Friday, November 14
Sacramento, CA
9:00 AM
University of Oregon
at
NCAA West Region Championships
Ducks Qualify for NCAA Championships
11/14/25 | Cross Country
The Men of Oregon won the NCAA West Regional for the first time since 2014.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Oregon cross country teams secured national qualifying bids Friday at the NCAA West Region Championships in Sacramento, Calif. The Men of Oregon collected their first regional title since 2014 while the UO women ran their way to a runner-up finish and a spot at the NCAA meet.
The 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place Sat., Nov. 22, on the Gans Creek Course in Columbia, Mo. The national meet will air live on ESPNU with the women's 6K scheduled for 7:20 a.m. PT followed by the men's 10K at 8:10 a.m.
The entire national field will be announced Saturday with the addition of the at-large selections.
In the second race of the morning, the UO men placed four inside the top 11 on their way to winning a 10th regional title—first under head coach Jerry Schumacher—and clinching their 46th appearance at the NCAA Championships. The Women of Oregon placed its top four inside the top 12 and secured their 35th national appearance.
Abdel Laadjel, the Big Ten individual champion, finished sixth (29:28.2) in the first 10K of the season. He led a quartet of Ducks that crossed the finish within four seconds of one another. Laadjel was just ahead of Simeon Birnbaum (29:28.4) in seventh place, followed by Aiden Smith (29:31.1) and Michael Mireles (29:33.6) in eighth and 11th, respectively.
Connor Burns rounded out the UO top five in 23rd place overall, good for a fifth all-region performer for the men. Benjamin Balazs and Tayson Echohawk were the sixth and seventh Ducks across the finish. All seven Oregon men finished inside the top 35.
On the women's side, Diana Cherotich and Silan Ayyildiz finished 2-3 and were joined in the top 10 by Anika Thompson. Cherotich, the Big Ten champion, posted a final time of 19:12.6 followed Ayyildiz in 19:16.8 and Thompson in 19:48.0. Mia Barnett was the fourth UO runner across the line, clocking in at 19:58.2 to finished 12th overall, good for all-region honors.
Ali Ince (20:48.9) and Katie Clute (20:51.1) finished in 49th and 52nd place, respectively, to give Oregon its fifth and sixth runners on the board. Allura Markow, in her NCAA regional debut, finished in 21:30.5, and 86th place overall.
NCAA West Region Championships Results
WOMEN (top 5)
1. Stanford – 66 | 4-5-10-18-29
2. Oregon – 75 | 2-3-9-12-49
3. Boise State – 114 | 8-21-22-26-37
4. Washington State – 120 | 1-6-28-34-51
5. Washington – 124 | 11-15-17-40-41
Individual
2. Diana Cherotich – 19:12.6
3. Silan Ayyildiz – 19:16.8
9. Anika Thompson – 19:48.0
12. Mia Barnett – 19:58.2
49. Ali Ince – 20:48.9
52. Katie Clute – 20:51.1
86. Allura Markow – 21:30.5
MEN (top 5)
1. Oregon – 55 | 6-7-8-11-23
2. California Baptist – 95 | 13-15-16-21-30
3. Washington State – 98 | 1-2-27-29-39
4. Boise State – 117 | 4-10-14-28-61
5. Portland – 150 | 5-24-32-35-54
Individual
6. Abdel Laadjel – 29:28.2
7. Simeon Birnbaum – 29:28.4
8. Aiden Smith – 29:31.1
11. Michael Mireles – 29:33.6
23. Connor Burns – 29:58.2
26. Benjamin Balazs – 30:00.6
34. Tayson Echohawk – 30:11.9
For more news and information about Oregon Cross Country and Track and Field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place Sat., Nov. 22, on the Gans Creek Course in Columbia, Mo. The national meet will air live on ESPNU with the women's 6K scheduled for 7:20 a.m. PT followed by the men's 10K at 8:10 a.m.
The entire national field will be announced Saturday with the addition of the at-large selections.
In the second race of the morning, the UO men placed four inside the top 11 on their way to winning a 10th regional title—first under head coach Jerry Schumacher—and clinching their 46th appearance at the NCAA Championships. The Women of Oregon placed its top four inside the top 12 and secured their 35th national appearance.
Abdel Laadjel, the Big Ten individual champion, finished sixth (29:28.2) in the first 10K of the season. He led a quartet of Ducks that crossed the finish within four seconds of one another. Laadjel was just ahead of Simeon Birnbaum (29:28.4) in seventh place, followed by Aiden Smith (29:31.1) and Michael Mireles (29:33.6) in eighth and 11th, respectively.
Connor Burns rounded out the UO top five in 23rd place overall, good for a fifth all-region performer for the men. Benjamin Balazs and Tayson Echohawk were the sixth and seventh Ducks across the finish. All seven Oregon men finished inside the top 35.
On the women's side, Diana Cherotich and Silan Ayyildiz finished 2-3 and were joined in the top 10 by Anika Thompson. Cherotich, the Big Ten champion, posted a final time of 19:12.6 followed Ayyildiz in 19:16.8 and Thompson in 19:48.0. Mia Barnett was the fourth UO runner across the line, clocking in at 19:58.2 to finished 12th overall, good for all-region honors.
Ali Ince (20:48.9) and Katie Clute (20:51.1) finished in 49th and 52nd place, respectively, to give Oregon its fifth and sixth runners on the board. Allura Markow, in her NCAA regional debut, finished in 21:30.5, and 86th place overall.
NCAA West Region Championships Results
WOMEN (top 5)
1. Stanford – 66 | 4-5-10-18-29
2. Oregon – 75 | 2-3-9-12-49
3. Boise State – 114 | 8-21-22-26-37
4. Washington State – 120 | 1-6-28-34-51
5. Washington – 124 | 11-15-17-40-41
Individual
2. Diana Cherotich – 19:12.6
3. Silan Ayyildiz – 19:16.8
9. Anika Thompson – 19:48.0
12. Mia Barnett – 19:58.2
49. Ali Ince – 20:48.9
52. Katie Clute – 20:51.1
86. Allura Markow – 21:30.5
MEN (top 5)
1. Oregon – 55 | 6-7-8-11-23
2. California Baptist – 95 | 13-15-16-21-30
3. Washington State – 98 | 1-2-27-29-39
4. Boise State – 117 | 4-10-14-28-61
5. Portland – 150 | 5-24-32-35-54
Individual
6. Abdel Laadjel – 29:28.2
7. Simeon Birnbaum – 29:28.4
8. Aiden Smith – 29:31.1
11. Michael Mireles – 29:33.6
23. Connor Burns – 29:58.2
26. Benjamin Balazs – 30:00.6
34. Tayson Echohawk – 30:11.9
For more news and information about Oregon Cross Country and Track and Field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
B1G Sweep: Oregon Cross Country Conference Champions Cinematic Recap
Wednesday, November 12
Aaliyah McCormick | NCAA 100M Hurdles National Champion
Thursday, June 19
Matti Erickson | NCAA 800M Runner Up
Saturday, June 14
Hayward Field History
Thursday, June 12
