FOREST GROVE, Ore.- The Pacific men's and women's cross country teams feature some strong leaders accompanied by multiple promising newcomers under Head Coach Bailee Krings, entering her fifth season with the Boxers.
 
"I'm excited to see what we can do this season," Krings said. "We've got two very different teams from last year, as many of our top five scorers from last fall have graduated. This year we've got quite a few returners who have really stepped up, and several newcomers who are looking to make a big impact on our team. Our runners are motivated and looked great during fall camp. I expect big things from both teams this year and I am really excited about the direction the program is heading."
 
In 2021, the Boxer women earned their best Northwest Conference finish in nearly 20 years. It was a massively successful season as Kara Putman grabbed the individual title in the women's 6k while the team finished as the conference runner-up, tying their highest finish in program history. On the men's side, the Boxers finished fourth at the conference meet and saw Riley Stewart join Putman at the national meet. Stewart and Putman posted the best NCAA Championship finishes by Pacific runners, on either team, in the last decade.
 
With both runners leaving due to graduation, Pacific will have some hard-working runners looking to flourish in the spotlight this season.
 
Returners
 
Will Wada is expected to be a main contributor to the men's team, as he hopes to challenge for a top-10 spot in the conference. Sophomore Carlos Masuko is coming off a great freshman campaign and he looks to compete for an All-Conference spot as well
 
Annie Berry had a fantastic track season in the spring and she hopes to carry that momentum into this fall. She will hope to be vying for a conference title in her junior season. Maddy Hubbs and Elizabeth Bradley are also poised for big seasons, as they will use their experience to their advantage this spring.
 
Newcomers
 
Natalie Taylor has impressed in preseason workouts along with Alena Krull, who is also expected to make some big contributions this season.
 
Aaron Brewer is another freshman who has showed promise early in the year.
 
The Boxers will begin the season at the Lewis & Clark Opener on Sept. 1 at Lake Oswego Golf Course.
 
For the latest information on Pacific Athletics, make sure to check out GoBoxers.com. You can also find the Boxers on social media at @GoBoxers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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