JOPLIN, Mo. – The Western Washington University men's cross country team wrapped up another standout season placing 16th at the NCAA Division II Championships on Saturday.

 

The Vikings recorded a team score of 488 for the 16th-place finish after entering the national meet ranked No. 14, concluding a season that included a second consecutive GNAC team title and a fourth-place finish at the West Regional Championships.

 

Junior Ryan Clough led Western's strong contingent placing 73rd completing the 10K Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in 30:51.7. Senior Andrew Oslin finished 88th in 30:59.9 and junior Kevin McDermott was also in the top 100 in the field of 263 racers in 31:02.5.

 

The trip to nationals was the 13th in program history and the fourth in the last five years. WWU placed 14th at the NCAA II Championships in 2022 (Chambers Bay), 22nd in 2019 (Sacramento, CA) and 26th in 2018 (Pittsburgh, PA).

 

Wingate edged out defending national champion Colorado Mines by nine points (70-79) to win its first national title after earning runner-up honors last year at Chambers Bay in University Place. East Central placed third with 108, West Texas A&M fourth with 142 and Western Colorado rounded out the team top five with 168 points to edge Adams State by one point. William Amponsah of West Texas A&M topped the field individually completing the course in 29:04.3, averaging 4:40.7 per mile.

 

The Western women placed 14th at the NCAA Championships with a team score of 420, led by a 30th-place finish by sophomore Ashley Reeck to earn All-America honors. The Viking women's program completed their historic season with a top-15 finish at nationals after also winning the first West Regional title in program history and repeating at GNAC Champions.

 

Here is a look at the individual performances by the WWU men at the NCAA Championships with the team earning a 16th-place finish. Junior Ryan Clough led the Vikings finishing in 73rd place completing the 10K course in 30:51.7, followed closely by senior Andrew Oslin in 88th place (30:59.9) and GNAC champion junior Kevin McDermott in 90th place (31:02.5).

 

 

The 2023 championships marked the ninth time in program history that both the women's and men's programs raced at the NCAA II National Championships. It was the 10th trip to nationals for the women's program and first since going in back-to-back years in 2018 (Pittsburgh, PA) and 2019 (Sacramento, CA). The at-large selection for the men marks the 13th trip to nationals and second consecutive year after placing 14th last season at Chambers Bay. Here is a look at WWU's prior finishes at the NCAA West Regional and NCAA II National Championships since joining the NCAA in 1998:

 

 

Here is a look at WWU's team finishes from the 2023 cross country season:

 

 

The championships were held on Saturday, November 18 on the Tom Rutledge XC Course in Joplin, Missouri,  hosted by Missouri Southern State University. The women's 6K championship opened the race schedule at 10 am CT/8 am PT, with the men's 10K at 11:15 am CT/9:15 am PT.

 

• Official Results (TFRRS)
• Live Results
• Championships Information
• Course Maps
• City of Joplin