WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Whitworth University won its first Northwest Conference cross country title in 36 years, knocking off seven-time champion Willamette University by placing four runners among the top 10. The Pirate women tied with Whitman for second place, as Willamette won the women's title at Veterans Memorial Golf Course.

Click here for men's results. Click here for women's results.

Nick Gallagher was NWC Men's Runner-up

Nick Gallagher (So., Bedford, Iowa) led the Whitworth men with a second place finish, running the eight kilometer course in 25:26.74. Dusty Caseria (Jr., Bellingham, Wash.) and Aaron Jenkins (Fr., Pocatello, Idaho) followed in fourth (25:39.58) and sixth (25:49.19) place, respectively. All three earned First Team All-Northwest Conference honors. Emmanuel Bofa (So., Puyallup, Wash.) was 10th in 25:53.13, claiming Second Team All-NWC. Jamie Daroff (Sr., Clearfield, Utah) took 23rd place in 26:23.34 to round out the Whitworth scoring.

Francis Reynolds of Puget Sound won the race in 24:35.24. The final team scores were: Whitworth 43, Willamette 51, Lewis & Clark 71, Linfield 104, Puget Sound 149, Whitman 153, Pacific Lutheran 189, George Fox 242, Pacific (Ore.) 245.

Whitworth's last conference title came in 1972, the second of back to back wins by the Pirates.

Katie Williams led Whitworth to 2nd place

Maddie Coffman of Willamette won the women's race with a time of 21:31.27 over six kilometers. The final women's team scores were: Willamette 42, Whitworth and Whitman 77, Lewis & Clark 100, Linfield 131, Puget Sound 142, Pacific 170, Pacific Lutheran 202, George Fox incomplete.

Kathryn Williams (Fr., Santiago, Chile) led the Whitworth women with an 11th place finish, running the course in 22:35.24, while Jo E Mayer (Jr., Spokane, Wash.) was 12th in 22:35.81. Both earned Second Team All-NWC. Tonya Turner (Fr., Spokane, Wash.) just missed second team honors by finishing 15th in 22:49.63. Dana Misterek (Fr., Gig Harbor, Wash.) followed in 18th place (23:01.26), while Kaitlin Hildebrand (Jr., Gig Harbor, Wash.) was 21st (23:16.84) to round out the Whitworth scoring.

Whitworth's second place finish was the team's fifth since 2001.

The Pirates will now take next weekend off to prepare for the NCAA West Region championships. That meet will take place at Bush's Pasture Park in Salem, Oregon and will determine individual and team qualifiers for the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships.