UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. - - The Wilmington University cross country teams competed in the star-studded NCAA D2 Pre-Nationals Championship Meet with the men finishing 24th and the women finishing 26th at the Chambers Creek Regional Park course.
The women ran in a field compiled of seven nationally ranked teams according to the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division II National Poll, while the men raced against six nationally ranked teams, including three in the Top 10. It is the site of the 2022 NCAA DII National Championship event in December.
The women were led by Yailynn Ramirez' 142nd place finish, running the 6K course in 24:06.10 to earn the team 123 points. Taylor Burchfield finished 153rd overall with a time of 24:18.10 to give the team 131 points. Alexa Crowell crossed the line in 187th overall with a time of 25:29.70 for 160 points while Camila Cornejo finished 203rd overall with a time of 26:23.80 for 173 points. Tiffany Banning finished out the Wildcat scoring with 175 points, crossing the line in 206th overall with a time of 26:40.60. Sammy Banning closed out the Wildcats in the field with a 222nd overall finish, running the course in 28:39.40.
The third ranked team in the country won the event, as Colorado School of Mines won with 37 points. No. 29 Western Washington finished second with 88 points while 20th ranked Biola finished third with 151 points.
Alaska Fairbanks' Naomi Bailey won individual honors with a time of 20:46.10, beating the field by nine seconds.
On the men's side, the Wildcats were led by Dan Wyshinski's 128 place finish, completing the 8K course in 26:18.20 to give the team 110 points. Trent Taylor was second to cross for the Wildcats, finishing in 26:26.60 for a 136th place finish and 118 points. Vaughn Lackman placed 152nd overall for 129 points, crossing the line in 26:49.70. Hayward Boutte completed the course in 216th overall for 178 points, stopping the clock at 20:55.90. Nicholas Licup was final Wildcat to finish, crossing the line in 217th overall for 179 points with a time of 33:25.10.
Top ranked Colorado School of Mines won the event with 19 points, having the first, second, third, fifth, and eighth finishers in the event. Fifth ranked Chico State finished second with 83 points while 10th ranked Western Colorado placed third with 91 points.
Colorado School of Mines' Dillon Powell won medalist honors with a time of 23:19.80, nearly seven seconds faster than the field.
The event was the precursor to the postseason for the Wildcats, as they will prepare for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship next Sunday on Belmont Plateau. The event Philadelphia is set to begin at 9:00 a.m. with the men's race.