Gonzaga cross country teams selected by WCC coaches to finish on top in pre-season poll...
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO--In its pre-season cross country poll, the coaches of the West Coast Conference voted both Gonzaga teams to finish first in the conference championship on November 2nd.
In the women's poll, the Zags led the coaches preseason poll with 76 points and seven first-place votes. The Bulldogs had the most runners on the All-WCC preseason team with four, including last year's WCC individual champion and WCC Runner of the Year, All-American Rosina Machu (Paul Merca photo).
Portland finished second in the preseason poll with 70 points while Oregon State was third with 64, and Washington State fourth with 50.
Named to the women's preseason all conference team were Willow Collins, Jessica Frydenlund, Sadie Tuckwood, and Machu.
Zenah Cheptoo was the only Washington State athlete named to the preseason all conference team.
Cheptoo, who joined the Washington State squad after the 2023 cross country season, was second in the 5000 at the Pac-12 championship meet in Boulder.
In the men's pre season poll, the Bulldogs were tied with Portland with four first place votes and 46 points.
Santa Clara was picked by the coaches to finish third, earning 36 points, while Washington State was picked fourth with 32 points.
Named to the pre-season all conference team for Gonzaga were Bryce Cerkowniak, Drew Kolodge, Logan Law, and last year's third place finisher, Wil Smith.
Smith was an NCAA qualifier on the track in the 5000 and competed in the US Olympic Trials at 10000.
Washington State had three runners named to the pre-season all conference team: Brian Barsaiya (Paul Merca photo), Evans Kirui, and Kelvin Limo.
Barsaiya was the Cougars' top finisher at the 2023 Pac-12 cross country championships in University Place, finishing 23rd, while Limo finished five places behind.
The preseason poll and the All-WCC preseason team were selected solely by a vote of the conference’s head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own team and student-athletes.
The 2024 WCC Cross Country Championship will be held Saturday, November 2, hosted by Pacific at Micke Groves Golf Links in Lodi, California.
Gonzaga opens the 2024 campaign on Friday August 30th at the Clash of the Inland Northwest meet in Cheney, hosted by Eastern Washington.
Washington State and Oregon State will compete in the WCC in cross country after the dissolution of the Pac-12 conference.
NOTE: The West Coast Conference, and the sports information offices of Gonzaga and Washington State contributed to this report.
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