UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. – Arizona Cross Country sent 16 athletes to the Pac-12 Championships on Friday where Victor Ortiz-Rivera and Keelah Barger led the Wildcats with top-20 finishes. Despite harsh weather conditions, many Wildcats ran their best race times with a total of 12 athletes clocking PRs.

Ortiz-Rivera was one of the top finishers in the men's 8k race, placing sixth with a PR time of 22:59.8. His performance was good to shave his previous best time by almost a minute and a half. Our second finisher on the men's side was Shem Kemboi who clocked a PR of 24:13.9 to finish in 39th place. Carlos Shultz, Luke Biondolillo and Brandon Bounds also picked up personal best times.

On the women's side, Barger led the group with a 15th place finish and a time of 20:01.1, good for a big PR. She was followed by freshman Grace Driskill who picked up a PR as well with a time of 21:07.30. The first seven Wildcats to cross the finish line in the 6k clocked new personal best times.

Both the men's and women's teams placed eighth with identical team scores of 201. Both sides also picked up Territorial Cup points.

There will be no NCAA West Regional Championships this season, but the NCAA Cross Country Selection Show will air Sunday, March 7 at 11 a.m. MST on NCAA.com. 

Women's 6k Results
15. Keelah Barger - 20:01.1
50. Grace Driskill - 21:07.30
51. Alisa Lyesina - 21:08.00
57. Peyton Heiden - 21:12.60
70. Maddy Christopher - 21:44.00
77. Meggie Karp - 22:06.30
85. Brigid Hanley - 22:50.30
91. Megan Bounds - 24:36.30

Men's 8k Results
6. Victor Ortiz-Rivera - 22:59.8
39. Shem Kemboi - 24:13.9
56. Carlos Shultz - 25:23.6
60. Luke Biondolillo - 25:41.1
66. Bradley Rzewnicki - 26:06.0
68. Jeffrey Sillers - 26:25.9
70. Brandon Bounds - 26:51.4
72. Galvin Curley - 27:28.6


FOLLOW THE WILDCATS!
Fans can keep up with the latest in Arizona Track and Field by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/ArizonaTrack), Twitter (@ArizonaTrack), Instagram (arizonatrack) and YouTube (Youtube.com/arizonawildcatstrack) accounts.