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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The stage suited Kaila Gibson. Racing in her first NCAA West Prelims Thursday, the Viking captain beat her ranking by placing 21st in the women's 10,000 meters, finishing in 34:35.87.
 
Gibson's 21st-place finish wasn't enough to advance to her to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but still tied the highest finish ever by a Viking in the women's 10k at the NCAA West Prelims. Sarah Dean also placed 21st in the 10k in 2014, when she became the first Viking to ever qualify for the NCAA West Prelims in the 10k. Camelia Mayfield followed with a 28th-place finish in 2015, while Amanda Boman placed 35th overall in 2016.
 
Gibson, who came into the meet ranked 34th in the 10k field, was the highest finisher of any Big Sky athlete Thursday, beating Weber State's Lexi Thompson (26th), Montana State's Kelsi Lasota (31st), Idaho State's Jenica Dodge (40th), Idaho's Andrea Condie (43rd) and Southern Utah's Angie Nickerson (DNF). Nickerson won the Big Sky title in the 10k two weeks ago, while Dodge placed second and Lasota third.
 
Thursday's race marked only the third 10k Gibson has run at Portland State. Gibson's time of 34:35.87 was behind the personal best she set at 34:12.51 at the Stanford Invitational earlier this season, but was still close to 50 seconds better than her first 10k, which she ran in 35:24.64 at the 2018 Big Sky outdoor meet.
 
Gibson became just the fourth Viking to qualify for the NCAA West Prelims in the 10k this season, and the only athlete to do so with a year of eligibility still remaining. Gibson can become the program's only two-time qualifier in the 10k if she can repeat the feat as a redshirt senior next season.
 
Gibson qualified for this season's NCAA West Prelims alongside her friend and training partner Sarah Medved. Medved, who also qualified for the NCAA West Prelims last season, runs in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase Friday at 8:20 p.m. (PT).
 
NCAA West Preliminary Rounds
Hornet Stadium
Sacramento, Calif.
May 23, 2019
 
Women's Results:
10,000m (Semifinals): 21. Kaila Gibson, 34:35.87.