RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Neema Kimtai (19:38.5, 10^th) finished tenth overall, notching an all-conference performance while shaving 31 seconds off her 6k personal best time Friday at the 2022 Pac-12 Cross Country Championships. Alaina Stone Boggs (19:47.8 18th) finished 18^th to help the Washington State women's cross country squad finish seventh as a team Friday at UC Riverside's Agricultural Operations Course.
 
Brain Barsaiya took 33rd in the 8k race to lead the Cougar men, who finished sixth overall with 177 team points. Leif Swanson (23:55.1, 34th) and Kelvin Limo (24:04.2, 36th) crossed the finish right behind Barsaiya.
 
On the women's side the Pac-12 Championship was the closest finish in conference history.  Washington State's men's and women's teams combined for 13 PR's on the day on a difficult Pac-12 Championship course with 100 feet of elevation change and 27 total turns, half of which are 90-degree turns.
 
 The Cougar women tallied 160 team points to earn a seventh-place finish, the highest team finish by any unranked team in the race.  Kimtai was the first runner to cross for the Cougars, pacing her team for the first time this season, while placing tenth overall.  The women had their top three runners finish inside the top 22.
 
WOMEN'S 6K RECAP 
Junior Neema Kimtai lead the way for the Cougars as the women's team posted three sub-20-minute 6k mile times.  Kimtai was one of five runners who set new personal best times on the women's side.  Kimtai moved up seven spots from her initial 2k split which was 17^th in the field.
Junior Alania Stone Boggs continued her breakout season by taking 20 seconds off her personal best to finish inside the top 20 in 18^th.  Caroline Jerotich maintained her pace the entire race as she jumped out to 22nd place at the first 2k marker. Jerotich rounded out the last 19-minute 6k time at 19:57.9.
 
Pietra Da Silva continued her great season by taking 59th in 20:51.5 which was a 29 second improvement for the sophomore from Brazil.  Samantha Boyle rounded out the scoring five for the Cougars. Boyle notched a new PR as the junior from Snohomish took 37 seconds off her last PR by running 21:13.1 to finish 73rd.
 
The University of Colorado claimed the individual winner with Bailey Hertenstein setting a course record. The Buffs also claimed the team title with 66 breaking a tie the University of Utah due to the head-to-head results of individual runners.
 
MEN'S RACE RECAP 
Brain Barsaiya continued to be the first Cougar to cross the finish line as he finished in 33^rd running 23:54.7.   Leif Swanson was a second behind Barsaiya as he notched a personal best 8k time by 41 seconds to finish 34^th.  Swanson posted a 4:48.7 mile throughout the race.
 
Kelvin Limo was the third Cougar to cross the finish line. Limo took 27 seconds of his previous personal best to finish in 36^th in 24:04.2.  Freshman Kyle Ortega-Gammill finished in 43^rd by running 24:26.1, which was a 16 second improvement.
 
Stanford claimed the team title scoring 22 points. The Cardinals also won the individual title with Charles Hicks winning the title for a second straight year.
WSU RESULTS 
Women's 6K 

• Neema Kimtai 19:38.5 (10^th) [PERSONAL BEST]
• Alaina Stone Boggs 19:47.8 (18^th) [PERSONAL BEST]
• Caroline Jerotich 19:57.9 (22^nd) [PERSONAL BEST]
• Pietra Da Silva 20:51.5 (59th) [PERSONAL BEST]
• Samantha Boyle 21:13.1 (73^rd) [PERSONAL BEST]
• Maya Nichols 22:39.3 (90^th)
• Sophia Cushman 23:09.2 (99^th) [PERSONAL BEST]

Men's 8K 

• Brian Barsaiya, 23:54.7 (33^rd)  [PERSONAL BEST]
• Leif Swanson, 23:55.1 (34^th)  [PERSONAL BEST]
• Kelvin Limo, 24:04.2 (36^th)  [PERSONAL BEST]
• Kyle Ortega-Gammill. 24:26.1 (43^rd)  [PERSONAL BEST]
• Grayson Wilcott., 25:00.8 (52^nd)  [PERSONAL BEST]
• Turlan Morlan. 25:01.4 (53^rd)  [PERSONAL BEST]
• Jacob Easton, 25:04.4 (55^th) [PERSONAL BEST]
• Cooper Cortinas, 25:56.7 (72^nd)
• Alec Barran, 26:41.7 (76th)
• Aiden Emerson 26:49.5 (78^th)

UP NEXT: 
Washington State will take a one-week break in action before the NCAA West Regionals in Seattle, Wash., on Friday, November 11.
 
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