UAF’s Tabitha Williams led wire-to-wire to win the Blue & Gold Race on home soil. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Racing on home soil, UAF’s Tabitha Williams ran away with the individual title at the Blue & Gold Race in Fairbanks, conquering the hilly 6-kilometer course in 22 minutes, 24 seconds. UAA’s Ben Browning took the men’s 8-kilometer race in 25:34, leading the Seawolves to a sweep of the team titles.
Williams, a senior and dual-sport athlete for the Nanooks, led wire-to-wire, navigating the undulating course in drizzly conditions while donning her signature white-framed Oakley sunglasses.
It may have been an overcast day, but Williams shined brightly in her season opener, finishing 12 seconds ahead of UAA’s Natalie Allen and collecting her first collegiate victory in cross country.
Since 2021, a UAF woman has won each of the last six individual races on their home course, with Kendall Kramer winning thrice (2021-23), Rosie Fordham in 2024, Lucca Duke in 2025 and now Williams in 2026.
Williams, who skis for Great Britain internationally, enters as one of the top returners in both the GNAC Conference and West Region, having netted All-Region honors during the past two seasons, thanks to a pair of top-25 finishes.
She was also a part of the historic UAF squad that placed 13th at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in 2024, marking its first team appearance since 2011. That day Williams finished 132nd as the ‘Nooks third runner in 22:26.
Fast forward to this past weekend, Williams’ season opener was her fastest yet on home soil, while her personal best sits at 21:11. And with her best yet to come, the sky remains the limit for Williams.
Behind Williams was freshman Sadie Johnson (23:49) in fifth, Mila Moseley (24:34) in ninth, Fairbanks’ Olivia Manley (24:37) — a West Valley alum who netted a 56-second personal best — in 10th and Rory Claussen (24:39) in 11th.
The green and gold were led by junior Natalie Allen, a San Diego Mesa transfer, who placed runner-up in 22:36, as the Seawolves outpaced the Nanooks 22-36.
Makendra McCarty (23:43) and Nikiji Dayse (23:46) claimed the next two spots, while Gloria Kiprotich (23:59) and Haines’ Avery Williamson (24:12) rounded out the Seawolves’ scoring squad in sixth and seventh, respectively. Seward’s Juniper Ingalls (24:13) made her collegiate debut, placing eighth.
Women’s Top 10
- Tabitha Williams, UAF, 22:24
- Natalie Allen, UAA, 22:36
- Makendra McCarty, UAA, 23:43
- Nikiji Dayse, UAA, 23:46
- Sadie Johnson, UAF, 23:49
- Gloria Kiprotich, UAA, 23:59
- Avery Williamson, UAA, 24:12
- Juniper Ingalls, UAA, 24:13
- Mila Moseley, UAF, 24:34
- Olivia Manley, UAF, 24:37
Full results here.
UAA’s Ben Browning won the Blue & Gold Race, leading the Seawolves in sweeping the team titles. Photo by Griffin Forberg/The Stride Report
On the men’s side, UAA’s Ben Browning stormed to his first collegiate victory in 25:34, leading the Seawolves to a decisive showing in blanketing the top-10 spots.
Browning, a junior, is one of the top returners in the conference, having placed 13th at the GNAC Championships and 30th at West Regionals last fall, before making his national debut.
Originally from Idaho, Browning placed 129th at NCAAs in 2025, after spending his freshman year competing for the Nanooks. He capped his sophomore year with a sixth-place finish at the GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 10,000.
Teammates and UK compatriots Ben Peck (25:44), Ewen Wilkinson (25:55) and Sam Griffin (26:23) rounded out the scoring squad with Nathan Russell (26:36), a Spokane CC transfer.
The Seawolves achieved a perfect score for the first time since 2018, defeating the Nanooks 15-50.
“Really great races out of both teams today,” said head coach Ryan McWilliams in a press release. “Great to get the season officially started. We have a confident group of athletes, and we are looking forward to putting in the work this season to be at our best when it counts. Really proud of the effort the Seawolves put out on the course today.”
The Nanooks, who were racing without six of their top seven runners due to illness or injury, were led by freshman Aidan Niedbalski (27:21) of Missouri in 11th. Brady Benedict (12th), Anchorage’s Max Erickson (West) (13th), Bethel’s Ned Peters (14th) and Mats Langekamp (15th) rounded out the scorers.
UAA and UAF are slated to rematch at the Seawolf Throwdown on Sept. 12 at Kincaid Park.
Men’s Top 10
- Ben Browning, UAA, 25:34
- Ben Peck, UAA, 25:44
- Ewen Wilkinson, UAA, 25:55
- Sam Griffin, UAA, 26:23
- Nathan Russell, UAA, 26:36
- Stephen Zukowski, UAA, 26:50
- Henry O’Neal, UAA, 26:50
- Jacob Mascheroni, UAA, 26:55
- Tony Ruiz, UAA, 27:06
- Samuel Roy, UAA, 27:11
Full results here.
