ESTACADA, Ore. - Whitworth University freshman Nick Gallagher has earned a spot at next week's NCAA Division III cross country championships with an 11th place finish at today's NCAA West Regionals at McIvor Park in Estacada, Oregon. Dusty Caseria will find out tomorrow if his 16th place finish will also make the national meet.

Nick Gallagher

Three Pirate men earned All-Region honors today with finishes among the top 35 runners. Gallagher ran the 8 kilometer course in 25:36.70 to finish 11th. He was just over a minute behind winner Kevin Chaves of Occidental (24:34.85). Caseria finished 16th in 25:48.35 and Jacob Deitz was 21st in 26:01.85.

Whitworth scored 136 points as a team to finish sixth out of 13 teams. Willamette University (1st, 50 points) and Occidental (2nd, 72 points) picked up the automatic team bids to the NCAA national meet.

Whitworth's women were led by Jenna Cunningham and Gillian Goodrich, who finished in 31st (23:24.70) and 33rd (23:27.80) places, respectively, to earn All-Region recognition. Sarah Zerzan of Willamette won the race in 20:51.65.

The Pirate women finished 8th out of 16 teams with 200 points. Willamette (1st, 43 points) and Puget Sound (2nd, 86 points) earned the team berths to nationals.

The NCAA Division III national championships will be next Saturday (Nov. 17) at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.