MONMOUTH, Ore. – For the second time in program history, the Western Washington University Cross Country teams swept the podium at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, with both the men's and women's teams winning the team title Saturday at Ash Creek Preserve.

 

The men's squad gave a dominating performance with all five scoring runners earning All-GNAC honors for finishing in the top 10 and the women had a pair of All-GNAC performers and four runners in the top 20. The WWU men earned its sixth team title and the women claimed the league title for the second time. 

 

WWU also swept the podium in 2019 when the championships were held on a snowy course in Billings, Montana and both squads finished runner-up a year ago in Lacey, Washington.

 

The men's squad finished with a program record for the GNAC Championships with a team score of 31 points, over 20 points better than second-place Simon Fraser (52). The women totaled 64 points to beat out second-place Saint Martin's (78) by 14 points.

 

All five men's scoring runners – Jeret Gillingham (3rd), Andrew Oslin (4th), George Karamitsos (7th), Kevin McDermott (8th), Ryan Clough (9th) – finished in the top 10 to earn All-GNAC honors. Sophomores Mia Crocker (7th) and Sophie Wright (8th) led the women's team earning All-GNAC honors.

 

Jered Alderfer earned GNAC Freshman of the Year honors on the men's side with his 17th-place finish and Meaera Shannon was announced as the GNAC Newcomer of the Year on the women's side with her 11th-place finish.

The Viking men put together a dominating team performance with the top five scoring runners all finishing in the top 10 to earn All-GNAC honors. WWU recorded a team score of 31 for the lowest in program history, while beating out Simon Fraser to claim the program's sixth GNAC Championships team title.

 

WWU beat its previous lowest team score of 33 set in 2009 and had five All-GNAC runners (finish in the top 10) for the second time in program history joining the 2013 squad.

 

Sophomore Jeret Gillingham led the Vikings with a third-place finish completing the 8,000-meter course in a personal-best time of 24:06.5. Junior Andrew Oslin was fourth in 24:07.1 (PR), sophomore George Karamitsos was seventh in 24:12.5 (PR), sophomore Kevin McDermott finished eighth in 24:20.6 and sophomore Ryan Clough rounded out the All-GNAC performers in ninth at 24:22.7 (PR).

 

Senior Alec Ritter had his best performance of the season with a personal-best time of 24:46.8 to finish 14th and freshman Jared Alderfer rounded out the top seven WWU finishers in 17th place (24:51.6).

 

Here is a look at the team standings from the 2022 GNAC Championships Men's 8K, with WWU earning its sixth team title in the 21-year history of the event.

 

 

Here is a look at the individual performances by the WWU men at the GNAC Championships, with the five All-GNAC performances tying the program record for most top-10 finishes in a single championship:

 

 

Cole Nash of Alaska Anchorage won the men's 8K individual title completing the Ash Creek Preserve course in 23:46.2, followed by Charlie Dannatt of Simon Fraser (24:03.4). 

 

The WWU women claimed their second GNAC team title with a team score of 64 points, 14 better than second-place Saint Martin's.

 

The Vikings were led by a pair of All-GNAC performers with sophomore Mia Crocker finishing seventh in a personal-best time of 21:30.0 and sophomore Sophie Wright in eighth in a PR time of 21:39.6 on the 6,000-meter course.

 

All five of WWU's scoring runners placed in the top 21, running as a pack to record the team victory. 

 

Sophomore Meaera Shannon finished just outside the top 10 in 11th place in a PR time of 21:48.4 and Evelyn Collins-Winn placed 17th in 22:13.2 (PR). Freshman Ashley Reeck rounded out the top five scorers placing 21st in a PR time of 22:27.9.

 

Kendall Kramer (20:37.0) and Naomi Bailey (20:37.1) of Alaska Fairbanks crossed the finish line holding hands for the 1-2 placing by the Nanook runners, followed by Caitlin Heldt of Western Oregon in third place, Alauna Carstens of Saint Martin's in fourth and Rosie Fordham of Alaska Fairbanks in fifth.

 

Here is a look at the team standings from the 2022 GNAC Championships Women's 6K, with the Vikings returning to the podium after winning its first team title in 2019.

 

 

Here is a look at the individual performances by the WWU women at the GNAC Championships with finishers in the top 10 earn All-GNAC honors:

 

 

Here are the official team results, All-GNAC performers (top 10 finishers) and award winners provided by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference:

 

2022 GNAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Monmouth, OR - Ash Creek Preserve (Host: Western Oregon University)

 

MEN'S RACE 

Team Scores: Western Washington 31, Simon Fraser 52, Alaska Anchorage 83, Western Oregon 115, Saint Martin's 133, Montana State Billings 163, Central Washington 182, Seattle Pacific 228. Northwest Nazarene 239, Alaska 285. 

 

Top 10 Finishers (All-GNAC): 1, Coleman Nash, UAA, 23:46.2. 2, Charlie Dannatt, SFU, 24:03.4. 3, Jeret Gillingham, WWU, 24:06.5. 4, Andrew Oslin, WWU, 24:07.1. 5, Sebastian Brinkman, SFU, 24:07.9. 6, Michael Zapherson, UAA, 24:12.0. 7, George Karamitsos, WWU, 24:12.5. 8, Kevin McDermott, WWU, 24:20.6. 9, Ryan Clough, WWU, 24:22.7. 10, Hunter Hutton, WOU, 24:23.0. 

 

Athlete of the Year: Coleman Nash, Alaska Anchorage 

Freshman of the Year: Jared Alderfer, Western Washington

Newcomer of the Year: Michael Zapherson, Alaska Anchorage 

 

WOMEN'S RACE 

Team Scores: Western Washington 64, Saint Martin's 78, Simon Fraser 86, Western Oregon 87, Alaska 91, Seattle Pacific 149, Alaska Anchorage 163, Montana State Billings 224, Northwest Nazarene 242, Central Washington 261. 

 

Top 10 Finishers (All-GNAC): 1, Kendall Kramer, UAF, 20:37.0. 2, Naomi Bailey, UAF, 20:37.1. 3, Caitlin Heldt, WOU, 21:09.1. 4, Alauna Carstens, SMU, 21:16.7. 5, Rosie Fordham, UAF, 21:19.2. 6, Cassidy Walchak-Sloan, SMU, 21:19.6. 7, Mia Crocker, WWU., 21:30.0. 8, Sophie Wright, WWU, 21:39.6. 9, Sara Sabra, SMU, 21:42.4. 10, Grace Chalk, SFU, 21:45.4. 

 

Athlete of the Year: Kendall Kramer, Alaska 

Freshman of the Year: Alauna Carstens, Saint Martin's 

Newcomer of the Year: Meaera Shannon, Western Washington

 

Here is a look at how the Vikings have finished at the GNAC Cross Country Championships, with a detailed history of the event available online at GNACSports.com. The Vikings swept the podium for the second time in the last three championships, with the men winning their sixth title and women the second team championship.

 

 

The NCAA II West Regional will be held on Saturday, November 19 at Amend Park in Billings, Montana. The men's 10K race is scheduled to begin at 10 am MT/9 am PT and the women's 6K begins at 11:15 am MT/10:15 am PT. The top three teams from each race automatically qualify for the NCAA National Championships that will be held Friday, December 2 at Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place as part of the NCAA Division II Fall Sports Festival.

 

Here is a list of the competitors the Vikings that raced in Monmouth at the 2022 GNAC Cross Country Championships (listed alphabetically):

 

 

Fans can follow WWU Cross Country online at WWUVikings.com/XC, and via social media on Twitter (@WWUTFXC), Instagram (@WWUTFXC) and Facebook (@WWUTFXC).