This story has been updated to reflect Oregon State’s selection to the NCAA Cross Country Championships

The 2021 PAC-12 Cross Country Championships took place in Chambers Creek Park in Washington on Mar. 5, and the Oregon State Beavers took fourth place, a program-best mark. 

Oregon State’s track and field and cross country programs are relatively new, having been reinstated in 2005 after being disbanded in 1988. Their best finish at the PAC-12 Championships since the reinstatement was a sixth-place finish in 2018 with 173 points. This year, they placed fourth with 100 points.

Oregon State is enjoying a successful season this year, ranked 24th in the country. In this competition, they finished behind the Stanford Cardinal, Colorado Buffaloes, and Washington Huskies, who are fifth, sixth, and 12th in the country, respectively. Oregon State finished just 15 points behind third-place Washington

Sophomore Kaylee Mitchell had the best individual time on the Beavers, with her 19:39.4 time ranking as the seventh-best finish on the day. 

Senior Batya Beard had the second-highest placement at 19th. Additionally, sophomore Grace Fetherstonhaugh, senior Greta Van Calcar,  senior Audrey Lookner, and sophomore Meagen Lowe also finished in the top 30. 

Fetherstonhaugh has had an especially successful season, qualifying for the 5000 meters at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships earlier in the season. She is only the third Beaver to qualify for the tournament in program history, including the pre-1988 seasons, and the first for this specific event. 

Fans can watch Fetherstonhaugh compete in the indoor championship from Mar. 11-13. And, with the team’s recent qualification to the NCAA Championship, fans can also watch the cross country team participating in nationals on Mar. 15 in Stillwater, Okla.