FULL RESULTS - NCAA Division II Cross Country West Region Championships

BILLINGS, Mont. – On a crisp, beautiful morning with sunshine illuminating Big Sky country, the Western Oregon men's and women's cross country teams competed against the best programs at the 2016 NCAA Division II West Region Championship at Amend Park. After a morning of great racing, the WOU women placed 11^th while the men placed 14^th.
 
Leading the way from the WOU men was David Ribich, placing 15^th with a time of 30:36.07 on the 10,000-meter course to earn his second consecutive All-Region selection. Josh Dempsey followed next for the Wolves in 78^th with a time of 32:29.3.
 
Dustin Nading, the GNAC Newcomer of the Year, was 100th overall with a time of 32:58.06 and Tyler Jones was close by in 105th at 33:05.92. Justin Crosswhite took the final scoring spot for WOU I n109th place with a time of 33:08.46. Freshmen Sawyard Heckard (33:14.76, 116th) and Hunter Mosman (34:34.47, 147th) also finished the regional course.
 
Chico State's William Reyes claimed the men's individual championship in a time of 29:45.16, helping the Wildcats to the team title.  Joining the Wildcats as team qualifiers are Alaska Anchorage, Cal Poly Pomona, Academy of Art and California Baptist.
 
Junior Kennedy Rufener once again paced the women with a 27^th place finish. The top WOU finisher from the GNAC Championships navigated the 6,000-meter course in a time of 22:11.25. Grace Knapp was 32^nd with a time of 22:17.23.
 
Noicole Maurmann returned and finished 74^th at 23:04.52 and Suzanne Van De Grift got into the top 80 with a 79^th place finishing time of 23:08.58. The final WOU scorer on the women's side was Olivia Woods with a time of 24:19.22, 138^th place. Virginia Link (24:59.96, 166^th) and Amanda Ditzhazy (26:09.26, 191^st) closed out the competition for the Wolves.
 
Chico State also won the women's team regional title while Cal State San Bernardino's Laura Aceves was the individual women's champion in a time of 20:55.95. The region's other three women's team qualifiers include Point Loma, Cal Poly Pomona and California Baptist.
 
The team and individual representatives from the West will compete in the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 19 in Saint Leo, Fla.