Women's XC Places Fourth at WCC Championships
10/28/2022 1:02:00 PM | Cross Country
Garcia, Machu finish sixth and seventh as individuals
PORTLAND, Ore. — Led by Top-10 finishes from Kristen Garcia and Rosina Machu, Gonzaga Women's Cross Country took fourth in the team standings at the West Coast Conference Championships at Portland's Fernhill Park on Friday.
Garcia crossed the finish line in 20:08.6 to take sixth as an individual — her highest-ever finish at WCC's to secure her third-straight All-WCC honor — with Machu finishing seventh with a time of 20:13.1. The pair made it two consecutive years that at least two GU women's runners finished in the top 10 at conference championships, with Garcia's finish as the best by a GU women's runner since Claire Manley's 6th overall finish in 2019.
"I feel really good about it," Garcia said post-race. "It was great to have Rosina back and to work together as a team. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do at Regionals."
They led six other Zags that finished in the race's Top 40, with Alicia Anderson (21st, 21:01.9), Caramia Mestler (30th, 21:19.3), Makenna Edwards (34th, 21:41.9), Alyssa Bienfang (37th, 21:53.8), Brittney Hansen (38th, 21:55.0), and Kate Donaldson (39th, 21:55.3) behind them. Anna Grabowski (45th, 22:06.6) and Jasmine Nguyen (65th, 23:02.3) rounded out the rest of GU's contingent.
"It was a great day for the women," said GU Head Coach Jake Stewart. "Having two women in the Top 10 is a huge accomplishment. Kristen and Rosina both worked really hard to get there. We're excited for Regionals in two weeks and to continue to move forward as a team."
