VANCOUVER, Wash. – Eastern Oregon’s men’s and women’s cross country teams delivered commendable performances at the 68th Annual Men’s Cross Country National Championships on Saturday, capping off a memorable season.
Despite facing several unexpected challenges, the men’s team secured a notable 7th place with a total of 283 points in the team scores. Justin Ash led the charge for the Mounties, finishing 20th with a time of 25:20.7. Ash’s finish clinched Men’s Cross Country All-American status for the junior, adding to an already impressive resume. Thomas Ogden, Winston Telford, Jonathan Wind, and George Showers displayed impressive performances, securing places 62nd, 67th, 86th, and 91st, respectively. Telford hit his rhythm during the race, surging from 224th to 67th place between the first and final splits for an impressive comeback. Losing his shoe midway through the race, Mendoza battled to secure a top-100 finish, ultimately crossing the finish-line in 90th place. Despite feeling under the weather, Hunter Nichols also fought through adversity, rounding out the team’s efforts with a 193rd place finish.
On the women’s front, the team secured the 30th position in the Women’s 6K race, accumulating 831 team points. The championships served as a valuable experience for the young team, featuring four freshmen and three juniors in their debuts at the NAIA National Championships. Jaiden Cochran led the way for the women’s team, securing 142nd place with a time of 23:59.4. Mattie Woodbury, Madelyn Nichols, Ashley Treadwell, Lauryn Mitchell, Kendall Bonzani, and Kaleah Hines also contributed significantly, finishing 214th, 247th, 270th, 279th, 284th, and 297th, respectively.
The curtain falls on the 2023 Cross Country season for the Mountaineers with the conclusion of the NAIA National Championship Race, marked by outstanding achievements from both the men’s and women’s teams. The men secured victory at the CCC Championships, while the women made a return to the national stage for the first time since 2019.
Men’s Results
20th Place – Justin Ash – 25:20.7
62nd Place – Thomas Ogden – 25:55.1
67th Place – Winston Telford – 25:59.8
86th Place – Jonathan Wind – 26:10.4
90th Place – Cristian Mendoza – 26:11.7
91st Place – George Showers – 26:12.6
193rd Place – Hunter Nichols – 27:01.6
Women’s Results
142nd Place – Jaiden Cochran – 23:59.4
214th Place – Mattie Woodbury – 24:36.2
247th Place – Madelyn Nichols – 24:54.8
270th Place – Ashley Treadwell – 25:25.7
279th Place – Lauryn Mitchell – 25:40.5
284th Place – Kendall Bonzani – 25:46.2
297th Place – Kaleah Hines – 26:10.8
