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Cougs Turn in Multiple Top-20 Performances

by wsucougars.com
Oct 16, 2021

LEWISTON, Idaho -- The Washington State men's and women's cross country teams capped off a split weekend by turning in multiple top-20 performances at the Inland Empire Championship in Lewiston, Idaho on Saturday Oct. 16.

MEN'S RECAP
Sophomore Sam Griffith led the WSU men's team with a 17th-place finish at the Inland Empire Championship. It is the second time this season he has placed in the top-20. Griffith completed the 8,000m race in 25:15, with an average mile time of 5:05.

Washington State recorded 200 points as team to finish seventh out of 16 teams. No. 19-ranked Gonzaga won the Inland Empire Championship on the men's side, scoring 35 points. Idaho's Tim Stevens placed first individually with a time of 24:19.

Next to cross the finish line for the Cougs was sophomore Amrit Banga, who turned in his best performance of the season. The Bothell, Washington native recorded a time of 26:09, shaving off 11 seconds from his previous season-best time. Banga place 47th out of the 147 colligate runners.

Following Banga, were senior Nate Pendleton and freshman Evan Gonzalez, as the pair of WSU runners finished three seconds apart. Pendleton recorded a time of 26:29 for 60th place, while Gonzalez came in with a time of 26:32 to finish 62nd overall.

WOMEN'S RECAP
In the women's 5,000m race, the Cougars were led by sophomore Jelena Grujic, who turned in her first top-20 performance of the season. The Serbian native posted a time of 18:09 to finish 16th out of 121 collegiate runners. Gurjic held an average mile time of 5:52

The other WSU runner to compete at the Inland Empire Championships was freshman Maya Nichols, who placed 34th after recording a time of 18:40. Nichols has now finished in the top-35 in three meets on the season.

With only two entries, the Cougars were unable to post a score as a team. The University of Idaho won the Inland Empire Championship tallying 19 points. The Vandals own Kelsey Swenson took first overall with a time of 17:08.

For more information on the Washington State cross country team, follow @WSUCougarXCTF on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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