Viking men advance one spot in latest USTFCCCA D2 poll; Spokane to host D3/D2 indoor champs...

NEW ORLEANS--After a solid second place finish at its own Bill Roe Classic last Saturday in Ferndale, the Western Washington men's cross country team moved up one spot to number 9 in the latest USTFCCCA Division II national coaches rankings released Wednesday.

The Vikings were led by reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference cross country champion Kevin McDermott (Paul Merca photo), who finished third overall in 24:06 over the 8k course at Hovander Homestead Park.

Team champion Chico State won the men's title with 20 points to Western's 45 points (excluding club teams).

The Wildcats, currently the number one team in the West Region, are ranked number 7 in the country.

The nation's top five men's teams are, in order: Wingate, Colorado School of Mines, West Texas A&M, Western Colorado, and Grand Valley State.

Western Washington is the only school from the GNAC in the men's national top 30.

In the women's national top 30, the number 11 Vikings, who squeezed out a 53-56 (college teams only) win over number 12 Chico State, maintained their ranking, as did Chico State.

The top five women's teams in Division II are in order: Adams State, Grand Valley State, CSU Pueblo, Augustana (South Dakota), & Colorado School of Mines.

The only other school from the GNAC in the national top 30 is Alaska/Fairbanks, who finished third at the Bill Roe Classic with 85 points. The Nanooks moved up one spot in the national coaches' poll to number 19.

The USTFCCCA men's release is available here, while the women's release is found here.

SPOKANE TO HOST NCAA D3 AND D2 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2027 & 2028, ALONG WITH 2027 D1 WEST REGIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS...

The NCAA and Spokane Sports (graphic courtesy Spokane Sports) Wednesday announced that the community will host the 2027 NCAA Division III indoor track and field championships, the 2027 NCAA Division I West Regional cross country meet, and the 2028 NCAA Division II indoor track and field championships.

The 2027 NCAA Division III and the 2028 Division II indoor track and field championships will be contested at The Podium in downtown Spokane, while the 2027 NCAA D1 West Cross Country regional meet will be run at the future Spokane Valley Cross Country course.

Whitworth University will be the host institution for the D3 indoors, while the Great Northwest Athletic Conference will serve as the host institution for the D2s.

Gonzaga University will serve as the host school for the 2027 D1 regional meet.

The NCAA release is available here.

AMINA MAATOUG SIGNS NIL DEAL WITH ON RUNNING...

On Running announced Tuesday through a Instagram post on CitiusMag's page that Washington's Amina Maatoug signed a name, image and likeness agreement with On Running.

Maatoug, who was ninth at last year's NCAA cross country championships at Duke before transferring to Washington following the 2024 outdoor track season, was third at the 2023 European Athletics U23 championships in the 5000, and was the national indoor champion over 800 meters in 2022 for The Netherlands.

Over the last year, she's the second Husky to sign an NIL deal with On, joining grad Carley Thomas, who signed with the Swiss athletic shoe and apparel company in late 2023.

Maatoug is still required to wear adidas competition gear in any meets representing the University of Washington, as individual NILs do not supersede the school's equipment deals.

As is the case with all foreign NCAA student-athletes in the country on a student visa, she will receive any money in The Netherlands, as in most cases, a student visa has strict limits on earning money while in the United States. 

In addition to Thomas, who had her NIL deal upgraded after graduation from Washington, 2023 grads Kieran Lumb, Sam Ellis and Ed Trippas all signed with On.

NOTE: The USTFCCCA, NCAA, Spokane Sports, On Running and the sports information offices of Western Washington, Whitworth, and Gonzaga University contributed to this report.

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