Bearcats Host 50th Charles Bowles Invitational

SALEM, Ore. — The Willamette University cross country program proudly hosted the 50th edition of the Charles Bowles Willamette Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, October 4, 2025, with the men's team competing in the 8,000-meter invite field against a strong array of Division I, II, and NAIA programs.

Willamette finished 15th in the highly competitive field with a total team score of 404 points. Senior Jay Chew led the charge for the Bearcats, posting the top performance for the host team with a time of 25:01.0, placing him 49th overall.

Strong efforts from their packing group rounded out the Bearcats' scoring five:

• Adam Lewis finished second for Willamette with a time of 25:45.4 (97th overall).
• Freshman Treyton Marty followed closely behind, crossing the line in 25:51.2 (102nd overall).
• Austen Grabbe posted a time of 26:09.5 (118th overall).
• Sage Soto completed the scoring five with a time of 26:32.6 (140th overall).

The University of Portland's Eliason Kabasenche claimed the individual title for the men's 8K, blazing across the finish line with a winning time of 23:39.8. The Portland Pilots demonstrated their depth, securing the overall team victory for the meet, followed by the University of Idaho (94 points) and the College of Idaho (131 points).

The event successfully celebrated its 50th anniversary as one of the Pacific Northwest's premier cross country meets.