Cross Country

2009-10 Cross Country News

  • Platano Receives All-NWC Scholar-Athlete First Team Honors
    July 09, 2010
    SALEM, ORE. -- Cross country and track and field runner Chris Platano (Sr., Myrtle Point, OR/Myrtle Point HS) from Willamette University has been chosen for the 2009-10 All-Northwest Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team. One male athlete and one female athlete from each NWC member college or university was chosen for the award.
  • Symmonds Wins USA 800-Meter Title for Third Year in a Row
    June 27, 2010
    DES MOINES, IOWA -- Former Willamette University runner Nick Symmonds '06 recorded his third consecutive outdoor national championship in the men's 800-meter run with a time of 1:45.98 in the finals of the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday, June 27. Symmonds previously won USA outdoor titles in the 800 at the 2008 Olympic Trials and the 2009 Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
  • Platano Garners NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
    June 23, 2010
    SALEM, ORE. -- Chris Platano (Sr., Myrtle Point, OR/Myrtle Point HS), who competed in cross country and track and field for Willamette University the past four years, has been chosen to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. The scholarship provides $7,500 to help pay for graduate school tuition.
  • Five Willamette Cross Country Runners Earn All-Academic Honors
    March 02, 2010
    SALEM, ORE. -- A total of five Willamette University cross country runners have received All-Academic status for the 2009 season from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Three members of the Willamette men's team and two runners on the Bearcat women's team were chosen for the All-Academic award.
  • Platano Receives NCAA Elite 88 Award
    December 10, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has named Willamette University men's cross country runner Chris Platano (Sr., Myrtle Point, OR/Myrtle Point HS) as an Elite 88 Award winner for the fall 2009 season. The Elite 88 Award is presented at each NCAA national championship event to the competing athlete with the highest grade point average. The NCAA sponsors a total of 88 national team titles in its three divisions.
  • Bearcats Finish 20th at NCAA National Championships
    November 21, 2009
    HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- Willamette University took 20th place in the men's team standings at the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Highland Park Golf Course. It was Willamette's seventh Top 20 finish since 2001. North Central College (Illinois) won the men's team title.
  • Patel Finishes 92nd in Women's Race at NCAA Championships
    November 21, 2009
    HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- Willamette University junior runner Tina Patel (Bend, OR/Summit HS) finished 92nd out of 279 runners at the NCAA Division III National Championships at the Highland Park Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 21. The winner of the 6-kilometer race was Wendy Pavlus from St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) with a time of 21:28.0.
  • Follow the NCAA National Cross Country Championships
    November 21, 2009
    HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- The Willamette University men's cross country team and Tina Petel (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) from the WU women's team will compete at the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Highland Park Golf Course. The women's 6-kilometer race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (EST)/8 a.m. (PST) and the men's 8-kilometer race is set to start at 12 p.m. (EST)/9 a.m. (PST).
  • Bearcats are in Ohio for NCAA National Championships
    November 20, 2009
    HIGHLAND HILLS, OHIO -- The Willamette University men's cross country team will compete at the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Highland Park Golf Course. Willamette received an automatic bid to the event by finishing in second place in the team standings at the West Regional last weekend.
  • Willamette Men's Cross Country is Ranked #17 in National Rankings
    November 18, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team, which took second place at the NCAA Division III West Regional to secure an automatic bid to the National Championships, is ranked #17 this week's National Rankings released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Willamette is also ranked #2 in the West Region. The WU women's team is ranked #7 in the Region.
  • NCAA Completes the Field for National Cross Country Championships
    November 15, 2009
    INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has chosen the at-large teams and individuals in order to complete the field for the 2009 Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, set for Nov. 21 in Highland Hills, Ohio. The Championships will be held at Highland Hills Golf Course and will be hosted by Baldwin-Wallace College.
  • Willamette Men Finish Second at West Regional, will Compete at NCAA Championships
    November 14, 2009
    CLAREMONT, CALIF. -- Led by a fifth place individual finish from junior Matt Parker (Portland, OR/Lincoln HS), the Willamette University men's cross country team took second place at the NCAA Division III West Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14. With the second place finish, Willamette's men received an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Championships next weekend (Nov. 21) in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Willamette Runners to Compete at West Regional in California
    November 12, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- Throughout the 2009 season, the Willamette University men's cross country team has shown exceptional depth while recording several team victories, including its eighth Northwest Conference title in the past nine years. Now, as the championship portion of the schedule continues, the Bearcats look to put their depth to use again this weekend at the NCAA Division III West Regional in Claremont, Calif.
