UAA Athletics

UAA’s Nash, UAF’s Kramer notch top 10 finishes at DII cross country championships

University of Alaska Anchorage runner Cole Nash finished in sixth place at the NCAA Division II cross country championships on Friday in University Place, Washington.

Nash, a sophomore who won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships and placed second in the NCAA West Region meet, finished the 10K in a time of 29 minutes, 57 seconds.

He earned All-America honors for the finish, the second of his career. Nash placed 27th last season for his first All-America nod.

“Race went well, one of the better strategic races I have ever run,” said Nash in a release from the school. “I was just patient enough to put myself in position for one of the hardest kicks I have ever run, and executed the rest from there. Looking forward to indoor track and shifting gears immediately for a likely race next week.”

Nash’s teammate junior Michael Zapherson placed 55th on the course at Chambers Creek Regional Park.

In the women’s race, University of Alaska Fairbanks had three runners qualified and Kendall Kramer finished in 8th place. The sophomore and former West Valley standout finished the 6K course in 20:52.2 to earn All-America honors herself.

“I felt very relaxed, and I got to flow within the group, and they carried me with them,” Kramer in a release from the school. “I got very taken care of leading up to the race which I really appreciated, so everything went right. Thank you, coaches!”

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Teammate Rosie Fordham finished in 43rd place in a time of 21:27 and the third Nanooks runner, Naomi Bailey, placed 90th in a time of 21:57.2. Both Fordham and Bailey qualified in 2021 and ran to higher places in the 2022 race.

Dillon Powell of Colorado School of Mines won the men’s race in 29:28 and the women’s champion was Stephanie Cotter of Adams State, who finished in 19:45.2.

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