TACOMA, Wash. --- Linfield cross country capped off the Northwest Conference season on Saturday morning on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University, the women's squad finished eighth, while the men's team took ninth in the meet.

"It was a quintessential cross country morning at PLU. Rainy, windy, and muddy. The team stepped up though and ran tough. I was impressed with how they approached the race. They didn't let the conditions affect their efforts." said Head Coach Chris McIsaac.
 
The men's eight-kilometer race began the morning, with freshman Marco Stroman returning to the starting lineup to lead the 'Cats as he did for the majority of the season. Stroman finished in 51^st, running a time of 28:04.9. Junior transfer CJ Brindeiro was the second-best Linfield runner in the meet, as his time of 29:23.2 gave him a 66^th-place finish. Freshman Finley Wodke closed the gap on Brindeiro, crossing the finish 21-seconds behind Brindeiro, good for a time of 29:44.3. 
 
In the second meet of his collegiate career, Nakomis Rivera improved on his time two weeks prior at the George Oja Invitational, with a time of 33:16.4. Orion Bretherton and Joaquin Rameriz Dod rounded out the Wildcat lineup for the meet, with Bretherton running a 34:05.5 and Rameriz Dod crossing at 38:41.1. 

"Marcus, CJ, and Finley continued to lead the way. They each were competitive with the men they have been racing against all season."
 
The second race of the day, the six-kilometer women's race saw freshman Jasmine Solso lead the team for the first time in her collegiate career, taking 60^th with a time of 26:26.1. Fellow first-year Wildcat Mya Budzik was just behind Solso, crossing in 26:41.3.Solso and Budzik look to be key pieces for the future of Linfield cross country. 
 
Mia McCormack was the next 'Cat to cross the finish line, with a time of 29:42.1. Ximena Sanchez-Lopez and Liberty McElfatrick closed out the 6K race for Linfield, with Sanchez-Lopez crossing at 31:07.1 and McElfatrick in 31:48.8. 

"Jasmine had a really good race today, she moved up throughout and continually passed competitors."
 
It marked the first NWC Championship meet for each Wildcat men's athlete, the majority of women's student-athletes, and head coach Chris McIsaac in his first season at the helm. 

"It was a positive way to finish the season. This group of athletes is amazing and I'm excited that they'll all be returning next year. They are setting the foundation for future teams."
 
The Northwest Conference season came to a close on Saturday in Tacoma, with George Fox claiming both the men's and women's titles, while Cian Monaghan took home the men's individual title with an 8K time of 25:16.2. In the women's 6K race, Emily Foote of George Fox crossed first in 22:02.7. 
 
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