BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University cross country team competes in the NCAA II West Regional Championship this weekend in Montana.

 

The Vikings are coming off a sweep of the team titles at the GNAC Championships October 26 at Sudden Valley Golf Course in Bellingham and both teams carry the No. 2 West Region ranking into the regional championship. Racing begins at 10 am MT/9 am PT Saturday (Nov. 9) with the men's 10K at Amend Park in Billings, Montana. The women's 6K closes out the regional competition with a start time of 11:15 am MT/10:15 am PT.

 

WWU will be looking to punch its ticket to the national championships held November 23 in Sacramento, California. The top three men's and women's regional finishers receives an automatic bid to nationals with a complicated formula determining the remaining 10 at-large berths for nationals (34 total teams). Last season the West Region produced five men's team qualifiers (two at-large) and three women's team qualifiers (no at-large).

 

The Viking women enter Saturday's regional race as the defending champions after winning their first West Regional Championship last November in Monmouth, Oregon. The men placed fourth after earning runner-up honors in 2022.

 

Heading into Saturday's regional championships, the Viking men and women are both listed No. 2 in the West Regional rankings behind Chico State. The WWU men's squad is ranked No. 9 nationally and the Viking women are listed No. 14. 

 

Here are some of the details about the 2024 NCAA II West Regional Championships that will be held Saturday in Billings, Montana:

 

·         What: 2024 NCAA II West Regional Cross Country Championships

·         When: Saturday, November 9, 2024

·         Where: Amend Park in Billings, Montana

·         Time: Men's 10K (10 am MT/9 am PT), Women's 6K (11:15 am MT/10:15 am PT)

·         Live Results

·         Meet Info

·         Course Maps: Men's 10K | Women's 6K

·         Regional Championships History

 

The WWU women's team is the defending West Region champion after claiming the regional title last November in Monmouth, Oregon. The regional title was the first in NCAA program history and ninth by a GNAC program. The Western women went on to place 14th at nationals for the seventh top-15 finish during the NCAA era. The WWU men placed 4th last season at regionals and earned an at-large bid to nationals.

 

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 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 in 2023 was the first by a Viking cross country team with the men's team placing second in 2007, 2009 and 2022:

 

 

The Vikings will be racing Saturday for a potential spot at nationals with the NCAA Division II Championships held November 23 in Sacramento, California. Last season both Viking squads qualified for nationals marking the ninth time since joining the NCAA in 1998 that both the WWU men's and women's cross country teams have qualified for nationals. The WWU women have made 10 trips to NCAA nationals and the Viking men have appeared at nationals 13 times in program history.

 

Following this week's NCAA West Regional Championships in Billings, Montana, the Vikings will find out if they qualify for nationals with the selections happening via news release from the NCAA on November 11. A total of 34 teams will be selected for both the men's and women's championships, with the top three in each of the eight NCAA Division II regionals receiving an automatic qualifier and 10 at-large selections. The NCAA National Championships will be held November 23 at Haggins Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, California. The complete 2024 WWU Cross Country schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/24_XC.

 

The Vikings 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, becoming the first program to win the conference title in their home city in the history of the event. 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. 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. Here is a look at the team scoring breakdown from the 2024 GNAC Championships held October 26 at Sudden Valley Golf Course.

 

 

Both the WWU men's and women's cross country programs have been a mainstay in the regional and national rankings in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) polls all season. The Viking men head into the regional meet ranked in the top 10 (#9) and the women are in the top 15 (#14):

 

• WWU Men: No. 2 in West Region, No. 9 in NCAA II
• WWU Women: No. 2 in West Region, No. 14 in NCAA II

 

Here is a look at the national week-by-week national rankings for the Vikings in 2024:

 

 

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).