By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University cross country teams will host the 46th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational at Bush's Pasture Park on Saturday, Oct. 2. Former Willamette head coach Charles Bowles died in 2005, but his commitment to cross country is honored when the Bearcats host the Charles Bowles event each year. Willamette is proud to continue the tradition this season. NOTE: Spectators will not be allowed inside McCulloch Stadium.
This year's Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational features runners from Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii and New Mexico who will be competing. There are 22 four-year colleges and universities competing, plus eight community colleges and two club teams.
Action will begin with the Men's Cardinal 8-kilometer race at 9:30 a.m. (PDT). The race will include teams from NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III. The Women's Cardinal 5-kilometer race is scheduled to begin at 10:20 a.m. with teams from all three NCAA Divisions.
Leading the runners on Willamette men's team are Alex Matteson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS) and Gabriel Regimbal (Sr., Bellingham, WA/Squalicum HS). Matteson placed ninth and Regimbal was 13th at the Ash Creek Invitational, hosted by Western Oregon University on Sept. 10.
The Bearcat women's team is led by Audrey Piacsek (Sr., Ellensburg, WA/Ellensburg HS), Dana Hamilton (Sr., Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS), and Adelaide Kemp (Fy., Shorewood, WI/Shorewood HS). Piacsek earned 29th place at the Ash Creek Invitational and was Willamette's top finisher at the Mike Johnson Classic, also was hosted by Western Oregon. Hamilton was WU's second runner to cross the finish line in the Mike Johnson race, while Kemp was the second finisher for the Bearcats at the Ash Creek meet.
Following the Women's Cardinal race on Saturday, the focus will shift to NAIA, junior college and club teams with the Men's Gold 8-kilometer race and the Women's Gold 5-kilometer race. The Men's Gold race is set to begin at 11 a.m., with the Women's Gold race to follow at 11:50 a.m.
Most of the colleges and universities will compete in a men's race and a women's race. The exceptions are the University of Hawaii, Oregon State University, Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.) and Chemeketa Community College (Ore.), which are entered in women's races only, and the University of Washington, which is only competing in the Men's Cardinal 8-kilometer race.
Admission to the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational is free, but spectators must remain outside of McCulloch Stadium. Also, spectators are asked to be cautious near the course and to avoid interfering with participants. Although most of the course will take runners through Bush's Pasture Park, all of the races will finish inside McCulloch Stadium.
46th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational
Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021
Bush's Pasture Park, Salem, Ore.
Schedule of Events
9:30 a.m. - Men's Cardinal 8K Race
NCAA Divisions I, II, III
10:20 a.m. - Women's Cardinal 5K Race
NCAA Divisions I, II, III
11:00 a.m. - Men's Gold 8K Race
NAIA, Junior Colleges, club teams, unattached
11:50 a.m. - Women's Gold 5K Race
NAIA, Junior Colleges, club teams, unattached
Participating Teams
(Men and Women unless otherwise indicated)
NCAA Division I
University of Hawaii - women
Oregon State University - women
University of Portland
Seattle University
University of Washington -men
NCAA Division II
Central Washington University
Humboldt State University (Calif.)
Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.) - women
Western New Mexico University
NCAA Division III
George Fox University
Lewis & Clark College
Linfield College
Pacific University
Pacific Lutheran University
Whitman College
Whitworth University
Willamette University
NAIA
Corban University
Eastern Oregon University
Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho)
Oregon Tech
Southern Oregon University
Junior Colleges
Chemeketa Community College (Ore.) - women
Clackamas Community College (Ore.)
Clark College (Wash.)
Lane Community College (Ore.)
College of the Redwoods (Calif.)
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Treasure Valley Community College (Ore.)
Umpqua Community College (Ore.)
Club
University of Oregon Running Club
Oregon State University Running Club
