GU Sweeps scoring at Clash to start XC season

Friday, September 4

Spokane, WA

W-8:30 a.m./M-9:15 a.m.

Gonzaga University

Clash of the Inland Northwest

9/4/2026 11:19:00 AM | Cross Country

SPOKANE, Wash.- Gonzaga swept the top scoring positions in both the men's and women's races at the Clash of the Inland Northwest for a perfect start to the Cross Country season.

This is the fourth straight year that the Zags have won both races, with the men's team winning the Clash ten straight years. The women's cross country team has won the clash six of the past seven years.

Sloan Dickson made her collegiate running debut by winning the race in a women's 6k meet record time of 20:22.2. Maria Taggi Padro ran a 20:33.7 time, while Audrey Orme took third in her collegiate debut with a time of 20:37.4 Charlotte Dillon and Emma Taggi Padro rounded out the scoring with respective times of 20:44.3 and 20:52.5. Dickson's winning time was also a Clash of the Inland Northwest meet record in the women's 6k.

The men's team had four runners finish within two second together, as the lead group for the Zags comfortably ran as a group for the 8k. Dylan Weniger took the win and a new meet 8k record in his first official race with the Zags as he crossed the line in 23:49.8. He was joined by Sawyer Marquis and Dylan Rowell, who ran times of 23:51.4 and 23:51.7, as all three runners look solid in their first official runs in a Gonzaga uniform to kick off their collegiate debuts. Logan Law finished with a matching 23:51.8 time in the first race of his senior season. Ryan Mitchell rounded out the scoring sweep with a time of 24:02.5. Aiden Miller finished sixth with a time of 24:10.1 in his first collegiate cross country meet after previously walking on as a middle distance runner in Track.

The Zags will return to competition when they travel to Chicago to take on the Lakefront Invite on September 25th, racing against a highly competitive field that is expected to feature several ranked teams.