Wil Smith Places 59th at NCAA Championships
11/23/2024 11:14:00 AM | Cross Country
The Spokane-native finished in 29:36.4 in his fifth-consecutive nationals appearance
MADISON, Wis. - Appearing in his fifth-consecutive NCAA Cross Country Championships, Gonzaga men's cross country runner Wil Smith placed 59th in a tough championship 10K race Saturday at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course. The Spokane-native crossed the finish line in 29:36.4, and his 59th place ties his highest-career finish at nationals (2022, Stillwater, Okla.).
At the first kilometer checkpoint, Smith was 195th in the field of 255. But then he went to work.
By the two-kilometer mark, Smith had jumped 61 spots on the individual leaderboard as he continued to climb. In 144th place at the 3000-meter mark, Smith started another push that lasted until the very end. Between the four-kilometer and eight-kilometer checkpoints, the redshirt senior jumped 95 spots and found himself in the final push for a potential All-American finish.
Despite a negative split in the final kilometer, a final surge from the field pushed Smith into 59th, tying his 2022 finish at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla.
Harvard's Graham Blanks successfully defended his national title, earning a seven-second victory over New Mexico's Habtom Samuel, who ran the majority of the race with just one shoe. In total, the first 14 finishers at Saturday's race broke the previous Zimmer Championship 10K Course record. Blanks' 28:37.2 was the winning time.
BYU won the team title with 124 points, securing the national sweep after the Cougar women won the 6K with 147 team points.
Smith concludes his cross country career at Gonzaga with five NCAA Cross Country Championships appearances, four of which he was joined by his fellow teammates. He leaves the Zags with both 8K and 10K records, compiling one Second Team and three First Team All-West Coast Conference honors, along with three straight USTFCCCA All-West Region finishes.
Smith's focus now turns to his final track season for the Bulldogs, beginning first at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener in Boston, Mass., in December.
At the first kilometer checkpoint, Smith was 195th in the field of 255. But then he went to work.
By the two-kilometer mark, Smith had jumped 61 spots on the individual leaderboard as he continued to climb. In 144th place at the 3000-meter mark, Smith started another push that lasted until the very end. Between the four-kilometer and eight-kilometer checkpoints, the redshirt senior jumped 95 spots and found himself in the final push for a potential All-American finish.
Despite a negative split in the final kilometer, a final surge from the field pushed Smith into 59th, tying his 2022 finish at the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla.
Harvard's Graham Blanks successfully defended his national title, earning a seven-second victory over New Mexico's Habtom Samuel, who ran the majority of the race with just one shoe. In total, the first 14 finishers at Saturday's race broke the previous Zimmer Championship 10K Course record. Blanks' 28:37.2 was the winning time.
BYU won the team title with 124 points, securing the national sweep after the Cougar women won the 6K with 147 team points.
Smith concludes his cross country career at Gonzaga with five NCAA Cross Country Championships appearances, four of which he was joined by his fellow teammates. He leaves the Zags with both 8K and 10K records, compiling one Second Team and three First Team All-West Coast Conference honors, along with three straight USTFCCCA All-West Region finishes.
Smith's focus now turns to his final track season for the Bulldogs, beginning first at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener in Boston, Mass., in December.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
Tuesday, June 30
Monday, June 29
Monday, June 29
Friday, June 26
