Batch and Coffman Win Individual Titles at WU Meet

Sarah Zerzan, the defending NCAA Division III national champion from Willamette, did not compete this weekend.

Willamette junior Maddie Coffman wins the inaugural Willamette Grass Course race. Photo courtesy: WU Athletics

SALEM, Ore. - Maddie Coffman took first place in the women's race and Ian Batch won the men's race, leading Willamette University to both team titles at the WU Grass Course cross country meet Saturday at Bush's Pasture Park.

The Willamette women's team took five of the top eight places, while the WU men's squad provided five of the top six finishers in the men's race.

Coffman completed the 5-kilometer women's course in 18:52.92 for roughly a nine-second lead over teammate Jena Winger, who took second place in 19:01.97.

Jo E. Mayer of Whitworth University finished third with a time of 19:04.06.

Willamette completed its team score with the sixth, seventh and eight place runners.

Molly Lewis was sixth at 19:12.70, while Ashley Sharratt with seventh with a time of 19:16.44 and Hannah Vietmeier was eighth less than half a second later at 19:16.87.

Three other Bearcat women's runners placed in the top 14. Ali Maki took 11th by clocking in at 19:23.47.

Edith Polanco placed 13th and finished the race in 19:26.79. Carly Killam was 14th with a time of 19:32.82.

A total of 47 runners entered the women's race.

Sarah Zerzan, the defending NCAA Division III national champion from Willamette, did not compete this weekend.

Willamette won the women's team title with a score of 24.

Whitworth claimed second place with a score of 57 and Team GFR, a club team from Salem, Ore., was third at 82.

A split squad from Oregon State University finished fourth with a score of 83.

Pacific University entered three runners in the women's race, but did not have a complete team.

In the men's race, Batch completed the 7,085-meter course in 22:18.63.

Second place went to Willamette's Tristan Knutson-Lombardo, who clocked in at 22:26.06.

Nick Gallagher of Whitworth took third place with a time of 22:28.15.

WU swept the next three places.

Lucas May was fourth in 22:30.06 and Taylor Roholt was fifth at 22:43.75.

Lucas Nebert achieved sixth place, as he crossed the finish line in 22:53.56.

Five more Willamette runners concluded the race by placing in the top 14.

Kellen Peters placed ninth with a time of 23:10.89.

Josh Clough was 10th at 23:12.79, Steven Millard was 11th at 23:14.32, Kyle Kotaich was 12th at 23:23.85 and Matt Parker was 14th at 23:34.69.

There were a total of 43 runners in the men's race.

The Bearcats won the men's team championship with a score of 18. Whitworth placed second with a score of 41 and Pacific was third at 85.

Willamette's next action is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Northwest Conference Preview, hosted by George Fox University at the Willamette Mission State Park. The meet is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. (PDT).

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