COMING UP: Friday at Cascade Conference Championships, presented by U.S. Bank – Oak Knoll Golf Course (Independence, Ore.) – Women's 6,000-meters, 10 a.m.; Men's 8,000-meters, 11 a.m.
LIVE TIMING: Live Results will be available online through
Athletic Timing.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: The team champion of both the men's 8,000-meter and women's 6,000-meter races will earn automatic bids to the NAIA Cross Country National Championships in Tallahassee, Fla. (Apalachee Regional Park). In addition, the Top-4 runners finishing inside the Top-15 not on a team that qualifies for the national meet, will earn an at-large entry to the NAIA Championships. It marks the third time the women's race will be conducted at the 6,000-meter distance.
HISTORY AT THE MEET: The Oregon Tech men have finished inside the Top-5 at the CCC Championships in 11 of the past 13 seasons – including a second-place effort in 2020 and third-place finishes in 2016, 2019 and 2021. The OIT women won the 2017 and 2018 CCC titles, while finishing third overall in 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021. Last season, the Lady Owls finished fifth overall, with the Hustlin' Owls placing seventh.
MEN'S FIELD: Though only five of the 15 All-CCC performers from last season are back, the men's 8,000-meter race is expected to be one of the tightest in recent memory – as five teams (defending champ, College of Idaho, Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon, Corban and CCC newcomer, Trinity Western) have all been ranked in the Top-20 throughout the year. Jack Gladfelter of Corban is the top returner and has had a great season, but will be pushed by SOU's Mason Weisgerber, TWU's Yemane Mulugeta and David Mutai, along with C of I's Oclan Ryan. For the Hustlin' Owls, a tight pack among the top-three runners – sophomore
Kai Miles, freshman
Elijah Zavala and junior
Bryce Worrell – will be crucial to the team success.
WOMEN'S FIELD: A deep women's field that features six returning All-CCC runners will be chasing Evergreen's Alauna Carstens, who posted the top 6,000-meter time in the NAIA – on this very course. Six-time defending champ, College of Idaho, returns two All-CCC runners (Julia Gilbert, Kylee Quinton), Southern Oregon returns ace Alyssa Johnson, with LC State featuring top runners Damaris Kibiwot and Camille Ussher. The Lady Owls have improved throughout the season, receiving 38 voter points in the past NAIA poll and in position to receive an at-large bid to nationals with a quality performance. Transfer
Saundra Parsons has been the key, placing seventh (among non-D1 runners) on this course three weeks ago, with
Charis Childers,
Chloe Crawford and
Corinne Childers all needing a good race to help the OIT pack.
THE VENUE: For the first time, the event will be held at Oak Knoll Golf Course in Independence – featuring a 2,000-meter loop over rolling grass hills. Teams have competed at the venue multiple times, as it is the site of Linfield University's annual George Oja Invitational.
UP NEXT: Teams and individuals who qualify will compete at the NAIA Championships, set for Nov. 21, in Tallahassee, Fla.
