Ben Peck Wins Bronze at GNAC Championships, Leads UAA to Third

In his fourth race for UAA, Ben Peck has already reshaped the Seawolves’ competitive outlook, securing a bronze medal at the GNAC Cross Country Championships in Monmouth, Oregon.

The junior transfer from Florida Tech led his team to a third-place finish, building momentum as the squad prepares for the upcoming regional stage.

Peck navigated the 8-kilometer course in a personal-best time of 23 minutes, 46 seconds. His performance was not merely a podium finish; it earned him the GNAC Newcomer of the Year title and a spot on the all-conference team.

Throughout the race, he maintained a strategic presence in the lead pack, eventually executing a surge in the seventh kilometer to secure third place, finishing just nine seconds behind Western Washington’s George Fernandez, who won the race in 23:37.

The Seawolves’ team strategy proved effective, securing 75 points and maintaining the program’s impressive legacy. The men's squad has finished fourth or higher during all 25 editions of the GNAC Championships, showing long-term consistency in a highly competitive division.

“I’m so amazingly proud of what this group of athletes put out on the course today. The men raced well and hard with almost the entire squad having their best efforts of the year. And we have a lot of confidence that we will be even better in two weeks, said head coach Ryan McWilliams.”

While Peck anchored the front, teammate Ben Browning provided critical support, finishing sixth in 23:55 to earn his first all-conference honors. The scoring squad was rounded out by Sam Griffin, Edgar Vera, and Ewen Wilkinson, helping UAA stay within nine points of host Western Oregon.

Ben Peck Wins Bronze at GNAC Championships, Leads UAA to Third

In the same field, the UAF Nanooks finished seventh with 182 points, matching their best showing since 2010 for the fourth time. Juneau’s Nick Iverson led the UAF effort, placing 31st with a personal-best time of 25:07, a 19-spot improvement from his GNAC debut.

The women’s race saw a strong performance from Sitka’s Anna Prussian, now competing for Seattle Pacific. Prussian finished ninth in the 6-kilometer race with a personal-best time of 21:08. Her performance marks the fastest 6K time by an Alaskan this season, regardless of division. She managed a blistering pace of 5:40 per mile, maintaining a top-10 position throughout the duration of the event.

For UAA, Natalie Allen earned Newcomer of the Year honors in the women’s division, leading her team to a sixth-place finish with a 15th-place time of 21:25. Despite facing a season of adversity and injuries, the team managed to outscore their intrastate rivals by nine points.

The reach of Alaskan talent extended across multiple NCAA Division 2 conference championships. At the RMAC Championships, Palmer’s Ella Hopkins placed 52nd for UC-Colorado Springs, while Kenai’s Greg Fallon represented Fort Lewis. Haines’ Avari Getchell competed at the NSIC XC Championships for Augustana, and North Pole’s Miranda Wilkerson ran for Belmont Abbey at the Conference Carolinas Championships.

The focus for these athletes now shifts to the next tier of competition. UAA, UAF, and the rest of the GNAC contingent are scheduled to compete at the West Regional Championships on Nov. 21 in Sacramento, California.