11, Western Oregon 262; 12, Concordia Irvine 283; 13, Fresno Pacific 309; 14, Cal State San Marcos 369; 15,Cal Poly Humboldt 425; 16, Academy of Art 436; 17, Cal State Monterey Bay 439; 18, Point Loma Nazarene 463; 19, Sonoma State 466; 20, Seattle Pacific 494; 21, Cal State East Bay 498; 22, Alaska Anchorage 566; 23, Montana State Billings 600; 24,San Francisco State 646; 25, Central Washington 755; Northwest Nazarene incomplete.

 

Top 5 – 1, Naomi Bailey (UAFO 20:53.08; 2, Kendall Kramer (UAF) 20:58.47; 3, Marissa D'Atri (Chico) 21:05.36; 4, Rosie Fordham (UAF) 21:06.187 5, Kaela Dishion (Stanislaus) 21:13.81.

 

WWU – 22, Mia Crocker 21:46.67; 32, Meaera Shannon 22:00.96; 37, Sophie Wright 22:07.78; 62, Alanna Parker 22:39.63; 65, Marian Ledesma 22:44.64; 102, Ashley Reeck 23:22.32; 126, Evelyn Collins-Winn 23:50.45.

 

Here is a look at how the Vikings men's and women's squads have finished at the NCAA II West Regional Championships since joining the NCAA in 1998. The second-place finish by the men's squad ties for the highest finish in program history with the 2007 and 2009 teams. 

 

 

The NCAA National Championships race will be held Friday, December 2 at Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place as part of the NCAA Division II Fall Sports Festival. The men's 10K is scheduled to start at 10 am with the women's 6K to follow at 11:15 am. WWU's men has already punched its ticket to race for a national title with the women's team seeking one of 10 at-large bids that will be announced Monday.