FERNDALE, Wash. – Racing in near perfect conditions on a sunny fall Northwest morning, the Western Washington University cross country program made it a clean sweep winning both team titles Saturday at the Bill Roe Classic at Hovander Homestead Park.

 

The No. 20 nationally-ranked women's team bettered No. 9 Simon Fraser with a team score of 53 placing its five scoring runners in the top 16 overall of the 99-runner field. WWU's five scoring runners all placed in the top 10 among collegiate runners in the event. SFU had three runners finish in the top 15 of scoring runners, but was well back of Western with 72 team points.

 

The No. 29 nationally-ranked men's team also bettered its border rivals recording a team score of 43 to edge the 50 points by Simon Fraser. The Vikings had their five runners all inside the top 15 among scoring runners. The deciding factors was the 3-4 finish by sophomore Kevin McDermott and junior Andrew Oslin to best the top two finishers (6-7) by the SFU Red Leafs.

 

This marked the 14th time in the 48-year history of the event that the WWU men have won the team title, and first since 2013. It is just the third time the WWU women have taken home the team title and first since 2008.

 

"It was a great day to race like champions," said WWU Cross Country and Track & Field head coach Pee Wee Halsell. "The team is fit and raced very well today. It was fun to run on a new course and to see the team come together in competition. We raced in honor of our good friend Bill Roe, who we know would have loved to see the Vikings compete like they did today."

 

WWU was led by a fourth-place finish by sophomore Mia Crocker, completing the 6,000-meter course in 22:02.1. Freshman Ashley Reeck (11th, 22:44.1), freshman Alanna Parker (12th, 22:46.8) and sophomore Meaera Shannon (13th, 22:46.9) were tightly bunched at the finish to help lead the Vikings to the victory. Sophomore Sophie Wright added an 18th-place finish (22:59.2), followed by sophomore Evelyn Collins-Winn (23:00.0) and junior Marian Ledesma (35th, 23:44.4).

 

Amelia Keyser-Gibson of the Bellingham Distance Project won the women's 6K in 21:11.6, with Erin Wagner of Club Northwest in 2nd (21:22.3) and former Viking distance runner Courtney Olsen in 3rd (21:55.1).

 

Women's Collegiate Team Results:

1. #20 Western Washington (53)
2. #9 Simon Fraser (72)
3. Victoria (81)
4. Alaska Anchorage (162)
5. Central Washington (215)
6. Green River College (278)

 

Women's Top 10 Collegiate Finishers:

1. Mia Crocker, WWU (22:02.1) – 4th overall
2. Grace Chalk, SFU (22:20.5) – 6th overall
3. Megan Roxby, SFU (22:33.2) – 9th overall
4. Delaney Chan, UVic (22:37.9) – 10th overall
5. Ashley Reeck, WWU (22:44.1) – 11th overall
6. Alanna Parker, WWU (22:46.8) – 12th overall
7. Meaera Shannon, WWU (22:46.9) – 13th overall
8. Samara Cockburn, UVic (22:59.9) – 14th overall
9. Sarah Prangley, SFU (22:52.9) – 16th overall
10. Sophie Wright, WWU (22:59.2) – 18th overall

 

The Vikings men were led by a 3rd-place finish by sophomore Kevin McDermott (24:37.1) and 4th-place by junior transfer Andrew Oslin (24:41.6). Sophomore Jeret Gillingham backed up his win at the season-opening CWU Invitational placing 10th overall in 25:03.3 and freshman Jared Alderfer placed 13th in 25:08.3 on the 8,000m course. Sophomore transfers Ryan Clough (16th, 25;18.9) and George Karamitsos (20th, 25:26.8) rounded out the Vikings top five finishers.

 

Tom Anderson of Club Northwest repeated as individual champion with a time of 23:34.8 and Alaska Anchorage sophomore Cole Nash was the top collegiate finisher placing 2nd in 24:25.8.

 

Men's Collegiate Team Results:

1. #29 Western Washington (43)
2. Simon Fraser (50)
3. Victoria (97)
4. Alaska Anchorage (144)
5. Northwest (187)
6. Central Washington (201)
7. Green River College (238)

 

Men's Top 10 Collegiate Finishers:

1. Cole Nash, UAA (24:25.8) – 2nd overall
2. Kevin McDermott, WWU (24:37.1) – 3rd overall
3. Andrew Oslin, WWU (24:41.6) – 4th overall
4. Charlie Dannatt (24:55.4) – 6th overall
5. Scott Arndt (24:57.5) – 7th overall
6. Sebastian Brinkman (25:00.6) – 9th overall
7. Jeret Gillingham (25:03.3) – 10th overall
8. Tion McLeish (25:05.0) – 11th overall
9. Jared Alderfer (25:03.3) – 13th overall
10. Aiden Good (25:15.3) – 15th overall

 

WWU is back in action next weekend (Saturday, Oct. 1) racing in the John Payne/Curtis Invitational at Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place. The Vikings will then travel to the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois on October 8. The complete 2022 WWU Cross Country schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/22_XC.

 

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