BELLINGHAM, Wash. – For the second consecutive season the Western Washington University men's cross country team dominated its home event winning the 2023 Bill Roe Classic on Saturday at Lake Padden Park.
 
The No. 9 nationally-ranked Vikings recorded a team score of 47 to place well ahead of runner-up Alaska Anchorage (62 points).
 
WWU was paced by six runners in the placing in the top 17 in the 133-runner event, led by junior Kevin McDermott finishing 4th on the 8K course in 24:58.9. Senior Andrew Oslin was right behind McDermott crossing the line in 7th place with a time of 25:03.5. Juniors Sam Lingwall (25:29.7) and Jalen Javurek (25:31.4) were 12th and 13th, and junior Jeret Gillingham rounded out the top five scorers placing 16th in 25:37.2.
 
"Another strong, measured and impressive performance by the guys," said WWU Assistant Coach and Cross Country lead T.J. Garlatz. "It is a very deep team and they showed that today with eight runners in the top 30. It was a very competitive race, which I think will put us in a good position as we head to the Lewis Crossover and GNAC Championships in the next month."
 
GNAC schools took the top three spots in the team standings, with WWU (47), Alaska Anchorage (62) and Simon Fraser (85) showing the strength of the conference. Junior All-American Cole Nash of Alaska Anchorage pushed past Sebastian Brinkman of Simon Fraser down the stretch to earn the win in a time of 24:41.7.
 
A group of recent WWU runners formed a team named Premature Acceleration with recent graduate Mac Franks leading the way placing 6th in 25:02.5, James Jasperson finishing 24th (25:43.9) and Calahan Warren 28th (25:56.7).
 
Men's Team Results:

1. Western Washington (47)
2. Alaska Anchorage (62)
3. Simon Fraser (85)
4. Victoria (93)
5. Club Northwest (149)
6. Premature Acceleration (155)
7. Saint Martin's (206)
8. Seattle Pacific (244)
9. Central Washington (254)
10. Alaska Fairbanks (282)
11. Seattle Running Club (384)
12. Lake Sammamish Running Club (403)

 
WWU Men's Collegiate Results/Finish (8K):

• Kevin McDermott (4th, 24:58.9)
• Andrew Oslin (7th, 25:03.5)
• Sam Lingwall (12th, 25:29.7)
• Jalen Javurek (13th, 25:31.4)
• Jeret Gillingham (16th, 25:37.2)
• Ryan Clough (17th, 25:38.0)
• Will Henry (29th, 25:57.2)
• Jason Blinn (31st, 25:57.9)
• Dylan Lennon (37th, 26:08.5)
• Drew Weber (39th, 26:11.3)
• Ian Eifert (68th, 27:03.5)
• Eric Anthony Souza-Ponce (82nd, 27:31.7)
• Ethan Bursch (86th, 27:37.5)
• Connor Palmen (96th, 28:09.8)
• Anders Norman (118th, 30:18.5) 

*does not include redshirt/unattached runners per NCAA rules
  Following the Bill Roe Classic, the Vikings are scheduled to race in a pair of meets on Saturday, October 7. Western will send seven members on each the men's and women's team to the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois, with the remainder competing at the Emerald City Classic at Lower Woodland Park. The complete 2023 WWU Cross Country schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/23_XC.
  The Vikings hosted the 49th Annual WWU Classic, renamed the WWU Bill Roe Classic in 2021, on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Lake Padden Park in Bellingham. The meet is named in honor of Bill Roe, a fixture in the Western Washington University track & field and cross country program for 35 years, from 1985-2020, as well as being nationally and internationally known for his involvement in the administration of those sports. Roe passed away unexpectedly in February 2020. He was a long-time USA Track & Field official and leader. He served as President of the USATF for two terms from 2000 to 2008. The founder in 1972 of Seattle's Club Northwest and in 1973 of the Pacific Northwest Association of USATF, Roe's resume includes work in nearly all capacities of the sport: as a coach, meet director, clinician, official, administrator, and executive. He also was founder of Northwest Runner magazine.