MXC at Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational
Event: Men's Championship 8K Race
Host: University of Wisconsin
Date: Friday, Oct. 17, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM (PST)
Location: Zimmer Championship Course – Madison, Wis.
Live Video: RunnerSpace
Live Results: PortlandPilots.com
 
MXC/WXC at Linfield George Oja Invitational
Event: Men's 8,000 Meters / Women's 6,000 Meters
Host: Linfield University
Date: Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
Time: Women – 10:00 AM (PST) / Men – 11:00 AM (PST)
Location: Oak Knoll Golf Course – Independence, Ore.
Live Results: PortlandPilots.com

THIS WEEK
• The Portland men's cross country team will split squads this weekend, with one group traveling to Madison, Wisconsin, for the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational on Friday, Oct. 17. The meet will take place at the Zimmer Championship Course, with racing set to begin at 9:10 a.m.
• The remaining men's runners will compete closer to home at the Linfield George Oja Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 18, held at Oak Knoll Golf Course in Independence, Oregon. The men's race is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
• The Portland women's cross country team will also race at the Linfield George Oja Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 18, at Oak Knoll Golf Course in Independence, Oregon, with the women's race starting at 10:00 a.m.


LAST MEET
• The Portland women's cross country team earned a third-place finish at the Mike Johnson Classic on Saturday, scoring 97 points in a 14-team field hosted by Western Oregon. Sophomore Lindsey Kaines led the Pilots with a 10th-place finish in 21:25.50, followed by fellow PR-setters Megan Crum (23rd, 21:47.30) and Danica Allen (25th, 21:52.70). Izzy Lochtefeld (26th, 21:54.60) and Clare Herring (31st, 22:02.10 PR) rounded out Portland's scoring five.
• The Portland men's cross country team captured the team title at the 50th Charles Bowles Invitational, improving on last year's sixth-place finish. The Pilots placed five runners in the top 12, led by individual champion Eliason Kabasenche, who won in 23:39.75 (PR). He was followed closely by Anthony Giesch (2nd, 23:41.93 PR) and Carson Helmer (4th, 23:46.76 PR), with Jacob Hupke (8th, 23:55.28 PR) and Isaac McGill (12th, 24:09.95 PR) rounding out the scoring five — giving Portland an impressive 1–5 spread of just 30 seconds.
• Kabasenche was named the West Coast Conference Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week after his winning performance, marking Portland's second WCC weekly award of the season.
 
THIS SEASON
• The Pilots women were picked to finish third in the annual WCC Preseason Coaches Poll ahead of the 2025 season with Maebh Richardson making the All-WCC Preseason Team.
• The Pilots men has been selected to finish first in the 2025 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll. This marks the third year in a row that the Pilots have been chosen to finish first in the WCC Preseason Polls. KG Monyebodi, Jonas Price, and Cameron Stein named to the 2025 All-WCC Preseason Team.
• Portland's women added 17 incoming freshmen to the roster while Pilot men welcomed one freshman to the Bluff.
• Pilot runner Collin Penuel has been selected as the West Coast Conference Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week, announced by the Conference on Tuesday, Sept. 2^nd.
• The Portland Pilots men's cross country team opened their 2025 season with a second-place finish at the Lewis & Clark XC Opener on Friday morning at Milo McIver State Park. The Pilots scored 49 points as a team, placing behind Boise State (17) and ahead of Portland State (86). Portland's top finisher, Collin Penuel, claimed fourth overall with a personal-best time of 15:12.55 in the 5K. He was followed by Matthew Cordova in ninth (15:35.53 PR) and Hugh Kent in 10th (15:40.20). Andrew Gannon (12th, 15:47.49 PR) and Xander Penaflor (14th, 15:49.1) rounded out the Pilots' scoring five.
• The Portland Pilots women's cross country squad totaled 136 points on the day to open the 2025 season with a fourth-place team finish at the Lewis & Clark XC Opener on Friday at Milo McIver State Park. The Pilots were paced by a close group of finishers. Avery Owen led the way in 24th at 19:27.50, followed within seconds by Madison Griffith (25th, 19:27.83), Kate Kabenina (26th, 19:29.96), and Julia Ferreira (28th, 19:31.95). Janelle Avilez secured the fifth scoring spot for Portland in 33rd with a time of 19:46.80.
• Portland men totaled 41 points to finish second at the Gator Cross meet on Friday, just behind Western Washington's winning score of 35. The Pilots were led by Jacob Hupke, who won the race in 17:59.7, a personal best. Four of Portland's five scorers set personal bests, with Carson Helmer placing seventh in 18:11.3, Estanis Ruiz eighth in 18:12.2, and Collin Penuel 11th in 18:23.9. Cohen Williams rounded out the scoring group in 14th at 18:36.3.
• Portland Pilots Women's Cross Country earned their first win of the season on Friday, taking first in the Ash Creek Festival in Monmouth, Oregon. Selena Bangerter was the top runner on the day for Portland, finishing the 5K in 17:51.3 to take third in the contest. Megan Crum and Lindsey Kaines followed in eighth and ninth respectively to round out the top 10 finishers, with Crum running the race in 18:22.0 and Kaines in 18:28.7. Izzy Lochtefeld (11th, 18:28.7) and Danica Allen (12th, 18:53.8) rounded out the scoring runners for Portland.

PILOT HISTORY
The Portland men's cross country team has made 24 appearances at the NCAA Championships, with 19 of those resulting in top-20 team finishes under longtime head coach Rob Conner. Their most impressive performances came in back-to-back years, placing second in 2017 and third in 2018. On the women's side, the Pilots have qualified for the national meet four times, highlighted by a program-best 12th-place finish led by head coach Ian Solof.

COACHES' ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Rob Conner enters his 35th year leading Portland's men's cross country and track & field programs. During his tenure, the Pilots have earned 24 NCAA Championship berths, 10 Top-10 national finishes, and 51 All-America honors. Conner guided the team to a program-best second place in 2017 and a third place in 2018, while also collecting 35 WCC titles. He has been named West Region Coach of the Year seven times and WCC Coach of the Year ninth times. In 2024, Conner was inducted into the WCC Hall of Honor before leading Portland to another championship title and receiving WCC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year recognition in the Fall.

Since 1995, Ian Solof has directed the Pilot women's distance program, bringing consistent success and growth. A former standout runner for Portland himself, Solof has guided the women's team to milestones such as a No. 5 national ranking in 2016 and a 12th-place finish at the 2018 NCAA Championships. His teams have captured 20 WCC titles, while several of his athletes have achieved All-America status. Solof's achievements have earned him WCC Coach of the Year honors seven times, underscoring his role as one of the program's most accomplished leaders.

PILOTS IN THE POLLS
• In the NCAA DI Cross Country National Coaches Preseason and Week 1 Polls, the Portland men received votes.
• In the West Region Week 3 Rankings, the men are currently 10th in the region, while the women sit at 12th.
 

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