SAN BRUNO, Calif. – For the second year in a row, the Women's Cross Country team has been picked as preseason favorites to win the West Coast Conference Championship. Both the men's and women's team received first place votes in the WCC Preseason Poll.

The women's cross country team is selected first in the preseason poll, receiving eight first place votes. The Zags are looking to repeat as Conference Champions after capturing the title last year.

The men's team has extra motivation for the season after being tabbed third in the preseason poll. They received a first place vote and are listed right on the heels of Portland and Washington State.

The women's cross country team also had three individuals named to the All-Preseason team, with Willow Collins, Jessica Frydenlund and Logan Hofstee all being recognized.

Collins was named to the USTFCCCA All-West Region for Cross Country last season and has qualified for the NCAA finals in the 5k in track & field for two straight years. Frydenlund looks to add a third year of being named to the All-WCC team, a conference recognition she was won the previous two seasons. Hofstee is looking to build on a stellar freshman campaign last year that was highlighted by a First Team All-WCC selection for cross country and an All-American Honorable Mention in the 10k in track & field.

The men's team is led by two All-Preseason selections, with Bryce Cerkowniak and Logan Law being named to the team. Cerkowniak has been named to the NCAA Cross Country All-West Region for the previous two seasons. Law is a former WCC Freshman of the year and a former Gonzaga athletics newcomer of the year honoree in 2024.

Both teams will be running in a familiar environment when the WCC run the conference championships in Spokane to conclude the regular season. The first chance to watch Zag Running comes next weekend, when both teams will compete at the Clash of The Inland Northwest during the morning of Friday, August 29.