Viking men and SMU's Cassidy Walchak-Sloan advance to NCAA D2 cross nationals...
INDIANAPOLIS--The overall body of work this season for the Western Washington men's cross country team (WWU Athletics photo) was more than enough to give the Vikings an at-large berth into the NCAA Division II cross country championships on Saturday November 18th in Joplin, Missouri.
The Vikings entered the West regional championship meet in Monmouth, Oregon ranked number 13 in the USTFCCCA D2 national poll, based on the strength of schedule, which included winning the GNAC title, and a fourth place finish at the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois against a nationally ranked field.
The NCAA cross country committee took WWU's season record into consideration despite finishing fourth at the regionals on Saturday with 79 points, with number 8 Chico State winning with 47 points, number 10 Azusa Pacific second with 61 points, and number 17 Cal Poly Pomona third with 77 points, two less than Western Washington.
Additionally, Saint Martin's Cassidy Walchak-Sloan, who finished seventh at the women's regional championship meet, two places out of an automatic individual qualifying spot, was extended an invitation to run in the national championship as an at-large individual.
This marks the second straight year that Saint Martin's has advanced an individual to the national championship meet, as Alauna Carstens qualified as an at-large entry last year.
The Western Washington men and Walchak-Sloan join the Viking women's team and Johan Correa of Central Washington, both of whom earned automatic qualifying spots in the national championship by virtue of winning the women's team title, and the men's individual crown.
THOMAS RUNS THIRD FASTEST OUTDOOR 3000 IN UW SCHOOL HISTORY SATURDAY IN SYDNEY...
Unless you were paying close attention, you wouldn't have known that Washington's Carley Thomas ran the third fastest outdoor time in school history over 3000 meters Saturday night.
At the New South Wales women's 3000 meter championship race in Sydney, Australia, Thomas finished second in her first listed race over the distance, running 9:07.59, as Holly Campbell won in 9:04.65.
Thomas's time puts her behind only current teammate Sophie O'Sullivan's 8:44.72, set this summer and Husky legend Regina Joyce's 8:55.05 from 1982 on the UW all-time list.
Here's Thomas' Instagram post describing the race:
NOTE: The NCAA, the sports information offices of Western Washington and Saint Martin's, along with Athletics Australia contributed to this report.
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