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Gonzaga runner Rosina Machu earns automatic bid to NCAA National Championships; GU men earn fourth straight berth

Rosina Machu’s fourth-place finish at the NCAA West Regional on Friday earned the Gonzaga sophomore cross country runner an automatic bid to next week’s nationals. (Courtesy of Paul Merca/Gonzaga athletics)

From staff reports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Rosina Machu won’t have to play the waiting game Saturday.

The Gonzaga sophomore cross country runner earned an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA National Championships by finishing fourth in Friday’s West Regionals at Haggin Oak Golf Complex .

The Gonzaga men, led by Wil Smith’s sixth-place finish, also earned an automatic bid, finishing second in the men’s race. It marks the fourth straight NCAA appearance for the Zags.

While Machu’s spot is secured, the GU women – who placed fifth at regionals – will have to wait for Saturday’s NCAA Selection Show to find out if they earned one of the 13 remaining at-large berths to nationals.

The men and women at Washington State finished 13th in the team standings.

Meanwhile, the Idaho men finished 18th and the Eastern men wound up 25th. On the women’s side, Idaho was 22nd, with Eastern Washington 26th.