STILLWATER, Okla.---The Portland Pilots women's cross country team produced a strong performance at the 2020 NCAA Championships on Monday morning, finishing in 22nd place as a program at the national meet. Anna Pataki recorded the sixth-best program finish on the day and collected All-America honors with her 31st place individual finish (20:47.6) in the 6K race.
 
Despite several tough hills at the Oklahoma State Cross Country Course, Pataki led the way for the Pilots in each of the 1000m splits, jumping 31 spots between the 2K and 3K marks, and getting as ahead as 19th place by the 4K mark before crossing the line first for Portland.
 
Stella Gillman was next to finish for the Pilots in 57th place with time of 21:07.6, and was followed by Sofia Castiglioni in 164th at 21:59.4. Emma Jenkins finished shortly after in 176th place at 22:08.5, and rounding out scorers for the Pilots was Victoria Wier in 214th with a time of 22:36.5.
 
Samantha Prusse collected the 222nd spot in 22:45.4, and Veerle Bakker claimed 231st in 22:56.5.
 
"I'm so proud of this team!" said head coach Ian Solof. "They showed a lot of toughness on the hardest course in the nation. Anna earning All-American is huge and Stella really impressed me with her best cross country race ever."
 
This was the Portland women's first team appearance at the NCAA Championships since 2018, and Anna Pataki's second individual showing at the national meet. Pataki finished in 57th-place at last year's championship race.
 
2020 NCAA Women's Cross Country Championships
Stillwater, Okla. (OSU Cross Country Course)
March 15, 2021

Team Results (6K)
1. #2 BYU – 96
2. #5 NC State – 161
3. #4 Stanford –207
4. #7 Michigan State – 212
5. #11 Minnesota – 239
6. #3 New Mexico – 274
7. #6 Colorado – 279
8. #13 Alabama – 280
9. #10 Boise State – 304
10. #1 Arkansas – 316
11. #9 Northern Arizona – 318
12. #26 Ole Miss – 325
13. #12 Washington – 330
14. North Carolina – 354
15. #18 Florida State – 363
16. #23 Oregon State – 375
17. #8 Michigan – 400
18. #21 Georgetown – 494
19. #17 Indiana – 494
20. #15 Georgia Tech – 508
21. #16 Illinois – 521
22. #20 Portland – 522
23. Colorado St. – 532
24. #22 Oklahoma State – 535
25. #24 Iowa State – 580
26. Liberty – 611
27. #19 Duke – 625
28. Tulsa – 650
29. #27 West Virginia –668
30. #27 San Francisco – 688
31. #14 Furman – 761

Portland Individuals
31. Anna Pataki (20:47.6)
57. Stella Gillman (21:07.6)
164. Sofia Castiglioni (21:59.4)
176. Emma Jenkins (22:08.5)
214. Victoria Wier (22:36.5)
222. Samantha Prusse (22:45.4)
231. Veerle Bakker (22:56.5)

UP All-Time Best Individuals at NCAA Championships
13th Lauren LaRocco 2018 (All-America)
15th Tansey Lystad 2014 (All America)
24th Nicole Karr 1994 (All-America)
26th Taryn Rawlings 2018 (All-America)
29th Lauren LaRocco, 2016 (All-America)
31st Anna Pataki, 2020 (All-America)