SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga men's cross country went 467 days between racing in the 2019 NCAA West Regionals and their return to the course on Feb. 24 for the West Coast Conference Championships.
It was the only competition scheduled for the men this season. It was a tough test to return to, as defending national champion and top-ranked team in the country BYU and No. 8 Portland are in the Zags' conference.
If the Zags wanted a chance at the NCAA Tournament, they'd have to finish in the top two. They did just that, finishing in second as a team only behind BYU.
After all that time not competing, they overcame the odds to give themselves a shot. It was the first time since 2014 they finished in second place, and it tied a program best for team finish.
"Here's Gonzaga, a little team out of Spokane, overshadowed by the men's and women's basketball teams, and we got it done," head coach Pat Tyson said.
In the 8K race, the Zags had five runners place in the top 20. Those runners were James Mwaura, who placed second, Yacine Guermali came in fourth, Wil Smith finished 11th, Peter Hogan was 16th and Evan Bates was 19th.
"We'd been waiting so long for our opportunity and we had to make the most of it," Bates said. "We knew we had once chance to show what we've been doing for 15 months."
Mwaura set a program record with his run time.
"It meant a lot, because it shows how much I've gotten better," he said. "All the work I've put into training has paid off."
Tyson was named WCC Coach of the Year. Mwaura and Guermali earned first team All-WCC. Smith made the second team.
These guys have been through a lot in their 15-month layoff: There was no track season in 2020, coronavirus, the smoky air in Spokane, all the ice, and then simply having to train differently.
"I'm just so proud of these guys for being self-starters and for being so enduring," Tyson said.
While the team is proud of what they've accomplished, they want to go to nationals as a team for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs have only sent individuals in the past on the men's side.
In 2019, they were all but certain they were going to go as a team, but a technicality not of their own fault hurt their strength of schedule and kept them out.
"That has really stayed with us the past 15 months," Hogan said.
This year, they wanted to make sure they could do everything they could to put them in position to have their name called on the selection show.
They have optimistic hopes their effort this season might be enough.
"We earned this a year ago in November, and now we are back," Tyson said. "Now we believe we are in the ring going to the fight."
The Bulldogs will find out on March 7 whether they make it or not.