  • Bearcat Men's Team is Now Ranked #12 in NCAA Division III
    November 05, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team, which won its eighth Northwest Conference title in the past nine years last weekend, has moved up one spot to #12 in the NCAA Division III National Poll released by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
  • McGuirk Named NWC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year
    November 05, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- Matt McGuirk, head cross country coach at Willamette University, has been chosen Northwest Conference Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Bearcats to the 2009 NWC Championship. McGuirk was chosen for the award by his fellow coaches in the NWC.
  • Willamette Men's Cross Country Wins NWC Championship
    October 31, 2009
    ESTACADA, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team won the 2009 Northwest Conference championship during action at the NWC Meet on Saturday, Oct. 31 at McIver Park. It was the eighth NWC title in the last nine years for the Bearcat men's team. The Bearcat women finishes fifth in the team standings.
  • Willamette Set to Run at NWC Cross Country Championships
    October 29, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University's cross country teams are ready to battle it out with their Northwest Conference counterparts at McIver Park in Estacada, Ore., this weekend at the NWC Championships. The Willamette men's team is ranked #1 in the West Region, while the Bearcat women's team enters this weekend's event ranked #7 in the West Region.
  • Willamette Runs at Beaver Classic
    October 24, 2009
    CORVALLIS, ORE. -- A portion of Willamette University's men's and women's cross country teams competed during the Beaver Classic at Avery Park on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Bearcat men's team placed sixth in the team standings, while Willamette took ninth place in the women's standings.
  • Willamette Men Move Up to #13 in National Rankings
    October 21, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team, which edged out the University of Oregon to win the team title at the Mike Hodges Invitational this past weekend, has moved up three spots in the NCAA Division III Top 35 Coaches' Poll. The national rankings were released on Wednesday, Oct. 21 by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) .
  • Willamette Men Win Team Title at Mike Hodges Invitational
    October 16, 2009
    OREGON CITY, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team edged out the University of Oregon by a single point to win the Mike Hodges Invitational on Friday, Oct. 16 at Clackamas Community College. The WU women's team took sixth place.
  • Bearcat Men Leap 15 Spots to #15 in NCAA Division III Poll
    October 07, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- Bolstered by a strong performance at the Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 3, the Willamette University men's cross country team has moved up 15 spots in the national rankings. The Bearcats are now tied for #15 in this week's NCAA Division III Top 35 Coaches' Poll, released on Wednesday, Oct. 7 by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
  • Willamette Takes Third in Men's Cardinal Race at Charles Bowles Invitational
    October 03, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University had three runners in the Top 20, and took third place in the team standings behind Chico State and Boise State University, during the men's Cardinal Race (8K) at the Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 4. Leo Castillo (So., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley HS) of Willamette was 14th, Matt Parker (Jr., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) placed 15th and Stefan Redfield (Jr., Sisters, OR/Sisters HS) took 19th.
  • Bearcats are Set to Host 35th Annual Charles Bowles Invitational
    October 01, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will host more than 1,100 runners at the 35th Annual Charles Bowles Invitational cross country meet on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Bush's Pasture Park. The first race is set for 9:30 a.m. (PDT), while the last of four races is scheduled to get underway at 11:35 a.m.
  • Willamette Men's Cross Country Team is Ranked #27 in the Nation
    September 24, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University is tied for #27 in the nation this week in the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Top 35 Coaches' Poll released by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Bearcats also are ranked #3 in the NCAA West Region. The Willamette women's cross country team is ranked #5 in the West Region.
  • Bearcat Men Win Willamette Grass Course Meet
    September 18, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team took first place at the WU Grass Course Meet on Friday, Sept. 18 at Bush's Pasture Park, as the Bearcats claimed five of the top six finishes. Chris Reed from Western Oregon University earned first place in the individual standings, but the next five runners to reach the finish line were from Willamette.
  • Bearcat Cross Country Runners Set to Open Season
    September 11, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's and women's cross country teams enter the 2009 season with a group of talented athletes. Willamette has won seven consecutive Northwest Conference women's titles and the men's team has won seven NWC championships in the past eight years.
  • Willamette Men Place Second, Women are Third, at Pier Park
    September 11, 2009
    PORTLAND, ORE. -- Willamette University took second place in the men's team standings and third place in the women's team standings at the West Coast Preview, hosted by the University of Portland cross country teams at Pier Park on Friday, Sept. 11. The Bearcat men finished just three points behind Gonzaga, as the Zags registered 36 points and Willamette received 39 points. On the women's side, Portland took first at 29, with Gonzaga just three points behind at 32 and Willamette at 90.
  • WU Men's Cross Country is Ranked #24 in National Preseason Poll
    August 30, 2009
    SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team enters the 2009 season ranked #24 in the nation, according to the NCAA Division III Preseason Poll released by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Willamette's men also hold the #2 ranking in the NCAA West Region. The WU women's cross country squad is ranked #5 in the West Region.