UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. – A personal best in the 8k for Montana State University Billings senior Ase Ackerman highlighted the NCAA D2 pre-nationals on Saturday at Chambers Creek Regional Park.
 
Ackerman was the Yellowjackets' top performer, running a time of 24:41.4 minutes and taking 28th place among a field of 217 runners. Ackerman's time was a PR, as he cruised past his previous best of 25:00.7 which he set at the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships.
 
Logan Straus crossed the line in a time of 25:53.2 minutes, taking 107th place and finishing less than 20 seconds off of his PR in the event. Senior Bryant Edgerton took 135th place with a time of 26:25.7 minutes, crossing the line just seven seconds off his PR of 26:18.7 minutes.
 
Freshman Wyatt May had a good showing in his first collegiate 8k, running a time of 26:34.5 minutes and placing 142nd. Gaven McColloch was right behind May at 27:13.1 minutes for 167th place, and Jordi Peiro ran a time of 27:55.3 minutes for 185th place. Rounding out the field of runners for MSUB was Kevin Graves, who ran a time of 29:20.1 minutes and took 209th.
 
Dillon Powell of Colorado Mines won the individual title in 23:19.8 minutes, and the Orediggers won the team title with a score of 19 points.
 
Kailee Stoppel led the Yellowjacket women, crossing the line in a time of 23:08.3 minutes to take 94th place. Ally Whitmer was next for the 'Jackets in 159th place, posting a time of 24:32.9 minutes. Whitmer was just 15 seconds off her career best in the event, of 24:17.2 on Nov. 6, 2021 at the NCAA West Region Championships.
 
Freshman Kaylee Dalling was right behind Whitmer in her first collegiate 6k, running a time of 24:34.5 minutes to take 162nd place. Fellow freshman Carey Berendsen stayed close with Dalling, taking 164th place with a time of 24:39.4 minutes.
 
Madeline Severson crossed the line in a time of 25:00.5 minutes for 175th place, and Kit Wiersema ran a time of 25:23.0 minutes for 184th place. Also competing for MSUB was Aspen Tolman, who took 192nd with a time of 25:39.5 minutes.
 
Naomi Bailey of Alaska Fairbanks won the race, topping the field of 224 competitors with a time of 20:46.1 minutes. Colorado School of Mines claimed the team title with a score of 37, running away from second-place Western Colorado which had a score of 88.
 
"Overall today we had strong team performances," said MSUB head coach Jonathan Woehl. "The women's team is getting better with their pack running, and the guys improved across the board from our home meet. Our goal was to go compete and do the best we can, then take a step back and look at what we did well and can improve on going forward to the GNAC meet. We beat some GNAC rivals and I believe as we continue to train and refine our race efforts, we can do even better in two weeks in Monmouth."
 
THE BUZZ: Ackerman was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Runner of the Day.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets are set to compete in the 2022 GNAC Championships, which will take place on Nov. 5 at Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Ore.