BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The nationally-ranked and defending GNAC champion Western Washington University cross country program opens the 2024 season this weekend competing at the Green River Gator Invitational.

 

The WWU men's and women's teams open the season Saturday at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, with a start time at 11 am. Conference foes Simon Fraser, Central Washington, Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin's are also scheduled to compete in the meet along with Division I programs Portland and Portland State and a host of additional Northwest colleges.

 

The Vikings were selected No. 1 in both GNAC Preseason Coaches Polls with the men receiving all 10 first-place votes and the women earning nine of 10. The program opens the season with high expectations with the defending West Region champion women's program listed No. 1 in the West Region and No. 9 in NCAA Division II in the USTFCCCA preseason rankings. The men are No. 2 in the West Region and No. 12 in the nation.

 

Following the season-opening Green River Gator Invitational, the Vikings will take a week off before hosting the Bill Roe Classic on Saturday, September 28 at Hovander Park in Ferndale. WWU also hosts the GNAC Championships this on October 26, with the Vikings aiming for a third consecutive title on both the men's and women's side.

 

Here are some of the details on the Green River Gator Invitational, the 2024 season opener for the WWU Cross Country team:

 

·         What: Green River Gator Invitational

·         When: Saturday, September 14, 2024

·         Where: Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, WA

·         Time: Women's 4K (10 am start), Men's 6K (11:45 am start)

·         Results: Live Results will be available PNTFO.com

·         Teams: D1 (Portland, Portland State), D2 (WWU, SPU, CWU, SFU, SMU), D3 (Linfield, PLU, UPS), NAIA (Evergreen State, Northwest), JC (Everett, Olympic, Green River, Edmonds)

 

WWU hosts the Bill Roe Classic September 28 at Hovander Park in Ferndale. This season marks the 50th edition of the WWU Classic and fourth in honor of the late Bill Roe, a longtime WWU assistant coach and former president of USA Track and Field Bill Roe, who passed away unexpectedly in 2020.

 

Senior Kevin McDermott is the reigning GNAC Cross Country champion crossing the finish line in first place last October at the conference meet in Anchorage. McDermott became the second Viking to win the individual GNAC title in the 22-year history of the GNAC Cross Country Championships and first since 2002. Western won its second consecutive team title, third in the last four years since 2019 and seventh overall GNAC men's cross country championship.

 

The WWU women's team not only won its second consecutive team title at the GNAC Championships last season, but also claimed the team title at the NCAA II West Regional Championships 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.

 

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 Women: No. 1 in West Region, No. 9 in NCAA II
• WWU Men: No. 2 in West Region, No. 12 in NCAA II

 

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. Start times for all meets will be posted online at WWUVikings.com/XC when they are finalized. 

 

 

Here is a look at the 2024 GNAC Cross Country Preseason Polls with both the WWU women's and men's programs predicted to defend the conference title:

 

 

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