FAIRBANKS - For the first time in the GNAC era, the Alaska Nanooks will have a men's representative at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. Dexter Delaney officially qualified for the 2025 Championships on Monday, Nov. 10 with the NCAA announcement for all team qualifiers and individual qualifiers.

Delaney will represent the Blue and Gold as an individual qualifier after placing seventh at the 2025 NCAA West Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Monmouth, Ore. and earning All-Region honors. All of this as a freshman. "Dexter continues to redefine what it means to run for the Nanooks," said head coach Conrad Haber. "He took the time to learn from the early season competitions to ensure he would be ready to seize the moment when it arrived. Dexter was patient, trusted his instincts, and executed his race plan to perfection."

Prior to the regional race at the Ash Creek Preserve, Delaney finished eighth at the 2025 GNAC Championships, placing in the top 10 for a GNAC All-Conference finish and the GNAC Freshman of the Year honor. He became the first Nanooks men's racer to earn All-GNAC honors, and was the first-ever men's racer to earn a GNAC end-of-the-year conference honor. He had one other top 10 finish at the WWU Bill Roe Classic on Sept. 27, taking eighth in the 8k classic on Sept. 27, 2025. In two head-to-head matchups with the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, Delaney also added a third-place finish in the Seawolf Throwdown on Sept. 6 and his first-career win on Sept. 13 at the Blue/Gold Race in Fairbanks. He was one of three individual qualifiers from the West, joining Alan Jimenez (Cal State San Marcos) and Noah Plaza (Concordia University Irvine). 

The championships will be held Saturday, Nov. 22, at Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course. University of Wisconsin-Parkside will serve as the host. The women's race will begin at 7 a.m. EST, followed by the men's race at 8:15 a.m. AKST.

A livestream of the championships will occur on www.NCAA.com from 7 a.m. AKST until the conclusion of the awards ceremony. 

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