Willamette Men Place 28th at NCAA Cross Country Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

WINNECONNE, Wis. -- The Willamette University men's cross country team concluded a very successful season by finishing in 28th place at the 2015 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Lake Breeze Golf Course. Earlier this fall, the Bearcats won the Northwest Conference title and placed third at the NCAA West Regional.

Nathan Conrad (Sr., Bothell, WA/Bothell HS) was Willamette's top finisher in 127th place. Patrick Loftus was 144th in 25:45.5 and Yonny Castillo (Sr., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley HS) took 145th in 25:45.6.

Ian LaMere from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville won the men's individual championship by completing the 8-kilometer course in 23.35.4. Josh Thorson from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire placed second in 24:15.0, as LaMere won by 39.6 seconds.

Bijan Mazaheri of Williams College (Mass.) was third in 24:21.4 and Zach Plank of North Central College (Ill.) took fourth in 24:26.9. Jake Campbell from St. Olaf College (Minn.) earned fifth place in 24:31.3.

The men's team title went to UW-Eau Claire with a score of 135. Williams was second at 144 and SUNY Geneseo (N.Y.) placed third at 209. St. Olaf finished in fourth at 211, while North Central claimed fifth place at 254. Pomona-Pitzher (Calif.) was sixth at 276 and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) took seventh at 290.