Spokane, Wash. — Gonzaga Men's and Women's Cross Country will play host for collegiate races in Spokane for the first time since 2015 on Friday, welcoming Idaho and Eastern Washington to Wandermere Golf Course in dual meet action.
EWU / IDAHO DUALS
Sep. 9 | Wandermere Golf Course
Women's 6K - 6:30 p.m. | Men's 8K - 7 p.m.
Live Results
The Zags competed against theEagles at last weekend's Clash of the Inland Northwest, with the GU men taking first for the seventh-straight time and the GU women second to EWU by just three points.
Both GU teams entered the season ranked in the USTFCCCA Top 25 for the first time in program history two weeks ago, with the men's squad at No. 16 and women's at No. 23. It's also the highest either team has been ranked to start the season. The men's and women's programs were ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the USTCCCA's initial West Region rankings. Both teams also clocked in at second, behind BYU in both WCC coaches' polls.
The last time GU hosted a meet in Spokane was the 2015 West Coast Conference Championships at Plante's Ferry Sports Complex, where the women's squad won the conference championship and the men placed third.
RETURNERS FROM A HISTORIC 2021
The GU women placed second as a team at the West Coast Conference Championships and fourth at NCAA West Regionals last fall, but were one of the first teams out for an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. Head Coach Jake Stewart's squad reached a program-best of No. 3 in the West that fall after the Zags' strong showing at a stacked Nuttycombe (21st overall) and at WCC's.
Along with three-time nationals competitor Kristen Garcia, GU returns five of its top seven from 2021 and adds six freshmen and two transfers, including another runner with nationals experience in Caramia Mestler (Oregon). In the spring, Garcia (10K) and fellow returner Alicia Anderson (5K, 1500m) both qualified for NCAA Regionals and reached the semifinals for their events.
The Zag men are coming off their second-straight NCAA Championships appearance as a team after making it for the first time under Pat Tyson in spring of 2021, and return plenty of experience as well.
Led by 2021 All-American James Mwaura, the program record holder in both the 8K and 10K, GU brings back five runners who hold one of the 10 fastest times in program history in both distances and six of their top seven from nationals, including 2021 All-West Region finishers Wil Smith and Cullen McEachern.
