SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara Cross country lines up against some of the country's top teams on Friday morning at Jefferson Golf Course in Seattle. The Broncos are set for the NCAA West Region Meet, where they will compete for a spot at the NCAA National Championship Meet.

Santa Clara's men are ranked No. 13 in the region by USTFCCCA, ahead of fellow West Coast Conference program Loyola Marymount and the Pac-12's Arizona. There are seven nationally-ranked sides in the men's race and six nationally-ranked sides in the women's race; both competitions feature three teams ranked in the top 10. The women's 6-kilometer race is set for 10:30 a.m. and the men's 10-kilometer race begins at 11:30 a.m.

"I'm looking forward to watching our teams compete," head coach Felipe Montoro said. "The men have an opportunity to finish in the top 15 and we've only done that a few times as a program. Our women are excited to get back to competing and try to jump back over Saint Mary's and Pacific, as well as gain valuable experience in a highly competitive field."

WOMEN'S LINEUP: Jamie Ferris, Ellie Kopf, Bevin McCullough, Emma McCurry, Janie Nabholz, Noelani Obermeyer, Marisa Sanchez

MEN'S LINEUP: Joey Berriatua, Will Burschinger, Ben Davidson, Jack Davidson, James Konugres, Zach Litoff, Noah Westfall

LAST MEET: WEST COAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Santa Clara cross country's veterans set the pace for the team at the West Coast Conference Championships on Friday, Oct. 27 at the Metropolitan Golf Links in Oakland, California. Bevin McCullough led the women's side in the 6-kilometer race with a 22:29.6 for a 48th-place finish and Joey Berriatua topped the men's side in the 8-kilometer race with a 24:46.3 for a 28th-place finish.

Berriatua led the men to their best finish since 2014, when they also took fifth place.

The men captured fifth place as a team with 165 points and held off a late rally from a fellow regionally-ranked side in Loyola Marymount (13th in west, 166 points). Jack Davidson (29th place – 24:48.9), Zach Litoff (32nd – 24:58.0), Noah Westfall (39th – 25:15.5) and Ben Davidson (51st – 25:46.4) also scored for the Broncos.

Berriatua led the Broncos for the second straight race after setting the 8-kilometer program record at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational on Oct. 14. The redshirt senior and Jack Davidson have finished one-two for Santa Clara in all five events this season.

The women took ninth place as a team with 258 points and outraced Pepperdine on the day. Marisa Sanchez (60th place – 23:03.3), Ellie Kopf (61st – 23:05.7), Janie Nabholz (62nd – 23:06.5) and Jamie Ferris (63rd – 23:06.7) also scored for the Broncos.

McCullough became the fifth different Bronco to lead the team at a major meet this season. Sanchez, Kopf and Nabholz, along with Emma Eikelberner, have all finished in first among their teammates this fall.

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