Pepperdine’s full squad poses together at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on Nov. 14 before the 2025 NCAA West Regional Championships. This marked the end of the 2025 season and one of the last times this exact team would stand together. Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
Pepperdine Cross Country traveled to the state capital to compete at the 2025 NCAA Division I West Regional Cross Country Championships, hosted by California State University, Sacramento on Nov. 14. Teams across the West met for a chance to advance to the national championships just a week away. Some schools secured their spot for the national stage, while others finished their season.
To begin the early morning, the women’s 6K race was set in motion at 9 a.m., followed by the men’s 10K race at 10 a.m., both happening at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex. Fans unable to attend in person could stream the championship live on ESPN+.
The competition was open to all Division I programs within the Western region, a field of 40 schools, including Stanford University, Boise State University, the University of California, Los Angeles, University of Washington, Gonzaga University, California State University, Fullerton, California State University, Long Beach, Santa Clara University and University of Oregon, according to Record Timing.
The Pepperdine women’s team finished 37th out of 39 teams, logging 1,029 points, according to Record Timing. The Waves sent senior Ashley Eagan, juniors Elizabeth Crawford, Jessica Guardino, Graphic copy editor Hannah Miller, and Renee Skiera and sophomores Grace Simpson, Riley Burgess and Kennedy Duralde.
Pepperdine’s frontrunner was Crawford, finishing 93rd out of 263 runners with a time of 21:38.2. The next scorers were Simpson and Guardino, both finishing within three minutes of one another. In the end, the team’s total time came to 1:56:45, according to Record Timing.
Sophomore Grace Simpson (left), senior Ashley Eagan (middle) and Hannah Miller, junior and Graphic copy editor (right), lean on one another after the race at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on Nov. 14. Surrounded by her teammates, Eagan finished her final cross country race as a Wave.
In the men’s 10K, the Waves finished 17th out of 30 contenders, recording 527 points, according to Record Timing. Pepperdine’s roster included senior Patrick Thomas, juniors Kaleb McElfish, Dominic Silhol and identical twin brothers Gordy and Rowan Nilsen, sophomore Elijah Gentry and freshmen Micah Brighton and Beckett Sullivan.
Thomas ended his collegiate cross country journey leading the Waves by crossing the line at 31:05.2, placing 79th out of 195 runners. Following just seconds behind Thomas was Gordy Nilsen finishing 84th with a time of 31:10.3 and barely ahead of Gentry, who crossed the line at 31:11.4 to place 89th. The team’s total time came to 2:37:51, according to Record Timing.
The men’s team locks arms and gathers in a tight huddle ahead of the race at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on Nov. 14. They met together for one of the most important meets of the year.
Ultimately, Stanford took home the women’s 8K team win, although Washington State claimed the individual win. On the men’s side, the University of Oregon won as a team, with Washington State homing the individual champion again, according to Record Timing.
For seniors Eagan and Thomas, this race marked the end of their Pepperdine cross country careers, though both will continue competing for the Waves during the spring track season.
As the Waves did not claim their spot in the national championships, the NCAA West Regional marked the end of their 2025 season. Their focus will shift into off-season training and preparation for the 2026 season under Head Coach Lauren Floris.
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Contact Madison Chavez via email: madison.chavez@pepperdine.edu
