BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University cross country teams swept the team titles at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships for the third season in a row and fourth time in the last five seasons.

 

The WWU men won its eighth team title in convincing fashion with a team score of 32, and was led by individual winner senior Jeret Gillingham. Senior Ryan Clough (4th), junior George Karamitsos (7th) and sophomore Jared Alderfer (9th) earned All-GNAC honors for finishing in the top 10. Redshirt freshman Jonah Billings earned GNAC Freshman of the Year honors placing 12th. Northwest Nazarene finished 2nd behind the Vikings with a team score of 73.

The Western women ran as a pack with its five scoring runners finishing in the top 12 and seven runners in the top 14. The Vikings finished with a team score of 48 to place ahead of Alaska Fairbanks (74), Alaska Anchorage (80) and Seattle Pacific (80). Junior Ashley Reeck (6th), senior Sophie Wright (9th) and sophomore Ella Edens (10th)  earned All-GNAC honors. Alaska Fairbanks featured the top two finishers in Kendall Kramer and Rosie Fordham.

  

The Vikings have swept the GNAC titles in each of the last three seasons with the WWU men and women winning in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Dating back to 2019, Western has swept the GNAC Cross Country Championships four times. 

 

Here is a look at the final team scoring from the 2024 GNAC Cross Country Championships:

 

 

Here are some of the details about the 2024 GNAC Championships that was held Saturday in Bellingham:

 

·         What: 2024 GNAC Cross Country Championships

·         When: Saturday, October 26

·         Where: Sudden Valley Golf Course in Bellingham.

·         Course Maps: Here is a look at the course maps for the 2024 GNAC Championships

·         History: Get updated on the full history of the previous 22 GNAC XC Championships

 

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 WWU men have won eight titles (2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) and recorded nine runner-up finishes, while the women have won four titles (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) and have four runner-up finishes.

 

 

Following the GNAC Championships, the Vikings continue their goal of reaching the national championships November 23 in Sacramento at the Arcade Creek XC Course. The West Regional Championships will be the next week Western competes in on Saturday, November 9 at Amend Park in Billings, Montana. The complete 2024 WWU Cross Country schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/24_XC.

 

The 2024 WWU cross country schedule features four regular-season meets, followed by the GNAC Championships, NCAA II West Regional and the NCAA II Championships. The complete season schedule with links to recaps, results and live timing is available at WWUVikings.com/XC. 

 

 

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