MONMOUTH, Ore. – This time, there's no waiting around for the Western Washington University Women's Cross Country program. No wondering 'what if.' No Monday afternoon disappointment. 

 

Instead, there's Saturday morning celebration … and no doubt about it. 

 

For the first time since 2019, the Vikings are going to the NCAA Division II national cross country meet – and they're going as the West Region champions hoisting the regional trophy for the first time in program history.

Sophomore Ashley Reeck ran to a 5th-place finish, Ila Davis and Meaera Nystrom were both in the top 15, and WWU won the West crown on Saturday morning at Western Oregon University's Ash Creek Preserve. 

 

With all five of their scorers among the top 30 finishers, the Vikings checked in with 75 points. That was 11 better than second-place Biola (86), and way ahead of third-place Chico State (132). Those three teams earned the automatic qualifying spots for a trip on November 18 to Joplin, Missouri, the site of this year's national race. 

 

This will be the 10th trip to nationals for the Viking women. WWU became the ninth GNAC women's cross country team to win a regional title, joining Alaska Anchorage (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018), Simon Fraser (2014, 2021) and Seattle Pacific (2007). Wester's previous highest finish was runner-up in 2015.

The Western men will have to wait until Monday to learn officially if they will be joining the women in Missouri, but they are in prime position to do so. Led by 3rd-place finisher Andrew Oslin, the Vikings were 4th in the team standings with 79 points. That was just two points behind Cal Poly Pomona for the third and final automatic qualifying spot.  

 

However, with 10 at-large berths to be filled, and given the high quality of the West Region and WWU's season-long performances, they are certainly high in the conversation for one of those 10 spots. 

 

At last November's regional race in Billings, Montana, Western finished sixth in the team standings. While that was very much a respectable finish in the always talent-laden West , it ultimately wasn't enough to grab one of the 10 available at-large national berths that were awarded the following Monday. 

 

The Vikings, coming off their second straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference title two weeks ago in Anchorage, put themselves in good standing right from the starting gun on Saturday. Ranked No. 1 in the West Region and No. 12 nationally, Western Washington was in first place by 10 points ahead of Chico at the 2-kilometer mark, then was 15 points ahead of Biola at 4K. 

 

Reeck set the team's pace from start to finish. Having won two regular-season meets this fall and then running a solid fourth at GNAC, she was in third place at the 2K mark, running alongside teammate Ila Davis and conference counterparts Rosie Fordham of Alaska Fairbanks and Annika Esvelt of Seattle Pacific. She was still fourth at the 4K, then was fifth into the finish chute in 20 minutes 54.6 seconds, just two-tenths behind Della Molina of Chico State. 

 

That was a 6K personal-best for Reeck, beating her previous mark of 21:16.9 at GNAC two weeks ago. For Reeck, a sophomore, it was a huge jump from her regional debut last year, when she placed 102nd. 

 

Davis was next across the line for Western, finishing 11th in 21:19.4. Junior Meaera Nystromplaced 14th in 21:25.1. Sophie Wright (24th) and Emma Smith (26th) completed the scoring. 

 

With their top-25 finishes, Reeck, Davis, Nystrom, and Wright earned All-Region status. 

 

Kramer of Fairbanks, who won the GNAC title on Oct. 21, added the regional crown to her collection, finishing in 20:29.8. 

 

The nationals, set for the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, begin at 8:00 a.m. Pacific time with the 6K women's race, followed by the men's 10K at 9:15 a.m. 

 

Oslin, a senior who was third at the GNAC meet in Anchorage, and Ryan Clough, a junior who placed ninth at GNAC, were among the leaders all the way, as was conference champion Kevin McDermott. In fact, at the 2-kilomerter mark, it was McDermott and Oslin 1-2 and Clough in fifth, all in the 6:10 range. 

 

Those two were still dead even through the 4K mark at 12:29. They had dropped back just a bit at 6K. Oslin was WWU's front runner at 8 kilometers, but now was in ninth, with Clough 11th. Both then made a significant move around the final loop. 

 

By the finish line, Oslin was solidly in third, coming across in 30 minutes, 49.2 seconds. Clough, who had dropped briefly out of the top 10, climbed back into it and finished ninth in 30:56.5. McDermott came through in 15th in 31:03.9, giving the Vikings three among the top 15. 

 

Completing the scoring for Western Washington were Jeret Gillingham in 25th and Jalen Javurekin 27th. 

 

Central Washington senior Johan Correa moved up steadily throughout the race and won in 30:42.1. 

 

While Chico State and Azusa Pacific battled back and forth in the team standings (Chico led at 2K, 4K, and 6K, but Azusa was ahead at 8K), the perennially powerful Wildcats were comfortably in front at the end with 47 points. APU had 61. 

