Seattle Pacific men’s and women’s cross country teams raced in the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s Division II West Regionals at Amend Park in Billings, Montana, on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Fifth-years Annika Esvelt and Madelyn Buckley, juniors Maya Ewing and Matise Mulch and sophomore Anna Prussian represented SPU in the women’s 6-kilometer race, finishing 10th in the overall team standings with 239 points.

Esvelt led the Falcons with a sixth-place finish at 20:47.72, beating her previous 20:56.9 from the Bill Roe Western Washington Classic on Sept. 28. As one of the top individual finishers, Esvelt received an at-large bid to the national championship on Saturday, Nov. 23

Seattle Pacific’s second and third runners were Ewing in 22nd place at 21:40.55 (previously 24:06.3 from the 2022 West Regionals) and Mulch in 49th at 22:17.91 (previously 22:37.3). Ewing’s finish in the top 25 clinched her a spot on the NCAA’s All-Region Team.

Esvelt shared her excitement as the sole Falcon proceeding to nationals.

“That was one of the best days I’ve had in years,” Esvelt said. “I saw it coming, but it was nice to get that affirmation that I get to go. I’m super excited. There’s no point in worrying, that won’t help.”

Eric Hansen, the assistant head coach for cross country, expressed how proud he is of Esvelt.

“She has been so dialed in and has been wanting it really bad,” Hansen said. “I know cross country nationals was that one elusive thing that was missing, and I know she was feeling a little extra pressure to get that monkey off her back, so I’m just really happy for her.”

Seattle Pacific’s men’s team was represented by juniors Isaac Venable and Nathaniel Gale and sophomore Silas Demmert in the men’s 10-kilometer race.

Venable finished in 92nd place overall at 32:56.18, beating his 33:32.2 from the 2023 West Regionals at Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Oregon.

Demmert was 107th overall at 33:26.82. His time from the 2023 West Regionals was 33:03.20. Gale ran the fastest 10-kilometer of his career at 34:09.55. His previous best was 35:23.41 at the 2022 West Regionals.

As cross country ends, Seattle Pacific’s indoor track season approaches its start date on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Spokane Invitational in Spokane, Washington.