MONMOUTH, Ore. – The postseason is here for the Western Oregon University men's and women's cross country teams as they will host the NCAA DII West Regionals this Saturday at Ash Creek Preserve. The women's 6K race will begin at 10 a.m., with the men's 10K race set to follow at approximately 11:15 a.m.

This will be the fourth time since 2015 that Ash Creek Preserve and WOU have played host to the West Regionals and it will end up being in back-to-back seasons as the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID and WOU hosted in 2019.

During the 2019 season, WOU hosted the regionals on Nov. 9 where Chico State, Northwest Nazarene and Cal State East Bay finished in the top-three in the women's 6K race. In the men's 10K, Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Marcos finished in the top-three. WOU placed 17^th in the women's and 13^th in the men's that year. Grace Knapp advanced as an individual to the NCAA Championships when she placed sixth.

The previous two times WOU hosted, the Wolves came in third in the men's and 16^th in the women's in 2017 and in 2015, the men placed 12^th and the women came in 15^th.

Fast forward to this year and WOU is coming off of a strong showing at the GNAC Championships where the men placed third and the women fourth. Luz Garcia and Miguel Villar each earned All-GNAC and GNAC Newcomer of the Year awards for their performances. Garcia placed fifth and Villar came in 10^th.

In the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) West Regional Rankings, Simon Fraser enters as the top seed on the women's side, followed by Cal State Stanislaus, Chico State, Academy of Art, Biola, Cal State San Marcos, Western Washington, Alaska Fairbanks, Cal State East Bay and Azusa Pacific rounds out the top-10. In the men's West Regional Rankings, Chico State is the top seed, followed by Fresno Pacific, Simon Fraser, Western Washington, Azusa Pacific, Biola, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Marcos, Cal State Stanislaus and Western Oregon rounds out the top-10.

Teams out of the West Region that are ranked in the top-30 national USTFCCCA Poll includes Simon Fraser (8^th), Cal State Stanislaus (12^th), Chico State (15^th), Academy of Art (28^th), and Biola (30^th) in the women's top-30 poll. Receiving votes includes Cal State San Marcos. In the men's top-30 poll, Chico State (7^th), Fresno Pacific (20^th), Simon Fraser (24^th), and Western Washington (28^th) are ranked. Receiving votes includes Azusa Pacific and Biola.

Set to compete in regionals for the Wolves includes: on the women's side, Luz Garcia, Kaylin Cantu, Katie Chapman, Caitlin Heldt, Emily Johnson, Kaitlyn Kruse and Lindie Larson. The alternate for the team will be Kaiya Leamy. On the men's side, Miguel Villar, Keanu Daos, Cedar Davis-Frankfort, Emmett Klus, Dustyn Mckenney, Timothy Rambo, and Bailey Smith. The alternate for the team will be Easton Pomrankey.

Garcia has put together an impressive first season with the Wolves having competed in four meets entering regionals. Including her fifth-place finish at GNAC's, Garcia also picked up a pair of first-place finishes at the Ash Creek Collegiate and Mike Johnson Classic. Against a strong field at the Lewis Crossover, Garcia came in 11^th. Garcia ran a strong race back in 2019 during regionals at Ash Creek Preserve when she placed 13^th running for Cal Poly Pomona as she helped lead her team to a sixth-place overall finish.

Cantu is coming off of her third GNAC Championships and came across with her best finish this year when she placed 32^nd. Cantu has run in three meets this year, coming in 52^nd at the Mike Johnson Classic and 121^st in the very competitive Lewis Crossover. During the 2019 regionals, Cantu posted a 51^st-place finish.

Chapman has had a strong freshman campaign for the Wolves and put together a great first race at the GNAC Championships when she came in 33^rd. The season got off to a great start for Chapman when she came in runner-up at the Linfield Harrier Classic. Overall Chapman has competed in four meets, coming in 58^th at the Mike Johnson Classic and 177^th in the very tough Lewis Crossover.

Heldt was right behind Garcia at the GNAC Championships and just missed earning All-GNAC honors when she came in 12^th. Heldt has put together four strong meets this year, in addition to the GNAC Championships she came in runner-up to Garcia at the Ash Creek Collegiate, 11^th at the Mike Johnson Classic and then in the loaded Lewis Crossover she came in 27^th.

Johnson ran in her first GNAC Championships this season and placed 58^th. Overall this season, Johnson has competed in three meets coming in ninth at the Linfield Harrier Classic and then placed 152^nd at the Lewis & Clark Invite the week before GNAC Championships.

