INDEPENDENCE, Ore. – Linfield cross country hosted the annual George Oja Invitational at Oak Knoll Golf Course on Saturday, with many Wildcats recording personal best and season best times amongst a stacked field of nationally-ranked teams.

"Overall, it was an awesome meet." Said head coach Chris McIsaac. "We had 38 teams competing with almost 400 athletes in each race. It's becoming a meet that a lot of teams are excited to participate in each year. We had three Division III programs fly out from the Midwest. We hope to continue to host a top-tier meet in the PNW."

WOMEN'S RACE
Jayden Taylor led the Wildcats across the finish line, placing 123rd overall with a time of 23:39.0. Taylor was one of four 'Cats to record personal best times on Saturday. Saniyah Ayala followed in 198th, clocking 24:59.1, while Mia McCormack finished 215th in 25:17.8. A freshman, Ayala continued to show improvement, recording a new best for her first season in the 6,000-meter race. 

Jasmine Solso was Linfield's fourth finisher, running her best race of the season and her best 6K time of her career, with a time of 25:21.6. Mya Budzik rounded out the Wildcats' five scoring runners, finishing 233rd in 25:48.6, her fastest 6K this season. 

Isabella Manges crossed the line in 26:34.0 to place 260th, followed by Angela Hernandez-Gallo in 285th at 27:33.1. Brenna Gamache placed 293rd in 28:06.7, while Liberty McElfatrick finished 297th with a time of 29:18.
 Aydan Nunnemaker completed Linfield's 10-runner team, placing 304th in 30:45.0. Both Hernandez-Gallo and Gamanche set new PR times, meanwhile it was McElfatrick's best of the season.

The Wildcats' five scoring runners recorded adjusted team places of 88th, 143rd, 156th, 158th and 167th in the 29-team field that features two top-25 DIII teams in George Fox and Carleton.

"Lot's of PRs today!" said assistant coach Katie Higinbotham following the meet. 

"I think it shows the work we've been doing is continuing to pay off. I'm excited to see what the team can do at conference."

MEN'S RACE
Seven of eight Wildcats set new personal best times in the men's 8,000-meter race. Marcus Stroman led the Wildcats across the finish line, placing 126th overall with a time of 25:59.9. C.J. Brindeiro followed in 175th, clocking 26:25.7, while Teagan Randles finished 191st in 26:36.4.

Jackson Fears was Linfield's fourth finisher, placing 264th with a time of 27:19.5. Vincent Andrews rounded out the Wildcats' five scoring runners, finishing 285th in 27:35.7.

Logan Marquart crossed the line in 28:38.6 to place 329th, followed by Darian Andrade in 390th at 31:44.7. Joseph Nelson completed the Wildcats squad, placing 398th with a time of 35:03.1.

Andrade, Andrews, Brindeiro, Fears, Marquart, Nelson, and Stroman all set new personal best 8K times. Six of the eight 'Cats competing were also freshman in their first season competing collegiately. 
The Wildcats' five scoring runners recorded adjusted team places of 94th, 127th, 134th, 172nd and 184th in the 32-team field.

The Wildcats return to action in two weeks, competing at the Northwest Conference Championship, once again back at Oak Knoll Golf Course on Halloween.

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