Bearcats to Host 41st Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational on Saturday

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University is hosting one of the largest collegiate cross country meets on the West Coast this season. It is the 41st Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational set for today at Bush's Pasture Park.

Charles Bowles passed away in 2005, but this morning's meet will continue his legacy of success, integrity and commitment to the sport. What was once known as the Willamette Invitational now bears his name.

There will be four races overall, starting with the Men's Cardinal 8-kilometer race, which will feature teams from NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III at 9:30 a.m. (PDT). The Women's Cardinal 5-kilometer race will follow at 10:20 a.m., and will include teams from all three of the NCAA Divisions.

The Men's Gold 8-kilometer race, with runners from the NAIA, junior colleges and club teams, plus unattached runners, is set to get underway at 11 a.m. The Women's Gold 5-kilometer race, which also includes NAIA, junior college and non-collegiate runners, is set to get underway at 11:50 a.m.

Approximately 800 athletes will run in this year's meet. They represent teams from six states and one Canadian province. Teams competing this weekend are from Oregon, California, Colorado, Idaho, Texas, Washington and British Columbia.

Overall, there will be 32 four-year colleges and universities (30 with both men's and women's teams), five junior colleges, and one club team, plus unattached athletes.

Most of the colleges and universities will be competing in a men's and a women's race. The exceptions are Portland State University and Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.), which are participating only in women's races.

A total of 10 teams are listed in their respective national rankings in this week's polls, and three more teams received votes.

In the Men's Cardinal 8-kilometer race, the only team to receive votes for a national poll is the University of Portland, which received votes in the NCAA Division I Poll. Several NCAA Division III men's teams are ranked in the West Region, with Willamette at #3, University of Puget Sound at #4, Whitworth University at #6, and Whitman College at #7.

Top runners for Willamette entered in the Men's Cardinal 8K race are Yonny Castillo (Sr.), Nathan Conrad (Sr.), Hunter Matthies (Sr.), Patrick Loftus (So.), and Jacob Shafi (Sr.).

There are three teams nationally ranked in the Women's Cardinal 5-kilometer race. They are Seattle Pacific University (Wash.), ranked #19 in NCAA Division II,  Willamette, ranked #17 in NCAA Division III, and Whitworth, ranked #33 in Division III.

Willamette's top runners for the women's team are Hannah Bressler (Sr.), Juliet Farnan (Sr.) Olivia Mancl (Jr.), Taylor Ostrander (Sr.), Alyssa Reese (So.) and Hannah Swanson (So.).

Last year, the Bearcat women's team won the NCAA West Region title and placed 15th at the NCAA Division III Championships. Mancl placed 48th at the national meet.

The Men's Gold 8-kilometer race includes four ranked teams from the NAIA. They are Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) at #2, the University of British Columbia at #9, Oregon Institute of Technology at #15, and Northwest Christian University (Ore.) at #19. Texas Wesleyan University received votes in the poll.

In the Women's Gold 5-kilometer race, nationally ranked NAIA teams are British Columbia at #1, Northwest Christian (Ore.) at #2, Lewis-Clark State at #11 and Oregon Tech at #20. Texas Wesleyan received votes.

Admission to the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational is free. Spectators are asked to be cautious near the course and to avoid interfering with participants. Although most of the course will take runners through Bush's Pasture Park, all of the races will finish inside McCulloch Stadium.

41st Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015,
Bush's Pasture Park, Salem, Ore.

Schedule of Events

9:30 a.m. - Men's Cardinal 8K Race
NCAA Divisions I, II, III

10:20 a.m. - Women's Cardinal 5K Race
NCAA Divisions I, II, III

11:00 a.m. - Men's Gold 8K Race
NAIA, Junior Colleges, club teams, unattached

11:50 a.m. - Women's Gold 5K Race
NAIA, Junior Colleges, club teams unattached