2023 PacWest Conference Championships Results

FRESNO, Calif. – Academy of Art cross country began postseason action on Saturday morning with the Pacific West Conference Championship races at Woodward Park where redshirt sophomore Katharina Goetschl and junior Grace Southern both finished inside the top 10 to lead the women's team while the men placed seventh with freshman Bradley Bell leading the way.

Inside the top 10 throughout the 6k race, Goetschl and Southern sported nearly identical times approaching the 15:30.0 mark before Goetschl closed as the Urban Knights' top runner in eighth overall. She not only delivered a season best, but her final time of 21:37.3 slotted as seventh-fastest in program history. Southern crossed the line in 10th overall at 21:42.4, earning her All-PacWest Second Team honors along with Goetschl out of the 85-runner field.

Adding to the squad's overall finish, junior Lina Hanich maintained her positioning for the final two thirds of the race, taking 30th (28 points toward team score) with a time of 22:51.5 while sophomore María Martín was inside the top 50 at 24:11.1 in 47th place (38 points toward team score). Junior Michaela Andrews completed the ART U quintet, finishing 25:07.4 in the 59th spot (48 points toward team score).

As a team, Academy of Art (132) took sixth just back of Fresno Pacific (127) and in front of Westmont (205), Chaminade (242), Hawaii Pacific (263), and others. Biola (40) successfully defended its team title with three of its qualifiers in the top six, but Concordia's Jori Paradis claimed the individual title after going 20:51.9.

Bell remained among the top 50 runners navigating the 8k course through Woodward Park, steadily moving up to finish in 45th (37 points toward team score) with a new season-best time of 27:08.9. The mark was nearly 20 full seconds better than his previous top performance. Redshirt sophomore Jaden Singleton also worked his way up the 72-runner field to 49th (41 points toward team score), ending at 27:31.4.

Rounding out the Knights' top five was sophomore Vaughn Lacour at 27:32.1 in 50th (42 points toward team score), graduate student Samy Achab in 58th (45 points toward team score) at 28:30.1, and sophomore Taj-Leon Wisdom at 31:17.1 in 65th (51 points toward team score).

Collectively, ART U (216) placed seventh back of Dominican (161), but ahead of Hawaii Pacific (239) and Chaminade (251). With all five runners in the top seven, Azusa Pacific (25) claimed the team title while Biola's Jerry Baltzer (24:22.2) moved up two spots down the stretch for the individual championship.

Academy of Art looks ahead to NCAA Division II West Regionals next as the postseason continues in Monmouth, Ore. on Nov. 4.