BILLINGS, Mont. – Azusa Pacific traveled across the country to compete in the NCAA West Regional Championships, where the team finished 13th overall in a field of 31 teams.

"Collectively we did well," said head coach Jebreh Harris. "There was progress in our individual placements from those that competed last year. We are moving forward. I'm proud of the energy and perseverance of this group."

The Cougars put four runners in the top 100 of the 6k race and were led by Jessica (Kampman) Walczak's third place finish. Walczak maintained her position in the lead pack throughout the race while outkicking a Chico State runner to finish with a time of 20:31.33.

Her All-Region performance earned her an automatic spot at the NCAA Championships, set for two weeks from now in Sacramento, Calif.

Walczak has been a consistent force throughout the season, not only in the region but also nationally. After an impressive 19:56.8 performance at the UC Riverside Invitational to start the season, she was crowned PacWest Champion, winning by 20 seconds two weeks ago. Now, she will have the chance to showcase her talent on the national stage.

"Jessica has been holding the flag for us the entire year," said Harris. "I like how she kept fighting when the front pack took off from her in the beginning. Jess raced strong, didn't get rattled, and held off some great competitors at the end. Nationals will be another great opportunity to bring the best out of Jess."

Following Walczak was 2022 All-Region runner Justine Stecko, who finished 37th overall with a time of 22:08.84. Sofia Vasquez, competing in her third regional meet, crossed the line in 68th place with a time of 22:40.00. Sophia Godina, making her NCAA postseason debut, finished in 94th with a time of 23:10.81.

Grace Echelbarger (23:30.90) placed 116th overall, improving her finish from last year by two spots, while Janelle Santos (24:42.53) rounded out the Cougar lineup in 156th place in her first-ever West Regional meet.

Azusa Pacific concluded its first season under head coach Jebreh Harris with a 13th-place finish at the West Regional, while placing fifth overall in the PacWest Conference. Walczak will now head to the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif., in two weeks. She will be joined by Jared Wright from the men's team, while the rest of the program waits to see if they are selected for an at-large bid.