CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The Pilot men finish 23rd at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, led by Matt Strangio's 76th place finish. The Pilots would outperform their 24th place ranking in the process.
Through the first split of the race, the Pilots were positioned in 29th overall, and sat as far back at 30th in the team competition at the 2,000 meter split. Throughout the next 8K, the Pilots would slowly move up the field, to break into the top-25 teams. At the 9,000 meter mark, Portland had moved into 23rd as a team and would hold their position through the finish to secure their 23rd place finish. The Pilots came into the championships ranked 24th overall based on their third place finish at the NCAA West Regional Championships, meaning the Pilots had exceeded their ranking by one position. For many of the Pilots, this was their first time competing at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The intensity and quality of the field makes it difficult for teams and individuals with less nationals experience to perform to their potential, further emphasizing the value of the Pilots' performance.
Individually, Strangio would finish in a strong 76th place in a time of 30:21.2 to lead the Pilots. Strangio would sit as high as 44th place in the early stages of the race, vying for an All-American position. While All-American was not in the cards for Strangio, a top-100 finish is a great accomplishment, especially in one's first time racing at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Strangio would be followed by Danny Abdala who finished in 117th place in 30:43.1. Abdala began the race in 237th before beginning to move up. Throughout each stage of the race, Abdala would begin to pick off runners, never being passed during any stage of the race. This distinction would also be true for Nolan Hosbein, who finished sixth for the Pilots in 194th.
Jona Bodirsky would finish closely behind Abdala, finishing 124th overall in 30:46.5. Bodirsky and Abdala would work together through many of the earlier and middle stages of the race, similar to what they had done throughout the 2023 season. The duo would establish a strong narrative of patience and poise in order to navigate their way through the NCAA Championship field. The two would be rewarded with finishes just outside the top-100 in their first national championship meet.
Jonas Gertsen would also run alongside Abdala and Bodirsky for much of the race before ultimately finishing 144th in 30:58.1. Gertsen was one of the only Pilots to have NCAA Championship experience. In the early stages of the race, he would get out a bit better than Abdala or Bodirsky, showing his experience with the large, high quality field that is present at these championships. Getting out ahead of his teammates (207th at Split 1, as opposed to 237 and 225 for Abdala and Bodirsky, respectively), Gertsen would set up a strong position for his teammates to follow behind, helping guide his teammates through the early stages of their first national championships.
The Pilot's last scoring finisher was Teddy Buckley who finished 186th overall. Buckley's finish marks the second time during the 2023 season that he would score for the Pilots, with the first being in Portland's first race of the season, the Roy Griak Invitational where they finished fourth. Buckley's time of 31:32.8 would improve upon his mark from regionals of 31:35.0 despite the relative difficulty of the course being significantly harder than the course in Sacramento, Calif.
Nolan Hosbein (194th, 31:40.1) and Thomas Chaston (224th, 32:42.1) also competed for the Pilots on the day. This was the first time either athlete had competed at an NCAA Championships for the Pilots.
The Pilots will begin preparations for the 2023-24 Indoor track season, starting in December. Full team and individual results will be posted below. For more coverage and info, visit PortlandPilots.com.
Team Results
1. No. 2 Oklahoma State, 49
2. No. 1 Northern Arizona, 71
3. No. 3 BYU, 196
4. No. 7 Arkansas, 211
5. No. 17 Iowa State, 230
6. No. 4 North Carolina, 249
7. No. 5 Texas, 262
8. No. 9 Stanford, 291
9. No. 15 Syracuse, 299
10. No. 5 Wisconsin, 330
11. No. 10 Princeton, 345
12. No. 22 Air Force, 368
13. No. 29 Montana State, 374
14. No. 21 Notre Dame, 398
15. No. 12 Harvard, 398
16. No. 14 CBU, 430
17. No. 28 NC State, 435
18. No. 13 New Mexico, 465
19. No. 23 Michigan, 472
20. No. 11 Villanova, 477
21. No. 8 Butler, 484
22. No. 25 Virginia, 512
23. No. 24 Portland, 529
24. No. 30 Wake Forest, 536
25. No. 27 Colorado, 551
26. No. 15 Tennessee, 556
27. No. 26 Florida State, 620
28. No. 20 Gonzaga, 647
29. No. 19 Iona, 675
30. (RV) Georgetown, 686
31. No. 18 Eastern Kentucky, 704
Individual Results
76. Matt Strangio, 30:21.2
117. Danny Abdala, 30:43.1
124. Jona Bodirsky, 30:36.5
144. Jonas Gertsen, 30:58.1
186. Teddy Buckley, 31:32.8
194. Nolan Hosbein, 31:40.1
224. Thomas Chaston, 32:42.1
