COLFAX, Wash. - The Vandal cross country teams opened the 2022 season at the Washington State Invitational Thursday evening. Kelsey Swenson won the women's race and Tim Stevens led the Vandal men to a team win at the Colfax Golf Club. 

Swenson opened the season with a win in the 4k. She stayed with the WSU lead pack as the race developed before making a move with a kilometer to go to cruise to an easy win. She finished with a personal best time of 13:24.7. 

Freshman Abigail Thomas was the second Vandal to cross the line finishing sixth overall with a time of 14:18.3. A trio of Vandals were just behind, Leah Holmgren finished eighth (14:21), Nathalia Campos came in ninth (14:36) and Elise Abbott came in 10th (14:45).

Kate Bouse came in 12th (14:52), Chloe Overberg came in 13th in her first collegiate race (15:03), Mia Hill took 16th (15:48), Sarah Pecha finished 17th (15:53) and Savannah Pratt came in 18th (16:09).

Tim Stevens and Gabriel Dinnel finished a half second apart to lead the Vandal men to the win over WSU.  Stevens finished third overall with a time of 18:13.7 and Dinnel came in fourth in 18:14.3. Zac Knapp finished fifth with a time of 18:25. The Vandals dominated the race growing stronger as the 6k race unfolded with Idaho's top eight runners finishing ahead of WSU's scoring five. 

Gage Zanette finished seventh overall (18:38), Sam Fulbright was eighth (18:40). Freshman Miles Ferguson came in 10th (19:05), Cruz Flores 11th with a time of 19:06.4. Zac Bright took 12th (19:06.9) and Tyler Graff came in 15th with a time of 19:23.8

The Vandals will be back in action next Friday, Sept. 9 when they travel to Spokane, Wash. to face Gonzaga in another dual meet. 

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