NEW ORLEANS – Warrior Cross Country and Track and Field continued to climb to new heights this season, evident in the final USTFCCCA Program of the Year Standings. The LC State women earned a top-10 finish as the No. 8 program in the NAIA, while the men were just outside the top 10 at No. 11.
To be eligible, teams must qualify for NAIA Championships in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each championship.
“Nice to see the overall recognition of our programs with cross country and track and field combined,” Head Coach Mike Collins said. “I believe we work hard to be well rounded, and this is a nice recognition that we are doing that and doing it in both genders.”
The Warrior women, voted the 2023-24 LC State LCSPYs Team of the Year, totaled 53 points in the standings after an 11th-place finish in cross country, a 14th-place mark at indoor nationals and a 28th-place finish at outdoor nationals.
Brooklyn Shell earned All-American status at cross country nationals in 39th place to lead the team. LC State added eight All-Americans at the indoor meet with the combined efforts of Jennah Carpenter, Grace Tiegs, Aubree Williams, Shell, Geraldin Correa and Sydnie Zywina. The trio of Zywina, Madigan Kelly and Carpenter brought home three All-American honors at the outdoor meet.
College of Idaho was the top women’s program in the NAIA and Southern Oregon was just behind LC State at No. 12.
On the men’s side, the Warriors earned 55.5 points after a 17th-place finish at cross country nationals, 14th-place mark at indoor nationals and 24th-place finish at the outdoor meet.
Lewiston native Kobe Wessels earned All-American accolades at the cross-country meet when he placed 25th. Carter Gordon provided the highlight of the year with his national title in the indoor 800m to lead a group of seven All-Americans at the meet. The group of Gordon, Conner May, Griffen Parsells, Cooper Carlson and London Kirk combined for the total. The same group, with the addition of Wessels, totaled another seven for the outdoor season.
LC State was the highest-ranked Cascade Conference team on the men’s side. Eastern Oregon was just behind at No. 12 and Multnomah was No. 18.
