Seattle, WA—The UC Riverside Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams head to Jefferson Park Golf Course for the NCAA West Regional Championships this Friday, November 13. The women's 6k gets underway at 12 pm PT, and the men's 10k starts at 1 pm (Event info/Live results).

The West Regional is one of nine regionals around the country. The top two teams from each region earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The top four individuals not on a qualifying team also advance, as long as they finish in the top-25.

Additionally, an NCAA subcommittee will select 13 at-large teams and two individuals on Saturday to compete in the NCAA Championships November 21st in Louisville, Kentucky.

The top-25 runners in each region will earn all-region recognition.

Jefferson Park Golf Course consists of multiple 2k loops on flat fairways crossing some cart paths. The course was the site of the 2010 Pac-10 Championships, the USATF Club Nationals, the NCAA West Regional Championships in 2012, and the Washington Invitational beginning in 2014. Friday's weather forecast calls for a high of 56°, and 100% chance of rain with 20-30 mph wind.

There are 32 men's teams and 37 women's teams in the field at the West Regionals, which is made up of schools from the Big West, Pac-12, West Coast, Mountain West and Big Sky Conferences.
 
Coach Nate Browne said, "I believe we can challenge for a top 20 regional position. We know its possible, but it just depends on our belief the day of."

Competing for the women's team is Dominique Dowell, Faith Makau, Emily Sanchez, Christina Shamirian, Brianna Simmons, and Weslie Totten.

Competing for the men's team is, Solomon Demeku-Ousman, John Green, Garrett Hernandez, Cody Jordan, Carlos Lopez, and Aaron Nguyen.

Last season, UC Riverside's Men's Cross Country Team finished in 15th place at the West Regionals (recap), while the Women's Team finished 23rd (recap).