UAA XC teams place third at GNAC Champs

Bellingham, Wash. - The University of Alaska Anchorage men's and women's cross country teams both finished third at the GNAC Championships Saturday.

John Peckham, Zach Grams, Nell Baker and Alexandra Otto each ran to All-GNAC honors. Otto earned GNAC Freshman of the Year honors, and Ryann Smith earned GNAC Newcomer of the Year honors.

"This team nailed it when it counted," said associate head coach Chas Davis. "It's especially impressive with five freshmen on the men's side and a lot of new people still on the women's side, to be six points off the No. 10 team in the country is wild. All the credit to this team when they kept believing through the inevitable rough patches this season."

John Peckham and Zach Grams paced the UAA men finishing fifth (24:40) and sixth (24:42) in the eight-kilometer race.

Ty Elliott finished 15th (25:08), and Matt Rongitsch and Patrick Doty placed 32nd (25:46) and 34th (25:48).

Nell Baker led the UAA women covering the six-kilometer course in 21:45 to finish fifth.

Alexandra Otto finished eighth (21:57), and Avery Williamson was 15th (22:20).

Ryann Smith and Makendra McCarty completed the scoring for UAA finishing 28th (22:50) and 30th (23:02).

UAA will compete at the NCAA West Regional Championships hosted by MSU Billings on Nov. 9.