MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Alaska Nanooks cross country teams are headed to Monmouth, Ore., for the 2023 NCAA West Region Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 4. Western Oregon will host the West Regional, with races beginning at 9:00 a.m. AKT. 

Saturday, Nov. 4
NCAA West Region Championships | Women at 9:00 a.m. | Men at 10:15 a.m. | Live Timing
Monmouth, Ore. | Ash Creek Preserve | Men – 10k, Women – 6k

Last Time Out
The Nanooks last competed on Oct. 21 in Anchorage in the 2023 GNAC Championships. The race was held at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Ak., and was scene to the Nanooks women's team taking 1-2 for the second consecutive year. Kendall Kramer once again claimed the first-place finish with a time of 20:46.02, while Rosie Fordham followed with a final time of 20:55.5, taking first and second and getting the Nanooks women's team three team points. Naomi Bailey finished 12th for the Nanooks. Delainey Zock was the fourth finisher and rounded out the Nanooks' top 25 finishers, taking 24th. Teegan Silva rounded out the five racers for Alaska, taking 60th place. The 'Nooks women's team finished third overall with 86 team points. 

In the men's race, the Nanooks were led by freshman Ben Dohlby, who finished 32nd. Philipp Moosmayer followed him in 44th-place with a time of 26:57.8. Koen Ross was the third Alaska finisher in the men's race, taking 52nd with a time of 27:15. Finn Morley, Jace Peters, Ryan Owens, Nolan Earnest, Kona Atkins and Josh Baurick rounded out the runners for the Nanooks. Morley finished in 57th, Peters followed at 60th, Owens took 68th and Earnest took 76th to round out Alaska's scoring. Atkins and Baurick were the final finishers for Alaska, taking 79th and 80th. 

#NookNotes

• There will be no live stream at the 2023 NCAA West Regional Championships. Live timing can be found using the link above. 
• The Nanooks look to repeat their regional success from the past two years, as each year, they've sent Naomi Bailey, Kendall Kramer and Rosie Fordham to the NCAA Championships as individual qualifiers after they finished 1-2-4 at Montana State Billings last season. 
• With the three top-5 finishes, Bailey, Fordham and Kramer all earned All-West Region Honors (top-25 finish earns All-West Region). 
• Three men's team members raced at last year's regional in Billings, Mont.: Josh Baurick, Ryan Owens and Koen Ross. 
• Ross is the top-returner from a year ago; he finished 133rd with a time of 34:38.13. Owens took 145th with a time of 35:56.12 and Baurick took 148th with a time of 36:11.04.

Weather Update
The Nanooks are looking at mild temperatures but a rainy forecast in Monmouth, Ore. It will be anywhere from 50-61 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the race. They are calling for 13mph winds with 91% humidity and a 100% chance of precipitation.

Ash Creek Preserve 
Last season's GNAC Championships was hosted by Western Oregon. That is the last time the Nanooks raced at the Ash Creek Preserve. The Nanooks women's team took fifth with 91 points while the men's team took 10th with 285 points. Kendall Kramer won last year's GNAC Championships with a 6k time of 20:37.00 while Naomi Bailey followed at 20:37.10 as the two crossed the line together. 

Bailey's Region
Naomi Bailey was the 2022 NCAA West Region Athlete of the Year winning the 6k race with a time of 20:53.08 in Billings, Mont. She went on to the NCAA Championships alongside Rosie Fordham and Kendall Kramer. Alaska took seventh with a women's team score of 221 while the men's team did not qualify enough finishers for a team score.