Saturday, October 21, 2017

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – In what was billed to be a close race, Caroline Kurgat and Alaska Anchorage left no doubt as to whom the champions would be as the Seawolves cruised to their third straight GNAC women’s cross country title at the GNAC Cross Country Championships, held Saturday at Lake Padden Park.

Kurgat hammered her competition in just her third race of the season, earning her second straight individual title with a time of 20:49.42 over 6,000 meters. The senior was nearly a minute ahead of Seattle Pacific senior Mary Charleson, who finished second in a time of 21:45.99. Simon Fraser senior Julia Howley, who had not lost to another GNAC competitor all season, placed third in 21:52.05.

The Seawolves placed all five scoring runners in the top-10 to win the team championship with a score of 28 points on a day where wind provided a challenge for the runners. Simon Fraser finished second with 65 points, placing their top-three runners in the top-10. Western Washington placed third with 87 points while Seattle Pacific was fourth with 93 points.

In addition to being its third consecutive title, the win was Alaska Anchorage’s eighth GNAC championship over the last nine seasons.

“It feels really good. We’ve been really working hard for this and we did it as a team,” Kurgat said. “The conditions were a bit rough, but I felt good about my fitness and I feel like I was right where I need to be. Things felt really good.”

Alaska Anchorage sophomore Emmah Chelimo was named Newcomer of the Year with her eighth-place All-GNAC finish in a time of 22:11.26. Simon Fraser’s Olivia Willett earned Freshman of the Year honors with her ninth-place All-GNAC time of 22:11.53.

The Seawolves saw five runners earn All-GNAC honors with top-10 finishes. Joining Kurgat and Chelimo were junior Zennah Jepchumba (fourth in 21:53.66), junior Danielle McCormick (fifth in 22:06.72) and junior Kimberly Cosica (10th in 22:12.28). Simon Fraser senior Miryam Bassett joined Howley and Willett with all-conference honors, placing sixth 22:07.20.

Seattle Pacific’s Charleson and Western Oregon senior Kennedy Rufener rounded out the top-10. Charleson moved up from a fourth-place finish from a year ago. Rufener, meanwhile, placed seventh in a time of 22:07.73.

All 11 GNAC teams will meet again in two weeks in Monmouth, Oregon, at the NCAA Division II West Region Championships at Western Oregon University’s Ash Creek Preserve.

GNAC WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Lake Padden Park, Bellingham, Wash.
Athlete of the Year: Caroline Kurgat, Alaska Anchorage
Newcomer of the Year: Emmah Chelimo, Alaska Anchorage
Freshman of the Year: Olivia Willett, Simon Fraser

TEAM SCORES: Alaska Anchorage 28, Simon Fraser 65, Western Washington 87, Seattle Pacific 93, Central Washington 163, Western Oregon 190, Alaska 219, Northwest Nazarene 236, Concordia 240, Saint Martin’s 255, Montana St. Billings 301.

TOP 10 FINISHERS (ALL-GNAC): 1, Caroline Kurgat, UAA, 20:49.42. 2, Mary Charleson, SPU, 21:45.99. 3, Julia Howley, SFU, 21:52.05. 4, Zennah Jepchumba, UAA, 21:53.66. 5, Danielle McCormick, UAA, 22:06.72. 6, Miryam Bassett, SFU, 22:07.20. 7, Kennedy Rufener, WOU, 22:07.73. 8, Emmah Chelimo, UAA, 22:11.26. 9, Olivia Willett, SFU, 22:11.53. 10, Kimberly Coscia, UAA, 22:12.28.