ANCHORAGE - The Nanooks cross country team heads to Anchorage for the 2025 Seawolf Throwdown against UAA. The two sides race at 10 a.m. at Kincaid Park on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Saturday, Sept. 6
at Alaska Anchorage | Men: 10 a.m., Women: 10:45 a.m.
Kincaid Park | Anchorage, Alaska
No Live Timing Available
Last Time Out
This is the first full team race for the Nanooks since the 2024 NCAA DII West Regional Championships. The men's side took 19th with 553 points while the women's team took fourth, earning 154 points and qualifying for the 2024 NCAA DII National Championships. The women's cross country team posted a program-best 13th-place finish at last year's championship with 394 points and a pair of All-American honors for
Rosie Fordham and
Kendall Kramer. Kramer was the 2024 National Runner-Up, taking second with a time of 20:43.7, trailing the national champion by only 2.2 seconds. Fordham finished in eighth, capping her career with her best NCAA Championships performance.
Preseason GNAC Poll
On the women's side, Alaska earned 69 points in the voting after a standout 2024 campaign that saw the Nanooks place second at the GNAC Championships with a team score of 74. They then went on to place fourth at the 2025 NCAA DII West Regional Championships and 13th at the NCAA DII National Championships. Western Washington, the defending GNAC champion, topped the poll with 100 points and all 10 first-place votes, followed by Alaska Anchorage (83) and Simon Fraser (73). The Nanooks were slotted just ahead of Seattle Pacific, who tied for third at last year's championship meet.
Western Oregon (55), Central Washington (43), Northwest Nazarene (31), Montana State Billings (19), and Saint Martin's (18), rounded out the 2025 GNAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll.
For the men, Alaska collected 39 points to rank seventh in the preseason poll after a seventh-place finish at the 2024 GNAC Championships. Western Washington led the men's ballot with 98 points and eight first-place votes, while Northwest Nazarene followed in second with 92 points and the remaining two first-place nods. Alaska Anchorage (73) and Western Oregon (72) rounded out the top four.
Central Washington (57) placed fifth in the preseason poll, and Simon Fraser (56) placed ahead of Alaska in the sixth spot. The Nanooks were in seventh ahead of Seattle Pacific (32), Saint Martin's (21), and Montana State Billings (10).
New Faces, Who Dis
The men's roster adds
Ian Baker,
Brady Benedict,
Dexter Delaney,
Max Erickson,
Jaxon Freeman,
Nicholas Iverson,
Sage Janes,
Jonathyn Kestel,
Ned Peters, and
Owen Woodruff.
"This incoming class has the potential to redefine what it means to run for the Alaska Nanooks," said assistant coach Conrad Haber. "With the talent that is coming to Fairbanks, including school record holders, state champions, and national qualifiers, each incoming freshman brings something important to the team...it is going to be fun to watch this group grow and develop together."
On the women's side, Lydia Andriesen, Camelia Bell, Rory Claussen, Victoria Myers, Ava Newell, Kintla Penn, Piper Sears, Anya Simard, Devyn Townsend, and Havilah Walker join the Nanooks.
"There is so much potential within this year's women's class, as each individual has something special and unique to add to the team," Haber said. "I can't wait for them to join the fantastic group of women returning from last year and begin the process of doing what we do best...developing athletes!"
Looking Ahead
The Nanooks will race UAA twice this season, facing them tomorrow and next weekend in Fairbanks. They then head to Bellingham, Wash. for the 2025 Bill Roe Classic, hosted by Western Washington. Two weeks later, on Oct. 11, they fly to Romeoville, Ill. for their second-straight appearance at the Lewis Crossover before their postseason begins on Oct. 25 in Billings, Mont. for the GNAC Championships. This season's NCAA DII West Regional is hosted by Western Oregon in Monmouth, Ore. and those who qualify will compete for the National Championship in Kenosha, Wis. on Nov. 22.
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