By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

CLAREMONT, Calif. -- Willamette University's Alex Matteson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS) competed at the NCAA Division III West Regional and placed 57th on Saturday, Nov. 13 on the Pomona-Pitzer Course. A total of 170 runners participated in the 8-kilometer men's race.

Matteson earned a time of 26:53.1 for the Bearcats. It was his top finish at an NCAA West Regional. He placed 86th in 2018 and was 98th in 2019. Willamette did not compete at all in 2020-21 due to COVID-19.

Steve Steinberg of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the men's championship in 24:47.3. He edged out teammate Henry Pick, who took second place in 24:47.9. Benjamin White of Whittier College was third at 24:59.1 and Ethan Widlansky of Pomona-Pitzer was fourth at 25:05.7. Tucker Cargile placed fifth for the University of Redlands in 25:07.3.

Pomona-Pitzer claimed the men's team title with a score of 35 (4-6-7-8-10). Claremont-Mudd-Scripps was second at 654 and the University of California, Santa Cruz was third at 134. George Fox University grabbed fourth place at 152 and Lewis & Clark College finished fifth at 188.

Willamette did not compete in the 6-kilometer women's race. The women's individual title went to Genevieve DiBari of Pomona-Pitzer in 21:48.5. Meredith Bloss of CMS placed second in 21:54.4, while Natalie Bitetti, also from CMS, took third place in 22:01.4. Emily Clarke of CMS was fourth at 22:06.6 and Elliot Singer of Colorado College was fifth at 22:10.6.

The women's team championship was secured by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a score of 27 (2-3-4-6-12). Pomona-Pitzer followed in second place at 105, with Colorado College in third at 132. UC Santa Cruz placed fourth at 144 and George Fox was fifth at 162.