McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The College of Idaho cross country teams opened the 2026 season with strong showings Friday at the Linfield Opener, as both the Yotes men and women finished second overall and were the first NAIA teams across the finish line in their respective races.
The C of I men scored 46 points to finish behind NCAA Division I Portland. Isaac Anttonen led the Yotes with a sixth-place finish in 18:17.4, followed closely by freshman Ben Hugaboom in seventh at 18:19.3 and Oclan Ryan in eighth at 18:19.5. Matt Wilde (18:35.8) and Everett Metier (18:39.4) rounded out the Yotes top 5 finishing 13th and 14th respectively.
The Yotes women also finished second, scoring 59 points behind NCAA Division I Oregon State. First over the line for the Yotes was Kylee Quinton taking 8th place with a time of 13:53.0. Talia Bonville led the C of I freshman in 14th at 14:19.1, followed by Paiten Braseth in 18th at 14:28.6 and Julia Gilbert in 21st at 14:39.6. Ainsley Bowen placed 22nd in 14:41.0.
Head coach Dom Bolin was encouraged by the performances of the team's younger runners, particularly with freshman Hugaboom finishing alongside the Yotes' upperclassmen on the men's side and freshman Bonville making an immediate impact for the women. Sophomore Bowen turned in a strong opening performance for the women's team while Wilde and Metier also represent the sophomore class on the men's side. Bolin said he is excited about the potential of the underclassmen and looks forward to seeing both teams continue to improve throughout the season.
The Yotes return to action Sept. 18 at Northwest Nazarene Invite in Nampa, Idaho.
