MONMOUTH, Ore. – A year and a half ago, Northwest Nazarene's Bethany Danner met with new associate cross country coach Ben Gall and said she wanted to make qualifying for nationals her goal.

At the time, it seemed a tad crazy and while Gall was supportive of Danner, he also didn't want her to get her hopes up too high.

After a solid junior season, Danner, Annalisa Hamilton and Kalen Johnson organized a team meeting to talk about the goal for qualifying for nationals as a team.

Now that goal seemed really crazy.

No NNU women's cross country team had ever qualified and few if any had even come close.

On Saturday at the West Region Cross Country Championships hosted by Western Oregon, though, the Nighthawks did just that.

NNU stunned the field, placing second and earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Division II National Cross Country Championships.

"We were all jumping up and down crying and laughing and smiling and hugging," Danner said when they learned they placed second. "We just celebrated in the finish corral for a good five minutes or more."

The improbability of the finish was not lost on anyone.

The race announcer called it the biggest upset in college sports history. The national coaches association's release said it stunned the nation. Head coach Danny Bowman barely could express what it was like.

"I can't wrap my mind around what we just did and I'm overwhelmed with joy and gratitude," NNU freshman Julia LaMar said. "It was so evident that the Lord was all around us today and I had a feeling going into this race that I can't quite describe."

LaMar finished 11th in 21:06.4, earning All-West Region honors in the process. It was the fourth highest finish by an NNU woman at a Division II regional meet. It was also the third fastest time in a 6,000-kilometer race in program history.

"It was the best I've ever felt before a race and I'm so thankful we were able to run as a team," LaMar said. "We really trusted each other and ran with a whole lot of heart. It was such a special moment, one that I won't soon forget."

Bowman, Gall and the team knew coming in that if all six runners ran their best then qualifying for nationals was not out of the realm of possibility.

The Nighthawks, however, lacked the depth of most teams in the region and had been up and down all season. NNU was only ranked in the West Region poll once, and that was in 10th place.

On Saturday, though, the Nighthawks raced their best race of the season, running as a pack throughout. LaMar and Kalen Johnson combined to pass 19 runners in the final 400 meters to help vault the Nighthawks into second.

"We've been talking all along that we need to run together and all show up at the same time," Bowman said. "Everyone from 1-6 ran amazing times. They established themselves really early and kept the position and then gained at the end."

Joining LaMar with All-West Region honors were Bethany Danner, who finished 21st in 21:17.9 and Annalisa Hamilton, who finished 23rd in 21:22.2.

"My expectations were that we were going to go out there and run with confidence and with knowledge of the hard work we have put in for so long," Hamilton said. "Nationals seemed like a lofty goal, little did we know that dream was going to come true after all the hard work we put in."

Sierra Manzer finished in 27th place in 21:29.5, Johnson was 55th in 22;04.5 and Heidi Nisly was 120th in 22:52.1.

The top three teams automatically qualified for the national meet set for Nov. 23 in Sacramento, Calif.

"Throughout the whole race, the coaches were yelling that we were going to qualify and I knew I was the fifth runner and my place would greatly affect how we would secure that spot," Johnson said. "Realizing this mid-race was slightly scary, but I knew I had to do it for my team. Thinking of them and the season we've had gave me the courage and mental strength to pass the people I needed to."

LaMar, Danner, Hamilton and Manzer moved into third, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, in best times for a 6k in program history. LaMar's finish was the fourth best in program history at a regional meet and best since Natalie Evans finished eighth in 2013.

"I thought today could be my last race and I had to put it all on the course," Manzer said. "Not just for me, but for my team. During the race I remember Coach Gall reminding me that we had a chance to make it to nationals. At those moments, I would get goosebumps and think that we are in this and I have to keep fighting for my team. That helped me all the way through the finish."

Through the finish and into a mob of Nighthawks teammates, friends, families and coaches.

A goal realized, a dream made, and a cross country world stunned.
 
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