 

The Vikings, ranked No. 3 in the West and No. 13 nationally, finished ahead of Cal Poly Pomona in the front two positions, but CPP had the advantage in the Nos. 3, 4, and 5 scoring spots. 

 

If Western is one of the 10 at-large selections on Monday, it will be their 13th trip to the national meet.

 

NCAA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY 

NCAA Division II West Regionals 

Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 

Ash Creek Preserve / Monmouth, Ore. 

 

Team scores (top 3 to NCAA nationals) – 1, Western Washington 75; 2, Biola 86; 3, Chico State 132; 4, Concordia Irvine 132 (Chico State gets higher place on tiebreaker) 5, Alaska Fairbanks 135; 6, Cal Poly Pomona 182; 7, Saint Martin's 220; 8, Simo Fraser 221; 9, Stanislaus State 231; 10 Azusa Pacific 258; 11, Point Loma Nazarene 315; 12, Alaska Anchorage 358; 13, Cal State San Marcos 364; 14, Seattle Pacific 365; 15, Cal State Monterey Bay 366; 16, Fresno Pacific 395; 17, Sonoma State 418; 18, Western Oregon 427; 19, Cal State East Bay469; 20, Cal State San Bernardino 521; 21, San Francisco State 628; 22, Montana State Billings 636; 23, Central Washington 671; 24, Chaminade 762. 

 

Top 10 – 1, Kendall Kramer 20:29.8; 2, Susanne Bruenig (Biola) 20:33.6; 3, Gianna Bomarito (Sonoma) 20:50.3; 4, Dalla Molina (Chico) 20:54.2; 5, Ashley Reeck (WWU) 20:54.6; 6, Rosie Fordham (UAF) 20:57.3; 7, Cassidy Wolchak-Sloan (Saint Martin's) 21:00.9; 8, Bethany Mapes (Biola) 21:05.9; 9, Poishe Eismann (CUI) 21:09.9; 10, Jori Paradis (CUI) 21:15.5. 

 

Other WWU – 11, Ila Davis 21:19.4; 14, Meaera Nystrom 21:25.1; 24, Sophie Wright 21:43.8; 26, Emma Smith 21:44.9; 29, Marian Ledesma 21:52.2; 31, Mia Crocker 21:55. 

 

NCAA MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY 

NCAA Division II West Regionals 

Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 

10 kilometers at Ash Creek Preserve / Monmouth, Ore. 

 

Team scores (top 3 to NCAA nationals) – 1, Chico State 47; 2, Azusa Pacific 61; 3 Cal Poly Pomona 77; 4, Western Washington 79; 5, Alaska Anchorage 197; 6, Concordia Irvine 236; 7, Biola 253; 8, Stanislaus State 261; 9, Simon Fraser 293; 10, Fresno Pacific 310; 11, Cal State San Marcos 339; 12, Cal State East Bay 342; 13, Cal State Monterey Bay 362; 14, Central Washington 380; 15, Cal Poly Humboldt 415; 16, Northwest Nazarene 438; 17, Western Oregon 442; 18, Dominican 443; 19, Saint MARTIN'S 473; 20, San Francisco State 481; 21, Seattle Pacific 515; 22, Alaska Fairbanks 546; 23, Cal State Los Angeles 718. 

 

Top 10 – 1, Johan Correa (CWU) 30:42.1; 2, Juan Diego Castro (APU) 30:44.0; 3, Andrew Oslin (WWU) 30:49.2; 4, Brayden McLaughlin (Cico) 30:51.0; 5, Dyhlan White Cico) 30:52.2; 6, Riley Burns (APU) 30:544; 7, Daniel Hernandez (Chico) 30:54.7; 8, Leandro Candray (CPP) 30:55.4; 9, Ryan Clough (WWU) 30:56.5; 10, Nixon Corir (APU) 30:57.7. 

 

Other WWU – 15, Kevin McDermott 31:03.9; 25, Jeret Gillingham 31:19.2; 27, Jalen Javurek 31:30.9; 74, Jason Blim 32:53.3; 2105, Samuel Lingwall 33:40.8. 

 

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 WWU women's regional championship is the first by a Viking cross country team with the men's team placing second in 2007, 2009 and 2022:

 

 

Both the WWU men's and women's cross country programs hold regional and national rankings in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) polls:

 

• WWU Men: No. 3 in West Region, No. 13 in NCAA II
• WWU Women: No. 1 in West Region, No. 12 in NCAA II

 

Here is a look at the national week-by-week national rankings for the Vikings in 2023:

 

 

The NCAA National Championships race will be held Saturday, November 18 on the Tom Rutledge XC Course in Joplin, Missouri. Nationals will be hosted by Missouri Southern State University. The women's 6K national championship is scheduled to begin at 10 am CT/8 am PT and the men's 10K will begin at 11:15 am CT/9:15 am PT. The complete 2023 WWU Cross Country schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/23_XC.

 

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