MALIBU, Calif. – Gonzaga placed first at the 2023 West Coast Conference Men's Cross Country Championships Saturday, earning the program's first-ever league title.
The Bulldogs finished with 44 points, the lowest in program history, holding off Portland's 56 points. GU's top six finishers all placed in the Top-15. The Zags have finished second in each of the last three seasons, in 2004 and 2003, and for nine straight seasons from 1987 to 1995.
Wil Smith placed third for the second straight season, with a time of 24:34.2.
Bryce Cerkowniak was right behind in fourth at 24:42.1. It's Smith's third straight season earning All-WCC First Team honors, after a second team honor in 2020. Cerkowniak earned his first All-WCC First Team honor.
Drew Kolodge just missed out on first team honors, finishing 11
th at 25:06.2.
Logan Law was 12
th at 25:10.7.
Paul Talens (25:22.2) and
Michael Maiorano (25:23.4) were 14
th and 15
th. Kolodge, Law, Talens, and Maiorano all were named Second Team All-Conference with their finishes.
Portland's Matt Strangio (24:08.1) took the WCC individual title, holding off Nicholas Russell (24:10.7) of Santa Clara.
UP NEXT
The Zags head to the NCAA West Regional Championships Nov. 10 in Sacramento, Calif. The men's race begins at 12 p.m.
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