Kruse also ran in her first GNAC Championships this season when she crossed just a few places behind Johnson in 60^th. Overall on the season, Kruse has run in four meets as she began the year at the Ash Creek Collegiate coming in 45^th. Kruse also ran at the Mike Johnson Classic coming in 108^th and in the tough Lewis Crossover coming in 218^th.

Larson put together a strong first run at the GNAC Championships this year when she came in 42^nd. Overall on the season, Larson has competed in five meets as she opened the year crossing in 14^th at the Linfield Harrier Classic. She then added a 31^st-place finish at the Ash Creek Collegiate, 66^th at the Mike Johnson Classic and then in the competitive Lewis Crossover come in 206^th.

Leamy will be the alternate for the Wolves and she ran in her first GNAC Championships this year coming in 63^rd. Overall on the season, Leamy has run in four meets opening the season at the Linfield Harrier Classic coming in 13^th. After that she ran in the Mike Johnson Classic coming in 105^th and in the loaded Lewis Crossover coming in 213^th.

On the men's side, Villar is coming off of another impressive run when he earned All-GNAC honors coming in 10^th in his first GNAC Championships. Villar has competed in three meets this year, as he began the season at the Mike Johnson Classic coming in 18^th. Then in the competitive Lewis Crossover he placed 33^rd. Villar ran in the 2019 South Central Regional against one of the toughest fields in Division II where he came in 26^th.

Daos also had an impressive first run at the GNAC Championships as a member of the Wolves when he just missed earning All-GNAC honors coming in right behind Villar in 11^th. Overall on the season, Daos has completed in three meets as he won the Ash Creek Collegiate and then in the tough Lewis Crossover he placed 94^th. During his time at Spokane CC, Daos ran in the NWAC Cross Country Championships placing fourth in both 2018 and 2019.

Davis-Frankfort was close to a top-40 finish at the GNAC Championships when he crossed in 44^th. Overall on the season, Davis-Frankfort has competed in four meets this year opening the season coming in 26^th at the Ash Creek Collegiate. During the Mike Johnson Classic he added a 90^th-place finish and he also ran well in the strong Lewis Crossover coming in 135^th.

Klus posted a solid 37^th-place finish at the GNAC Championships this year. Overall this season, Klus has competed in three meets opening the year at the Mike Johnson Classic when he crossed in 40^th. During the competitive Lewis Crossover, he came in 152^nd. During the 2019 season, Klus came in 54^th at the GNAC Championships and also ran in his first regional meet when he came in 123^rd.

Mckenney put together a good first GNAC Championships race this year coming in 50^th. Overall this season, Mckenney has competed in three meets as he opened the year at the Mike Johnson Classic coming in 49^th. Then in the competitive Lewis Crossover he came in 182^nd.

Rambo was the fourth one across for the Wolves during his first GNAC Championships when he placed 23^rd. Overall this season, Rambo has competed in three meets as he opened the year at the Ash Creek Collegiate coming in with a top-10 finish crossing in seventh. He also competed in the tough Lewis Crossover posting a 97^th-place finish.

Smith put together a strong first GNAC Championships as a member of the Wolves when he was the third one to come across for WOU in 17^th. Overall on the season, Smith has competed in three meets opening the year at the Mike Johnson Classic where he placed 44^th and then in the competitive Lewis Crossover he also came in 44^th. During his time at Trinidad State, Smith came in fourth at the NJCAA Region IX Championships in 2019 and placed third at the same meet in 2018.

Pomrankey will be the alternate for the Wolves as he ran in his first GNAC Championships this year coming in 56^th. Overall this year, Pomrankey has competed in four meets as he started the season coming in 14^th at the Ash Creek Collegiate. During the Mike Johnson Classic he came in 64^th and in the competitive Lewis Crossover he crossed in 151^st.

The top-25 finishers in each race will be recognized as All-West Region. The top-three placing men's and women's teams will automatically advance to the national meet. The top-two individuals who are not part of a qualifying team will automatically advance to the national meet. All individuals who finish in the top-five at the regional meet and are not part of a qualifying team automatically will advance to the championship. Other teams and individuals may advance to the championships via an at-large selection that will be announced on Monday following the regional competition.

There will be multiple ways to follow all of the action. Fans are allowed to attend the meet and remember to wear a mask. Live video and results will also be available.

Live video can be found here and live results can be found here.