By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

McMINNVILLE, Ore. -- Alex Matteson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS) from Willamette University finished in 13th place in the men's 8-kilometer race to earn Second Team All-Northwest Conference honors at the 2021 NWC Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 30 at Michelbook Country Club. Willamette finished seventh in the men's team standings. The Bearcats did not enter a full team in the women's competition.

Matteson registered a time of 26:49.4 to lead the Bearcats in the men's race. Gabriel Regimbal (Sr., Bellingham, WA/Squalicum HS) took 31st by completing the course in 27:42.7. Carson Herrick (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) was 38th in 27:57.4. Also for Willamette, Jonathan Wallace (Jr., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) placed 57th in 28:51.6 and Milo Greenberg (So., Seattle, WA/The Northwest School) was 66th in 29:25.1.

Running for the Bearcats in the women's 6-kilometer race were Dana Hamilton (Sr., Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS), Audrey Piacsek (Sr., Ellensburg, WA/Ellensburg HS), and Adelaide Kemp (Fy., Shorewood, WI/Shorewood HS). Hamilton finished 32nd with a time of 25:28.3 and Piacsek earned 36th place in 25:40.3. Kemp placed 56th in 26:44.1.

The individual champion in the men's race was Ryan Stracke from Pacific Lutheran University who crossed the finish line in 25:40.9. He won by 2.1 seconds. Peter Wiss of George Fox University took second place in 25:43.9. George Karamitsos from Lewis & Clark was third in 25;58.8, while Riley Stewart of Pacific University grabbed fourth place in 26:00.4. Colin Monaghan from the University of Puget Sound placed fifth at 26:04.5. Frankie Reid of L&C was sixth in 26:13.4 and Ben Kerr of Puget Sound was seventh at 26:14.2. The top seven finishers in each race received First Team All-NWC recognition.

Kara Putman of Pacific won the women's individual title as she completed the race in 23:08.1. She attained a margin of victory of 15.4 seconds. Madelyn Buckley from Whitworth University was second with a time of 23:23.5. Brenna Sclair from George Fox placed third in 23:29.9. Riley Buese of L&C claimed fourth place at 23:31.7 and Kara Helland of GFU was fifth at 23:41.5. Sarah Pullen from George Fox earned sixth place in 23:44.9, while teammate Jessica Neal placed seventh in 23:53.3.

George Fox took first place in the men's team standings with a score of 53 (2-8-12-14-16). The Bruins won by just a single point, as Pacific Lutheran scored 54 (1-9-11-14-19) for second place. Lewis & Clark achieved third place at 86, with Pacific in fourth at 138, Whitman College in fifth at 143, and Puget Sound in sixth at 161. Willamette was seventh at 176, while Whitworth took eighth place at 180, and Linfield University was ninth at 213.

The women's team championship also went to the Bruins, as GFU registered a score of 40 (3-5-6-7-19). Pacific placed second with 71 points and Lewis & Clark was third with 74 points. Pacific Lutheran followed in fourth place at 122, Whitworth placed fifth at 129, Whitman was sixth at 130, Linfield finished seventh at 170, and Puget Sound was eighth at 212. Willamette did not receive a team score.